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Adam Binder #1
White Trash Warlock
Not all magicians go to schools of magic.
Adam Binder has the Sight. It’s a power that runs in his bloodline: the ability to see beyond this world and into another, a realm of magic populated by elves, gnomes, and spirits of every kind. But for much of Adam’s life, that power has been a curse, hindering friendships, worrying his backwoods family, and fueling his abusive father’s rage.
Years after his brother, Bobby, had him committed to a psych ward, Adam is ready to come to grips with who he is, to live his life on his terms, to find love, and maybe even use his magic to do some good. Hoping to track down his missing father, Adam follows a trail of cursed artifacts to Denver, only to discover that an ancient and horrifying spirit has taken possession of Bobby’s wife.
It isn’t long before Adam becomes the spirit’s next target. To survive the confrontation, save his sister-in-law, and learn the truth about his father, Adam will have to risk bargaining with very dangerous beings...including his first love.
Adam Binder has the Sight. It’s a power that runs in his bloodline: the ability to see beyond this world and into another, a realm of magic populated by elves, gnomes, and spirits of every kind. But for much of Adam’s life, that power has been a curse, hindering friendships, worrying his backwoods family, and fueling his abusive father’s rage.
Years after his brother, Bobby, had him committed to a psych ward, Adam is ready to come to grips with who he is, to live his life on his terms, to find love, and maybe even use his magic to do some good. Hoping to track down his missing father, Adam follows a trail of cursed artifacts to Denver, only to discover that an ancient and horrifying spirit has taken possession of Bobby’s wife.
It isn’t long before Adam becomes the spirit’s next target. To survive the confrontation, save his sister-in-law, and learn the truth about his father, Adam will have to risk bargaining with very dangerous beings...including his first love.
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First published October 13, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,706 reviews
November 2, 2020
It’s interesting—despite my abiding love of fantasy, and though you could, perhaps, characterize the greatest movie ever made (okay, well, my favorite movie of all time, anyway)—that would be Ghostbusters, for those of you haven’t been paying attention—as urban fantasy, I have not read especially deeply into that particular (sub)genre. And, to the extent that I have, it’s been forays into stories more like the brilliant The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep than, say, the works of Laurell K. Hamilton or Jim Butcher.
So, I can’t say for sure whether Slayton’s debut is typical of the genre, though given that the book bounces betwixt the backwoods of rural Oklahoma and more traditionally urban environs in Colorado, it may be more accurate to call it “rurban fantasy” (I would say “urbal fantasy,” but, aurally speaking, that implies the ingestion of substances unnecessary for the enjoyment of this tale). I can say, however, that it’s absolutely fantastic.
Slayton pulls off the exceedingly difficult feat of smoothly integrating the fantastical elements of his world into the “real” world, creating a cast of complex and compelling characters (not to mention one heck of a love triangle), devising an engaging magic system, and spooling out plot at just the right pace. Despite ending at just the right spot for the story, the book ended far too quickly for my liking. I want more, dammit, and, thankfully, Slayton will fulfill that wish with subsequent sequels.
If you dig fantasy that’s down-to-earth but epic in scope, characters who are flawed but fascinating, and smooth prose that drives the story forward without distracting from it, White Trash Warlock is well worth a read. If you don’t like those things, I mean, what even are you?
One other thing worth noting, because it’s something I love about the inclusiveness of fantasy as a genre (warning: I’m about to get all soapboxy). I’m a privileged straight white guy who grew up middle class in the suburbs. My family never faced food insecurity. I never witnessed domestic violence. And, I’ve never faced the heartache and discrimination of being LGBTQ+ (or in any other underrepresented group) in a family or society that distances itself from, disrespects, or otherwise dehumanizes anyone who doesn’t conform to whatever that family/society considers “acceptable.”
But, reading about characters whose lived experiences differ so greatly from mine didn’t diminish my enjoyment of the story in the slightest. On the contrary, it enhanced it, offered me new insight, and reminded me yet again that when we forge a bond through a shared love or passion for something—fantasy stories, in this case—we can bring our truest and most authentic selves to the table and raise the level of enjoyment and engagement for everyone. Okay, I’m off my soapbox now.
Bottom line: this is a hell of an entertaining yarn. Bring on the sequel!
So, I can’t say for sure whether Slayton’s debut is typical of the genre, though given that the book bounces betwixt the backwoods of rural Oklahoma and more traditionally urban environs in Colorado, it may be more accurate to call it “rurban fantasy” (I would say “urbal fantasy,” but, aurally speaking, that implies the ingestion of substances unnecessary for the enjoyment of this tale). I can say, however, that it’s absolutely fantastic.
Slayton pulls off the exceedingly difficult feat of smoothly integrating the fantastical elements of his world into the “real” world, creating a cast of complex and compelling characters (not to mention one heck of a love triangle), devising an engaging magic system, and spooling out plot at just the right pace. Despite ending at just the right spot for the story, the book ended far too quickly for my liking. I want more, dammit, and, thankfully, Slayton will fulfill that wish with subsequent sequels.
If you dig fantasy that’s down-to-earth but epic in scope, characters who are flawed but fascinating, and smooth prose that drives the story forward without distracting from it, White Trash Warlock is well worth a read. If you don’t like those things, I mean, what even are you?
One other thing worth noting, because it’s something I love about the inclusiveness of fantasy as a genre (warning: I’m about to get all soapboxy). I’m a privileged straight white guy who grew up middle class in the suburbs. My family never faced food insecurity. I never witnessed domestic violence. And, I’ve never faced the heartache and discrimination of being LGBTQ+ (or in any other underrepresented group) in a family or society that distances itself from, disrespects, or otherwise dehumanizes anyone who doesn’t conform to whatever that family/society considers “acceptable.”
But, reading about characters whose lived experiences differ so greatly from mine didn’t diminish my enjoyment of the story in the slightest. On the contrary, it enhanced it, offered me new insight, and reminded me yet again that when we forge a bond through a shared love or passion for something—fantasy stories, in this case—we can bring our truest and most authentic selves to the table and raise the level of enjoyment and engagement for everyone. Okay, I’m off my soapbox now.
Bottom line: this is a hell of an entertaining yarn. Bring on the sequel!
October 20, 2020
A novel like this is exactly why the Urban Fantasy genre has staying power. Look at what David R. Slayton did: he turned the usual tropes on their ass, and created an amazing, fresh story. A rural setting; relatable paycheck-to-paycheck characters; strong LGBT+ representation… It’s an exceptional debut. We need more books like this.
February 6, 2022
I totally admit that I picked this up mostly on the strength of the title, alone. I kinda expected a funny Urban Fantasy with a bunch of hicks digging deeper and deeper in the doo, but strangely enough, that ain't was this is.
What we do have here is a solidly serious intro that doesn't shy away from poverty, low-powered magic, or family misunderstandings/grievances. From that point on, we do get some cool magical setups, a m/m romance that is as charming as it is a bit fated, and a seriously cool intro, later, into the greater magical world. Spirit walking gives me a great cool taste of, say, the later versions of WoD Mage, with four Watchtowers, guardians, and a whole bunch of neat stuff that I haven't seen all that much of in this genre.
I'm excited.
Plus, there's a definite later Supernatural vibe going on that I really like. Hint: reapers. :)
It looks like I'm gonna be glued to all new news on this series. :)
What we do have here is a solidly serious intro that doesn't shy away from poverty, low-powered magic, or family misunderstandings/grievances. From that point on, we do get some cool magical setups, a m/m romance that is as charming as it is a bit fated, and a seriously cool intro, later, into the greater magical world. Spirit walking gives me a great cool taste of, say, the later versions of WoD Mage, with four Watchtowers, guardians, and a whole bunch of neat stuff that I haven't seen all that much of in this genre.
I'm excited.
Plus, there's a definite later Supernatural vibe going on that I really like. Hint: reapers. :)
It looks like I'm gonna be glued to all new news on this series. :)
Read
September 28, 2021Enjoyable urban fantasy with a gay lead and the start of a romance (with obligatory UF love triangle), very firmly grounded in the extreme poverty of US 'white trash'. The writing's rather plain in style but the storytelling builds up nicely.
June 10, 2021
White Trash Warlock by David R Slayton
Urban fantasy. Alternating chapters between Adam and Richard. Very slow burn M-M relationship potential.
Adam Binder can’t say no to his brother when he begs Adam to help his wife. Richard admits to seeing something unusual even though he once committed Adam for “seeing things”. The otherworldly possession is more than just one person and Adam is soon fighting for his life to keep everyone safe.
His past is a sad and tragic family relationship, but Adam proves himself the worthy hero. His world is filled with threatening magic, manipulative elves, stampeding dragons and literally Death while his car breaks down, he’s broke, and he needs to save so many. Adam saves a cop from dying but literally ties them together metaphysically in the process. Can that lead to love on both sides? Or will the magic be too much for Vic?
An old definition of Warlock = Traitor.
Interesting world building. Definitely the first in the series because there are quite a few unanswered questions. I look forward to reading more and seeing again where Adam saves the day.
I listened to an audiobook version of this story. It was compelling. I needed to pay attention to Chapter headings to know which brother is was though both have very different histories and perspectives. I noticed a dozen sharp notable editing tone variances but they were mostly clustered. They didn’t destroy the mood but rather pinpointed the event or voice.
In total, I enjoyed the story, the narrator and the world.
Urban fantasy. Alternating chapters between Adam and Richard. Very slow burn M-M relationship potential.
Adam Binder can’t say no to his brother when he begs Adam to help his wife. Richard admits to seeing something unusual even though he once committed Adam for “seeing things”. The otherworldly possession is more than just one person and Adam is soon fighting for his life to keep everyone safe.
His past is a sad and tragic family relationship, but Adam proves himself the worthy hero. His world is filled with threatening magic, manipulative elves, stampeding dragons and literally Death while his car breaks down, he’s broke, and he needs to save so many. Adam saves a cop from dying but literally ties them together metaphysically in the process. Can that lead to love on both sides? Or will the magic be too much for Vic?
An old definition of Warlock = Traitor.
Interesting world building. Definitely the first in the series because there are quite a few unanswered questions. I look forward to reading more and seeing again where Adam saves the day.
I listened to an audiobook version of this story. It was compelling. I needed to pay attention to Chapter headings to know which brother is was though both have very different histories and perspectives. I noticed a dozen sharp notable editing tone variances but they were mostly clustered. They didn’t destroy the mood but rather pinpointed the event or voice.
In total, I enjoyed the story, the narrator and the world.
June 17, 2024
✅ World-building
✅ Darker themes
✅🆗 Pace
✅🆗 Plot
✅🆗 Characters
🆗 Romance
🆗 2 POVs (Robert's POV is pretty pointless until the very end of the book)
🆗 Villain's identity
❗️❗️Trigger warnings: mentions of child abuse, physical abuse, forced drugged state, attempted murder of a child, murder, mental institution, homophobia, and possession
Adam Binder is estranged from his mother and older brother. He lives with his father's aunt and is using his magical sight and mechanics talents to do odd jobs and try to get enough money to survive another month. Adam is also on the hunt for an evil warlock that he suspects might be his father who abandoned them when Adam was a child. Things quickly get out of control when Adam receives a call from Robert, his brother who he hadn't spoken to in years, to ask for Adam's help because Robert's wife seems to be possessed.
The world-building is really interesting, there are different planes superposed on top of each other, and Adam can see the spirit plane thanks to his sight, but Adam can also shadow-walk, meaning that in his sleep he can enter the spirit plane and with the help of elves of other powerful creatures he can even travel to other planes while his physical body remains in his bed. That being said, the emphasis put on the descriptions and world-building made it hard sometimes to keep a good flow of action and a good pace. It's a good thing I also had the book on Audible so I could listen to it in the car and push through the longer parts because sometimes it just felt like not much happened.
Adam is a sweet and easy-to-like main character. He's had a tough life with an abusive father, a family that turned their back on him, a slightly homophobic entourage, no high school degree, and no steady job, he is trying his best, but his best is not enough for him to truly feel happy. It angered me to see how badly his family (except for his aunt) was treating him, and how little self-esteem he had because of everything that happened to him. He is also afraid to fall in love again after being abandoned with no explanation at all by the one he gave his heart to, and it hurt my heart to see how he felt like a freak and a recluse even though he was so sweet and kind. One aspect of Adam's powers that I really loved is how he can see colors associated with emotions. That part was so interesting, and I would have loved to see more of it throughout the book. I feel that it could be an awesome power to develop and a great tool for Adam, but he's not using this ability to its best potential.
Robert was a well-done character in the sense that I immediately disliked him for what he did to Adam, and also for the way he behaved. Robert is the one responsible for Adam being locked up when he was a teenager, and while Robert claimed that he only wanted to do what was best for Adam, we can see from the very beginning of the book that Robert cares about appearances and others' opinion more than he does about genuine feelings and fostering healthy relationships with others. Everything revolves around what others will think of him, the image he projects, and his social status in life. So because of all that I was really annoyed by Robert, but it's good because that's how we're supposed to feel about him, and it also means that there is room for a kind of redemption arc in the next books for him if he wants to salvage his relationship with Adam. I also like that Robert still had layers, he was not just this superficial doctor, he was a mix of guilt, protectiveness, exasperation, and love when it came to Adam, and we can see that he's starting to realize how badly he hurt Adam in the past.
The relationship developing between Adam and Vic was cute and endearing, and I would love to see how it will continue to evolve in the next book, but I am not sure yet if I will give the second book a try or not. While their relationship was super sweet, it also felt a little unsatisfying. It's clear that it is heading toward romantic feelings, and I am really hoping for it, but overall, there was almost no romance in this book so just don't go in there expecting a hate-to-love romance between Adam and his elf ex-lover like I did, because this is not what this book is about.
Overall, it was a good story, with a very interesting world-building and it felt different from the other paranormal books I've read lately, but somehow I struggled to really get involved in the plot and to fully understand the "villain's" motive... I understand the reason they gave for what they did, but it feels weak to me, to be honest... I was expecting something bigger or more shocking. I think the identity of the mastermind is supposed to be a shock and even feel like a betrayal, but it just felt anticlimactic to me. The information was just dropped there, and I didn't care about the character or their connexion to Adam enough to feel anything about their "betrayal".
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✅ Darker themes
✅🆗 Pace
✅🆗 Plot
✅🆗 Characters
🆗 Romance
🆗 2 POVs (Robert's POV is pretty pointless until the very end of the book)
🆗 Villain's identity
❗️❗️Trigger warnings: mentions of child abuse, physical abuse, forced drugged state, attempted murder of a child, murder, mental institution, homophobia, and possession
“Adam..." Sara trailed off. "I thought you knew the situation."
"I do," he said. "There's a spirit over Denver, like a cloud. It's connected to people everywhere."
"It's far more than that.”
Adam Binder is estranged from his mother and older brother. He lives with his father's aunt and is using his magical sight and mechanics talents to do odd jobs and try to get enough money to survive another month. Adam is also on the hunt for an evil warlock that he suspects might be his father who abandoned them when Adam was a child. Things quickly get out of control when Adam receives a call from Robert, his brother who he hadn't spoken to in years, to ask for Adam's help because Robert's wife seems to be possessed.
The world-building is really interesting, there are different planes superposed on top of each other, and Adam can see the spirit plane thanks to his sight, but Adam can also shadow-walk, meaning that in his sleep he can enter the spirit plane and with the help of elves of other powerful creatures he can even travel to other planes while his physical body remains in his bed. That being said, the emphasis put on the descriptions and world-building made it hard sometimes to keep a good flow of action and a good pace. It's a good thing I also had the book on Audible so I could listen to it in the car and push through the longer parts because sometimes it just felt like not much happened.
He'd learned magic, to control his powers, but he'd never been able to get over feeling like a freak. He'd never feel at ease in his skin.
Adam is a sweet and easy-to-like main character. He's had a tough life with an abusive father, a family that turned their back on him, a slightly homophobic entourage, no high school degree, and no steady job, he is trying his best, but his best is not enough for him to truly feel happy. It angered me to see how badly his family (except for his aunt) was treating him, and how little self-esteem he had because of everything that happened to him. He is also afraid to fall in love again after being abandoned with no explanation at all by the one he gave his heart to, and it hurt my heart to see how he felt like a freak and a recluse even though he was so sweet and kind. One aspect of Adam's powers that I really loved is how he can see colors associated with emotions. That part was so interesting, and I would have loved to see more of it throughout the book. I feel that it could be an awesome power to develop and a great tool for Adam, but he's not using this ability to its best potential.
“People aren't less just because they don't live the way you do."
"I didn't say that," Robert said.
"You think it," Adam said. "You think we're all trash because we don't have nice cars and ugly houses. Life isn't just about money.”
Robert was a well-done character in the sense that I immediately disliked him for what he did to Adam, and also for the way he behaved. Robert is the one responsible for Adam being locked up when he was a teenager, and while Robert claimed that he only wanted to do what was best for Adam, we can see from the very beginning of the book that Robert cares about appearances and others' opinion more than he does about genuine feelings and fostering healthy relationships with others. Everything revolves around what others will think of him, the image he projects, and his social status in life. So because of all that I was really annoyed by Robert, but it's good because that's how we're supposed to feel about him, and it also means that there is room for a kind of redemption arc in the next books for him if he wants to salvage his relationship with Adam. I also like that Robert still had layers, he was not just this superficial doctor, he was a mix of guilt, protectiveness, exasperation, and love when it came to Adam, and we can see that he's starting to realize how badly he hurt Adam in the past.
The relationship developing between Adam and Vic was cute and endearing, and I would love to see how it will continue to evolve in the next book, but I am not sure yet if I will give the second book a try or not. While their relationship was super sweet, it also felt a little unsatisfying. It's clear that it is heading toward romantic feelings, and I am really hoping for it, but overall, there was almost no romance in this book so just don't go in there expecting a hate-to-love romance between Adam and his elf ex-lover like I did, because this is not what this book is about.
Overall, it was a good story, with a very interesting world-building and it felt different from the other paranormal books I've read lately, but somehow I struggled to really get involved in the plot and to fully understand the "villain's" motive... I understand the reason they gave for what they did, but it feels weak to me, to be honest... I was expecting something bigger or more shocking. I think the identity of the mastermind is supposed to be a shock and even feel like a betrayal, but it just felt anticlimactic to me. The information was just dropped there, and I didn't care about the character or their connexion to Adam enough to feel anything about their "betrayal".
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November 20, 2020
When I first saw this book listed, I read the Scottsdale Public Library's review, I was hooked:
If Sam and Dean Winchester from Supernatural had a book baby with Harry Dresden from Jim Butcher's series, this would be the little bundle of joy.
This is a pretty perfect description, and it was this more than the blurb that made me want to read.
There was actually a whole lot more angst and honest pain in this than I was expecting, and a whole lot of wrong done to Adam Binder by the very people who should have been there for him. Ironically, it's one of those people who needs his help when magic goes wrong in Denver. Though Adam wants badly to refuse, he can't make himself say no. There's also a little side item he needs to find out more on while he's there, so....
I was about to say that this is my first book by David Slayton when I checked, and holy wow! This is his debut novel? That makes it even more impressive. It isn't a perfect book, few are. There were places where the narrative felt a little uneven to me but the writing is good and the plot is excellent and imaginative, and the characters are complicated and imperfect. The pacing is damn exciting and tense, and the author is not here to spare your feelings. Bad things happen. There's a lot that happens to Adam here, and by the end, to a whole bunch of people he cares about. I will say that if you require romance, don't look for it here. There's the start of one, maybe. The story didn't miss having more though, and I honestly didn't even think of it until now. But this is a damn good start to what I hope is a new, awesome magical series. I will definitely be here for whatever is next!
Thanks once more to my fabulous secret Santa, WinterElflette! I really enjoyed the gift! 😘
*****
I actually squeed like a 12 year old when I got this, I was just about to take it off my list and buy it so thank you again to WinterElflette for the sweet and generous present!! 💖
There was actually a whole lot more angst and honest pain in this than I was expecting, and a whole lot of wrong done to Adam Binder by the very people who should have been there for him. Ironically, it's one of those people who needs his help when magic goes wrong in Denver. Though Adam wants badly to refuse, he can't make himself say no. There's also a little side item he needs to find out more on while he's there, so....
I was about to say that this is my first book by David Slayton when I checked, and holy wow! This is his debut novel? That makes it even more impressive. It isn't a perfect book, few are. There were places where the narrative felt a little uneven to me but the writing is good and the plot is excellent and imaginative, and the characters are complicated and imperfect. The pacing is damn exciting and tense, and the author is not here to spare your feelings. Bad things happen. There's a lot that happens to Adam here, and by the end, to a whole bunch of people he cares about. I will say that if you require romance, don't look for it here. There's the start of one, maybe. The story didn't miss having more though, and I honestly didn't even think of it until now. But this is a damn good start to what I hope is a new, awesome magical series. I will definitely be here for whatever is next!
Thanks once more to my fabulous secret Santa, WinterElflette! I really enjoyed the gift! 😘
*****
I actually squeed like a 12 year old when I got this, I was just about to take it off my list and buy it so thank you again to WinterElflette for the sweet and generous present!! 💖
Read
June 7, 2023If Sam and Dean Winchester from Supernatural had a book baby with Harry Dresden from Jim Butcher's series, this would be the little bundle of joy.
Adam Binder has a gift, though he would not necessarily consider his empathetic and magical abilities to always be a wanted power. A terrible, rotten, no good being has a hold of his sister-in-law and he must do what he can to save her, his relationship with his brother and the whole of Denver.
This is a light urban fantasy with heart, remarkably wondrous descriptions, and a quintessential old beat up ride. -Sara S.
Adam Binder has a gift, though he would not necessarily consider his empathetic and magical abilities to always be a wanted power. A terrible, rotten, no good being has a hold of his sister-in-law and he must do what he can to save her, his relationship with his brother and the whole of Denver.
This is a light urban fantasy with heart, remarkably wondrous descriptions, and a quintessential old beat up ride. -Sara S.
May 2, 2022
What a fun book this was. I've had this on my TBR pile for a while, and I wish I'd gotten to it sooner. Adam Binder is a relatable character dealing with being magic in a world that doesn't understand magic, and queer in a world that doesn't understand queerness. He's got family issues, end-of-the-world issues, and a potential new romance while he's still pining for his ex, who happens to be an elf.
Already picked up the sequel, and can't wait to dive into it.
Already picked up the sequel, and can't wait to dive into it.
November 17, 2025
Updated 11/15/25: Welp, I sure was wrong in my optimistic outlook about the rest of this series. 4 stars for Book 1, 2 stars for Book 2, 1 star & a DNF for Book 3. Bummer.
~~~~~~~~~~
I'm not really cut out for urban fantasy. At least not UF with creatures. Supernatural species? Whatever you call them. Ugh. Still, I gave this a solid 4 stars and am looking forward to the next in the series. It's quirky and original, despite those damn creatures (elves ffs, dragons and even leprechauns), and it starts out very rural fantasy, in a trailer park in Oklahoma, before moving to the big city of Denver.
Adam gets one POV, and I consider him the MC, but the other POV goes to his big brother Robert/Bobby. At first I was quite unhappy about the family dynamics — the runaway father, the sour unloving mother, the brother who moved up and away after first inflicting a terrible betrayal on Adam — but it turned out that worthless as they seemed, they weren't there just to crank up the angst for Adam. They were complicated characters in their own right, like them or not, and the story unfolded to show how that particular family ended up shattered and dispersed.
FYI for those who read for romance — this is UF with a m/m romance subplot, so things move slowly in that department. Which totally suits the story.
And be aware, the book is inadequately copyedited. There were some outright groaners. "Shown" for "shone" — ugh, kill me now. There was one sentence toward the end, during a climactic scene, that I simply could not make sense of (redaction mine):
Huh?
Still, there were humorous moments and clever turns of phrase that (mostly) made up for the sloppiness. For example:
====
====
====
I love how the rural-ness of Adam's mindset comes through in his similes and metaphors. Overall the writing is excellent and quirky, which is a winning combination for me. I recommend this one to my friends who are fans of UF.
Updated to add: I just read a great review — check out what Lisazj1 has to say. I love her take on the book.
~~~~~~~~~~
I'm not really cut out for urban fantasy. At least not UF with creatures. Supernatural species? Whatever you call them. Ugh. Still, I gave this a solid 4 stars and am looking forward to the next in the series. It's quirky and original, despite those damn creatures (elves ffs, dragons and even leprechauns), and it starts out very rural fantasy, in a trailer park in Oklahoma, before moving to the big city of Denver.
Adam gets one POV, and I consider him the MC, but the other POV goes to his big brother Robert/Bobby. At first I was quite unhappy about the family dynamics — the runaway father, the sour unloving mother, the brother who moved up and away after first inflicting a terrible betrayal on Adam — but it turned out that worthless as they seemed, they weren't there just to crank up the angst for Adam. They were complicated characters in their own right, like them or not, and the story unfolded to show how that particular family ended up shattered and dispersed.
FYI for those who read for romance — this is UF with a m/m romance subplot, so things move slowly in that department. Which totally suits the story.
And be aware, the book is inadequately copyedited. There were some outright groaners. "Shown" for "shone" — ugh, kill me now. There was one sentence toward the end, during a climactic scene, that I simply could not make sense of (redaction mine):
"We're here for your [redacted]!" Adam shouted, broadcasting it as loud as he could, as loud as he'd ever sent his timid just passing through.
Huh?
Still, there were humorous moments and clever turns of phrase that (mostly) made up for the sloppiness. For example:
He thought back on all the clear signs that Annie loved Bobby... If Adam had that, he wouldn't make the guy his second priority. He'd — well, he didn't really know what he'd do with a guy in the long term. He'd be like the dog who finally caught the car.
====
He risked an upward glance. The spirit hadn't focused on him. It floated, untethered to the hospital. It seemed as uninterested as a sleeping cow ripe for the tipping.
====
He grinned. His teeth were thick and yellow, like a horse who'd chain-smoked his entire life.
====
I love how the rural-ness of Adam's mindset comes through in his similes and metaphors. Overall the writing is excellent and quirky, which is a winning combination for me. I recommend this one to my friends who are fans of UF.
Updated to add: I just read a great review — check out what Lisazj1 has to say. I love her take on the book.
February 7, 2022
Welcome to America. An America where the "other" realm, inhabited by gnomes, elves and other supernatural creatures as well as magic is just a breath away. Some people have magic in their blood themselves and can therefore see, some even cross over (and back). Adam is such a person. A witch. The problem? His family does NOT appreciate his gift, underdeveloped as it may be. On the contrary: they are in denial to the point where his brother and mother had Adam committed to a psych hospital.
Many years later, Adam has run away from "that place" (the psych hospital aka hell) and lives with his great-aunt, a witch herself, in a trailer in Oklahoma. But one day, his brother calls him up. He has seen something "weird" in/with his wife and suspects only Adam can actually save her.
Adam, who is looking for his father, who might or might not be dead or who might or might not be a warlock, travels to Denver to help Annie (she was always kind enough to sort-of let him be part of birthdays and other family occasions). However, what he finds is so much bigger than just a family matter. In fact, the problem is so big that the elves (the queen of swords) are involved.
A mighty organization called the Guardians, different supernatural beings living parallel or even with mundane humans, magic of all kinds of power levels, a big bad that cannot just be blasted out of existence by something extremely powerful … I loved the world building. Both in our world and on "the other side" (the jailor as well as the forests, Elfheim etc).
Moreover, the relationships between the characters were awesome! Be it the difficult navigation between our world and the magical one, the power structure amongst the elves, the blossoming romance between Adam and Vic, Adam's first love (that reveal was hilarious despite me having suspected), Adam's infuriating mother and brother and what they think is best for Adam / what they think Adam should be (to say nothing of how the mother and brother thought and how they talked about aunt Sue), what the father had done to them all (which is definitely still no excuse for what they did to Adam), …
The book had me go "d’aaawww", cackle gleefully, cry, and tear my hair out. So yes, I was FULLY invested and this has become one of my favourite modern tales about magic already!
Many years later, Adam has run away from "that place" (the psych hospital aka hell) and lives with his great-aunt, a witch herself, in a trailer in Oklahoma. But one day, his brother calls him up. He has seen something "weird" in/with his wife and suspects only Adam can actually save her.
Adam, who is looking for his father, who might or might not be dead or who might or might not be a warlock, travels to Denver to help Annie (she was always kind enough to sort-of let him be part of birthdays and other family occasions). However, what he finds is so much bigger than just a family matter. In fact, the problem is so big that the elves (the queen of swords) are involved.
A mighty organization called the Guardians, different supernatural beings living parallel or even with mundane humans, magic of all kinds of power levels, a big bad that cannot just be blasted out of existence by something extremely powerful … I loved the world building. Both in our world and on "the other side" (the jailor as well as the forests, Elfheim etc).
Moreover, the relationships between the characters were awesome! Be it the difficult navigation between our world and the magical one, the power structure amongst the elves, the blossoming romance between Adam and Vic, Adam's first love (that reveal was hilarious despite me having suspected), Adam's infuriating mother and brother and what they think is best for Adam / what they think Adam should be (to say nothing of how the mother and brother thought and how they talked about aunt Sue), what the father had done to them all (which is definitely still no excuse for what they did to Adam), …
The book had me go "d’aaawww", cackle gleefully, cry, and tear my hair out. So yes, I was FULLY invested and this has become one of my favourite modern tales about magic already!
October 7, 2020
eARC received from Edelweiss, thank you to Edelweiss and Blackstone Publishing (opinions are my own).
New urban fantasy with old school magic elements, but did this just miss the mark?
I loved this synopsis and I know this novel is going to make a lot of people happy but I was just not one of them and I can pin point the exact moment when everything just fell apart.….but more of that later.
Also, old school fantasy lovers: This might be the new adventure you were looking for, read on and see what didn't work for me.
WHAT I LOVED
Adam Binder is a fantastic character, fleshed out so beautiful he seems to come alive as someone you know. From the first chapter I loved him and I wanted to know more about his life and the things that had happened to him. The authors writing and prose was on point and I really appreciated his style and atmosphere, the first chapter was really well done.
WHAT I DIDN’T
The exact moment I felt a detachment was the very odd agreement of Adam to go and help his brother Bobby. After all he had been through; the way it played out was just not believable and this set up a tone for the whole book , and then the hospital scene – just, things just stopped clicking for me. The characters actions and motives have to make sense or the story is jeopardized and after what his family did it seems just, to easy and simple.
There were more scenes that just didn’t click with me and the insta love felt short. The magic world was nothing new and the conclusion felt the same but Adam kept me going – truly one of the most amazing characters I have read this year.
BUT If you love old school magic systems with the most amazing likable character I have read this year, you need to pick this up and give it a chance.
Rating 2.7
White Trash Warlock by David R. Slayton
Unknown if it’s part of a series
Publish Date: October 13th 2020
Cover Rating: 7/10
Adult – Urban Fantasy – Contemporary- Magic – LGBT
New urban fantasy with old school magic elements, but did this just miss the mark?
I loved this synopsis and I know this novel is going to make a lot of people happy but I was just not one of them and I can pin point the exact moment when everything just fell apart.….but more of that later.
Also, old school fantasy lovers: This might be the new adventure you were looking for, read on and see what didn't work for me.
WHAT I LOVED
Adam Binder is a fantastic character, fleshed out so beautiful he seems to come alive as someone you know. From the first chapter I loved him and I wanted to know more about his life and the things that had happened to him. The authors writing and prose was on point and I really appreciated his style and atmosphere, the first chapter was really well done.
WHAT I DIDN’T
The exact moment I felt a detachment was the very odd agreement of Adam to go and help his brother Bobby. After all he had been through; the way it played out was just not believable and this set up a tone for the whole book , and then the hospital scene – just, things just stopped clicking for me. The characters actions and motives have to make sense or the story is jeopardized and after what his family did it seems just, to easy and simple.
There were more scenes that just didn’t click with me and the insta love felt short. The magic world was nothing new and the conclusion felt the same but Adam kept me going – truly one of the most amazing characters I have read this year.
BUT If you love old school magic systems with the most amazing likable character I have read this year, you need to pick this up and give it a chance.
Rating 2.7
White Trash Warlock by David R. Slayton
Unknown if it’s part of a series
Publish Date: October 13th 2020
Cover Rating: 7/10
Adult – Urban Fantasy – Contemporary- Magic – LGBT
May 21, 2022
Very solid urban fantasy debut novel with interesting characters and world-building. Especially recommended for Denverites, who will likely recognize most of the locations. A friend saw me reading this and immediately asked, "Why are they destroying the Daniels & Fisher tower?" then informed me that it was the tallest building between the Mississippi River and the state of California at the time of construction.
Ongoing location convo with said friend:
Me: "There's an apocalyptic mural in your airport?"
Friend: "What? No."
Me: "There's not a huge mural of Native Americans being burned up?"
Friend: "Oh. That."
There's also a giant sculpture of a demonic mustang, named Blucifer.
This book was not brought to you by the Denver Tourism Board.
Ongoing location convo with said friend:
Me: "There's an apocalyptic mural in your airport?"
Friend: "What? No."
Me: "There's not a huge mural of Native Americans being burned up?"
Friend: "Oh. That."
There's also a giant sculpture of a demonic mustang, named Blucifer.
This book was not brought to you by the Denver Tourism Board.
May 4, 2025
3.0 Stars
I expected this one to be more silly so I was surprised when it turned out to be more serious. It tried to deal with some heavier topics but I didn't feel like it had the depth to pull off the emotional weight. At times, it went for the lighter moments but with the uneven tone it didn't work for me.
I expected this one to be more silly so I was surprised when it turned out to be more serious. It tried to deal with some heavier topics but I didn't feel like it had the depth to pull off the emotional weight. At times, it went for the lighter moments but with the uneven tone it didn't work for me.
August 3, 2022
Reread: 3rd August 2022
Decided to give this a reread before picking up book 2 Trailer Park Trickster
__
Original review:
this was awesome
Decided to give this a reread before picking up book 2 Trailer Park Trickster
__
Original review:
this was awesome
February 28, 2023
3.5
I'm going to keep this review (uncharacteristically) short.
I picked this up on a whim because the audio was free to Audible Plus members and for once, my library had the ebook and it was immediately available.
I expected a short and humorous palate cleanser about redneck wizards or something like that.
This was not at all what I was expecting. It was a more serious novel.
This was a solid "urban fantasy" debut (although not all of the story took place in the city of Denver, as Sean Gibson’s brilliant review points out here ).
David R. Slayton is particularly good at seamlessly and credibly melding reality and fantasy. The transition from one to the other was entirely believable.
Our protagonist, Adam Binder, is a gay practictioner of magic from backwoods Oklahoma. He gets reluctantly drawn back to his estranged family because they ask for his help with a problem. He also gets re-entangled with another group he was trying to avoid, the elves.
Adam desperately wants to find his missing father, an erratic, drunken, cruel, abusive warlock but also a loving father. Adam has no idea what’s happened to his dad.
The story delves deeply into Adam's very troubled family history as well as his personal backstory.
I can't say this was a favorite, and I could have done with a bit less emphasis on the romance that was central to the story (although the lovers were both likeable).
And a bigger problem for me was that I lost interest in much of the last part of the book. The "final big battle" and all the stuff about the personification of death seemed a bit silly to me. I had a little trouble with Adam's transition from backwoods witch to warlock. It didn't quite work. Maybe I was just too distracted to give the ending the attention it deserved, but my interest in the book dwindled towards the end.
Maybe this book wasn’t exactly my cup of tea. Maybe I wasn’t the right audience for it.
This wasn't a favorite of mine (maybe because I'm a bit too old for it), but I think most readers will really enjoy this book and I can recommend it. It's accessible and the writing is straightforward.
Michael David Axtell was an excellent audio reader.
I'm going to keep this review (uncharacteristically) short.
I picked this up on a whim because the audio was free to Audible Plus members and for once, my library had the ebook and it was immediately available.
I expected a short and humorous palate cleanser about redneck wizards or something like that.
This was not at all what I was expecting. It was a more serious novel.
This was a solid "urban fantasy" debut (although not all of the story took place in the city of Denver, as Sean Gibson’s brilliant review points out here ).
David R. Slayton is particularly good at seamlessly and credibly melding reality and fantasy. The transition from one to the other was entirely believable.
Our protagonist, Adam Binder, is a gay practictioner of magic from backwoods Oklahoma. He gets reluctantly drawn back to his estranged family because they ask for his help with a problem. He also gets re-entangled with another group he was trying to avoid, the elves.
Adam desperately wants to find his missing father, an erratic, drunken, cruel, abusive warlock but also a loving father. Adam has no idea what’s happened to his dad.
The story delves deeply into Adam's very troubled family history as well as his personal backstory.
I can't say this was a favorite, and I could have done with a bit less emphasis on the romance that was central to the story (although the lovers were both likeable).
And a bigger problem for me was that I lost interest in much of the last part of the book. The "final big battle" and all the stuff about the personification of death seemed a bit silly to me. I had a little trouble with Adam's transition from backwoods witch to warlock. It didn't quite work. Maybe I was just too distracted to give the ending the attention it deserved, but my interest in the book dwindled towards the end.
Maybe this book wasn’t exactly my cup of tea. Maybe I wasn’t the right audience for it.
This wasn't a favorite of mine (maybe because I'm a bit too old for it), but I think most readers will really enjoy this book and I can recommend it. It's accessible and the writing is straightforward.
Michael David Axtell was an excellent audio reader.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 27, 2022
This book should have had THIS cover:
Can that be arranged?
Thanks.
The covers for White Trash Warlock slightly miss the mark, suggesting whimsy, funny fantasy, when it's really NOT that at all. A bit like the covers for Lilith's series completely missed the mark by a mile suggesting her book was fun, dark, urban fantasy and that really wasn't what Trailer Park Fae turned out to be (think more like reading Chaucer than urban fantasy!) but that's a different review!
C'mon, publishers, know your market. White Trash Warlock freakin' deserves a kick-ass urban fantasy cover exactly like Trailer Park Fae. The universe is out of balance until that happens. I don't make the rules.
On to the book itself, it was awesome. Adam doesn't mind being Adam, it's everyone else who seems to have a problem with that. Like his brother, Bobby, who put him in an insane asylum, but now wants his help when some kind of spirit possesses Bobby's wife.
Simple enough, but this run of the mill UF quickly turns into a break-neck race to stop the enormous and very angry spirit from basically destroying a city and most of the people in it. This is classic UF, but it's also pretty dark in places, with themes of child abuse and violent fathers throughout. Definitely not a whimsy comedy, but I've already mentioned that. Although, there are comical moments to lighten the mood.
(Also, hello hot, mysterious elf with a whole lot of baggage!)
I did struggle with the world-building later on. Suddenly, there are A LOT of magical beings being thrown at the reader, and none are really developed, they're just there. From dragons to leprechauns, to gnomes, to fae, to witches, to a manticore, and reapers and knights - eeh. Almost as though the author wanted to use every single magical being he'd ever heard of, all at once. There's A LOT going on here and it lost me, honestly, but it was a great read despite that.
Definitely worth a try. Just ignore the cover and picture the one in my review above instead.
Can that be arranged?
Thanks.
The covers for White Trash Warlock slightly miss the mark, suggesting whimsy, funny fantasy, when it's really NOT that at all. A bit like the covers for Lilith's series completely missed the mark by a mile suggesting her book was fun, dark, urban fantasy and that really wasn't what Trailer Park Fae turned out to be (think more like reading Chaucer than urban fantasy!) but that's a different review!
C'mon, publishers, know your market. White Trash Warlock freakin' deserves a kick-ass urban fantasy cover exactly like Trailer Park Fae. The universe is out of balance until that happens. I don't make the rules.
On to the book itself, it was awesome. Adam doesn't mind being Adam, it's everyone else who seems to have a problem with that. Like his brother, Bobby, who put him in an insane asylum, but now wants his help when some kind of spirit possesses Bobby's wife.
Simple enough, but this run of the mill UF quickly turns into a break-neck race to stop the enormous and very angry spirit from basically destroying a city and most of the people in it. This is classic UF, but it's also pretty dark in places, with themes of child abuse and violent fathers throughout. Definitely not a whimsy comedy, but I've already mentioned that. Although, there are comical moments to lighten the mood.
(Also, hello hot, mysterious elf with a whole lot of baggage!)
I did struggle with the world-building later on. Suddenly, there are A LOT of magical beings being thrown at the reader, and none are really developed, they're just there. From dragons to leprechauns, to gnomes, to fae, to witches, to a manticore, and reapers and knights - eeh. Almost as though the author wanted to use every single magical being he'd ever heard of, all at once. There's A LOT going on here and it lost me, honestly, but it was a great read despite that.
Definitely worth a try. Just ignore the cover and picture the one in my review above instead.
June 5, 2023
White Trash Warlock
By David R. Slayton
I didn't know what to expect before going into this but I never would have expected this! Great characters, plot, great world building, and has gay main magical character. Emotional undercurrents due to various situations that have happened in the story's past and during the story. Lots of magical creatures too! Enjoyed this enough I picked up the next two books from Chirp! Narration was great!
By David R. Slayton
I didn't know what to expect before going into this but I never would have expected this! Great characters, plot, great world building, and has gay main magical character. Emotional undercurrents due to various situations that have happened in the story's past and during the story. Lots of magical creatures too! Enjoyed this enough I picked up the next two books from Chirp! Narration was great!
July 15, 2020
•ENGLISH/ESPAÑOL•
~ENGLISH~
The Arc for this novel was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I am trying to write this review with all the self-control I have in my being and I CAN'T! ITS BEAUTIFUL! I swear to you that I was shocked by the marvel of the book that I have found and that YOU NEED TO READ NOW.
It is not a suggestion, I am saying that this book is NECESSARY for you to continue living and be happy because it is AMAZING!
The story centers on Adam, a magician with little power and little magic who lives in a trailer park with his great-aunt Sue. Adam is focused on searching for rare and illegal magic items and tracking down a corrupt warlock who torments and tortures different species to get what he wants. It doesn't matter if Adam believes that warlock is his father, he is determined to stop him. But when he finds one of those objects, the clues lead him to Denver, where his older brother Bobby lives.
Adam hasn't spoken to him in years, not since Bobby decided to lock him up in a psychiatric center for not believing what Adam saw every day, for denying that magic exists. Adam isn't really eager to get close to him, but a message from Bobby alerts him. His brother's wife has been possessed by an evil spirit and is slowly destroying her life. Adam has to put aside the search for his father and travel to Denver to save his sister-in-law, but in the process he will encounter something stronger than he thinks, something ready to kill him and destroy the balance of the world as we know it.
The story is AMAZING. There's no other way to describe it. It's extremely entertaining, it keeps you on the lookout for what's going to happen and you just can't stop reading once you start. I stayed up all night reading because I couldn't take my eyes off reading, I couldn't stop thinking about Adam, his adventure and the dangers he was facing.
The story has a lot of magic (as you can imagine), a lot of action and mystery. The pieces of the puzzle gradually come together and as they do, they show you difficult situations and unique and complicated characters.
Adam by himself is a complicated character. He has enough magic to be able to see everything magical but not enough to be ultra powerful (something I find charming). He is a boy haunted by his past, with lots of ghosts and trauma, starting with his horrible childhood memories and going through his traumatic stay at a psychiatric center where he didn't belong. That place left Adam very bad and with a strong grudge and hatred towards his brother Bobby and his mother, who in turn are equally complex characters.
Each of them has very different nuances of personality and the truth is that I absolutely adored the way the author showed us the history of each of them. Their perspectives, their memories, their positions. I absolutely adored it, not many authors can accomplish what he did with the characters and I really LOVE this side of the story.
Of all the characters, my favorites are Adam and Vic. Adam has this super dark and mysterious touch, this tormented soul aura in search of his place in the world, and Vic has a completely opposite personality to Adam. He is cheerful, joking, loving, loyal, empathetic... Vic is an amazing character and a cinnamon roll and I really couldn't help but fall for his charms~. The fact that the author made Vic Mexican and there was a very good Latin representation in the book made my love for Vic increase even more. I seriously think the two of them make an amazing team and I can't wait to learn more about Vic and Adam and what they can do together~.
And although Vic's family didn't turn out too much like Adam's, I'm very happy for how well the author represented this Mexican family, especially for how opposite he is from Adam's family, it was an amazing touch~.
There are also other extremely important characters but I want you to know them for yourselves, they are really totally worth each one of them.
And it's not just that the story is incredible or that the characters are so unique, it's that the plot twist the author throws at you blows your mind. On several occasions I had to stop my reading because the plot twists were so surprising that I had to pause everything for a moment to assimilate the great truth.
They really need to read this book! It has magic, action, Latino and LGBTQ + representation, it has amazing plot twist and trust me when I tell you it is going to be one of your best readings~.
~ESPAÑOL~
El ARC de esta novela fue proporcionado por la editorial a través de NetGalley a cambio de una reseña honesta. ¡Muchas gracias!
Estoy intentando escribir esta reseña con todo el autocontrol que tengo en mi ser y NO PUEDO! ES HERMOSO! Les juro que me quedé en shock con la maravilla de libro que he encontrado y que USTEDES NECESITAN LEER YA.
No es una sugerencia, hablo de que este libro es NECESARIO para que ustedes sigan viviendo y sean felices porque es INCREÍBLE!
La historia se centra en Adam, un mago con poco poder y poca magia que vive en un parque de remolques con su tía abuela Sue. Adam está centrado en buscar objetos mágicos raros e ilegales y rastrear a un brujo corrupto que atormenta y tortura a diferentes especies para obtener lo que quiere. No importa si Adam cree que ese brujo es su padre, él está decidido en detenerlo. Pero cuando encuentra uno de esos objetos, las pistas lo llevan a Denver, donde vive su hermano mayor Bobby.
Adam no ha hablado con él en años, no desde que Bobby decidió encerrarlo en un centro psiquiátrico por no creer en lo que Adam veía todos los días, por negar que la magia existe. En realidad, Adam no está ansioso por acercarse a él, pero un mensaje de Bobby lo alerta. La esposa de su hermano ha sido poseída por un espíritu maligno y está poco a poco destruyendo su vida. Adam tiene que dejar de lado la búsqueda de su padre y viajar a Denver para salvar a su cuñada, pero en el proceso se encontrará con algo más fuerte de lo que cree, algo dispuesto a matarlo y destruir el balance del mundo como lo conocemos.
La historia es INCREÍBLE. No hay otra forma de describirlo. Es sumamente entretenida, te mantiene atenta a lo que va a pasar y simplemente no puedes dejar de leer una vez que empiezas. Me quedé en vela toda la noche leyendo porque no podía despegar mis ojos de la lectura, no podía dejar de pensar en Adam, en su aventura y los peligros que estaba enfrentando.
La historia tiene muchísima magia (como ya se imaginarán), mucha acción y misterio. Las piezas del rompecabezas poco a poco se van uniendo y mientras lo hacen, te muestran situaciones difíciles y personajes únicos y complicados.
Adam por sí mismo es un personaje complicado. Tiene magia suficiente para poder Ver todo lo mágico pero no lo suficiente para poder ser ultra poderoso (algo que encuentro encantador). Es un chico atormentado por su pasado, con muchísimos fantasmas y traumas, empezando por sus recuerdos horribles de su niñez y pasando por su traumática estadía en un centro psiquiátrico donde no pertenecía. Ese lugar dejó a Adam muy mal y con un fuerte rencor y odio hacia su hermano Bobby y su madre, quienes a su vez son personajes igual de complejos.
Cada uno de ellos tiene matices de personalidad muy diversos y la verdad es que adoré por completo la forma en que el autor nos mostró la historia de cada uno de ellos. Sus perspectivas, sus recuerdos, sus posturas. Lo adoré por completo, no muchos autores pueden lograr lo que él hizo con los personajes y realmente AMO este lado de la historia.
De todos los personajes, mis favoritos son Adam y Vic. Adam tiene este toque super oscuro y misterioso, esta aura de alma atormentada en busca de su lugar en el mundo, y Vic tiene una personalidad completamente opuesta a la de Adam. Es alegre, bromista, cariñoso, leal, empático... Vic es un personaje increíble y un cinnamon roll y realmente no pude evitar caer en sus encantos~. El hecho de que el autor hiciera a Vic mexicano y hubiera representación latina muy acertada en el libro hizo que mi amor por Vic aumentará aún más. En serio creo que ellos dos hacen un equipo increíble y estoy ansiosa por conocer más de Vic y Adam y lo que pueden hacer juntos~.
Y aunque la familia de Vic no salió demasiado como la de Adam, estoy muy feliz por lo bien que el autor representó a esta familia mexicana, especialmente por lo opuesta que es de la familia de Adam, fue un toque increíble~.
También hay otros personajes sumamente importantes pero quiero que los conozcan por ustedes mismos, en serio valen completamente la pena cada uno de ellos.
Y no es sólo que la historia sea increíble o que los personajes sean tan únicos, es que los plot twist que te lanza el autor te vuelan la mente. En varias ocasiones tuve que detener mi lectura porque fueron tan sorprendentes los plot twist que tuve que pausar un momento todo para asimilar la gran verdad.
En serio necesitan leer este libro! Tiene magia, acción, representación latina y LGBTQ+, tiene plot twist increíbles y créanme cuando les digo que va a ser una de sus mejores lecturas~.
~ENGLISH~
The Arc for this novel was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I am trying to write this review with all the self-control I have in my being and I CAN'T! ITS BEAUTIFUL! I swear to you that I was shocked by the marvel of the book that I have found and that YOU NEED TO READ NOW.
It is not a suggestion, I am saying that this book is NECESSARY for you to continue living and be happy because it is AMAZING!
The story centers on Adam, a magician with little power and little magic who lives in a trailer park with his great-aunt Sue. Adam is focused on searching for rare and illegal magic items and tracking down a corrupt warlock who torments and tortures different species to get what he wants. It doesn't matter if Adam believes that warlock is his father, he is determined to stop him. But when he finds one of those objects, the clues lead him to Denver, where his older brother Bobby lives.
Adam hasn't spoken to him in years, not since Bobby decided to lock him up in a psychiatric center for not believing what Adam saw every day, for denying that magic exists. Adam isn't really eager to get close to him, but a message from Bobby alerts him. His brother's wife has been possessed by an evil spirit and is slowly destroying her life. Adam has to put aside the search for his father and travel to Denver to save his sister-in-law, but in the process he will encounter something stronger than he thinks, something ready to kill him and destroy the balance of the world as we know it.
The story is AMAZING. There's no other way to describe it. It's extremely entertaining, it keeps you on the lookout for what's going to happen and you just can't stop reading once you start. I stayed up all night reading because I couldn't take my eyes off reading, I couldn't stop thinking about Adam, his adventure and the dangers he was facing.
The story has a lot of magic (as you can imagine), a lot of action and mystery. The pieces of the puzzle gradually come together and as they do, they show you difficult situations and unique and complicated characters.
Adam by himself is a complicated character. He has enough magic to be able to see everything magical but not enough to be ultra powerful (something I find charming). He is a boy haunted by his past, with lots of ghosts and trauma, starting with his horrible childhood memories and going through his traumatic stay at a psychiatric center where he didn't belong. That place left Adam very bad and with a strong grudge and hatred towards his brother Bobby and his mother, who in turn are equally complex characters.
Each of them has very different nuances of personality and the truth is that I absolutely adored the way the author showed us the history of each of them. Their perspectives, their memories, their positions. I absolutely adored it, not many authors can accomplish what he did with the characters and I really LOVE this side of the story.
Of all the characters, my favorites are Adam and Vic. Adam has this super dark and mysterious touch, this tormented soul aura in search of his place in the world, and Vic has a completely opposite personality to Adam. He is cheerful, joking, loving, loyal, empathetic... Vic is an amazing character and a cinnamon roll and I really couldn't help but fall for his charms~. The fact that the author made Vic Mexican and there was a very good Latin representation in the book made my love for Vic increase even more. I seriously think the two of them make an amazing team and I can't wait to learn more about Vic and Adam and what they can do together~.
And although Vic's family didn't turn out too much like Adam's, I'm very happy for how well the author represented this Mexican family, especially for how opposite he is from Adam's family, it was an amazing touch~.
There are also other extremely important characters but I want you to know them for yourselves, they are really totally worth each one of them.
And it's not just that the story is incredible or that the characters are so unique, it's that the plot twist the author throws at you blows your mind. On several occasions I had to stop my reading because the plot twists were so surprising that I had to pause everything for a moment to assimilate the great truth.
They really need to read this book! It has magic, action, Latino and LGBTQ + representation, it has amazing plot twist and trust me when I tell you it is going to be one of your best readings~.
~ESPAÑOL~
El ARC de esta novela fue proporcionado por la editorial a través de NetGalley a cambio de una reseña honesta. ¡Muchas gracias!
Estoy intentando escribir esta reseña con todo el autocontrol que tengo en mi ser y NO PUEDO! ES HERMOSO! Les juro que me quedé en shock con la maravilla de libro que he encontrado y que USTEDES NECESITAN LEER YA.
No es una sugerencia, hablo de que este libro es NECESARIO para que ustedes sigan viviendo y sean felices porque es INCREÍBLE!
La historia se centra en Adam, un mago con poco poder y poca magia que vive en un parque de remolques con su tía abuela Sue. Adam está centrado en buscar objetos mágicos raros e ilegales y rastrear a un brujo corrupto que atormenta y tortura a diferentes especies para obtener lo que quiere. No importa si Adam cree que ese brujo es su padre, él está decidido en detenerlo. Pero cuando encuentra uno de esos objetos, las pistas lo llevan a Denver, donde vive su hermano mayor Bobby.
Adam no ha hablado con él en años, no desde que Bobby decidió encerrarlo en un centro psiquiátrico por no creer en lo que Adam veía todos los días, por negar que la magia existe. En realidad, Adam no está ansioso por acercarse a él, pero un mensaje de Bobby lo alerta. La esposa de su hermano ha sido poseída por un espíritu maligno y está poco a poco destruyendo su vida. Adam tiene que dejar de lado la búsqueda de su padre y viajar a Denver para salvar a su cuñada, pero en el proceso se encontrará con algo más fuerte de lo que cree, algo dispuesto a matarlo y destruir el balance del mundo como lo conocemos.
La historia es INCREÍBLE. No hay otra forma de describirlo. Es sumamente entretenida, te mantiene atenta a lo que va a pasar y simplemente no puedes dejar de leer una vez que empiezas. Me quedé en vela toda la noche leyendo porque no podía despegar mis ojos de la lectura, no podía dejar de pensar en Adam, en su aventura y los peligros que estaba enfrentando.
La historia tiene muchísima magia (como ya se imaginarán), mucha acción y misterio. Las piezas del rompecabezas poco a poco se van uniendo y mientras lo hacen, te muestran situaciones difíciles y personajes únicos y complicados.
Adam por sí mismo es un personaje complicado. Tiene magia suficiente para poder Ver todo lo mágico pero no lo suficiente para poder ser ultra poderoso (algo que encuentro encantador). Es un chico atormentado por su pasado, con muchísimos fantasmas y traumas, empezando por sus recuerdos horribles de su niñez y pasando por su traumática estadía en un centro psiquiátrico donde no pertenecía. Ese lugar dejó a Adam muy mal y con un fuerte rencor y odio hacia su hermano Bobby y su madre, quienes a su vez son personajes igual de complejos.
Cada uno de ellos tiene matices de personalidad muy diversos y la verdad es que adoré por completo la forma en que el autor nos mostró la historia de cada uno de ellos. Sus perspectivas, sus recuerdos, sus posturas. Lo adoré por completo, no muchos autores pueden lograr lo que él hizo con los personajes y realmente AMO este lado de la historia.
De todos los personajes, mis favoritos son Adam y Vic. Adam tiene este toque super oscuro y misterioso, esta aura de alma atormentada en busca de su lugar en el mundo, y Vic tiene una personalidad completamente opuesta a la de Adam. Es alegre, bromista, cariñoso, leal, empático... Vic es un personaje increíble y un cinnamon roll y realmente no pude evitar caer en sus encantos~. El hecho de que el autor hiciera a Vic mexicano y hubiera representación latina muy acertada en el libro hizo que mi amor por Vic aumentará aún más. En serio creo que ellos dos hacen un equipo increíble y estoy ansiosa por conocer más de Vic y Adam y lo que pueden hacer juntos~.
Y aunque la familia de Vic no salió demasiado como la de Adam, estoy muy feliz por lo bien que el autor representó a esta familia mexicana, especialmente por lo opuesta que es de la familia de Adam, fue un toque increíble~.
También hay otros personajes sumamente importantes pero quiero que los conozcan por ustedes mismos, en serio valen completamente la pena cada uno de ellos.
Y no es sólo que la historia sea increíble o que los personajes sean tan únicos, es que los plot twist que te lanza el autor te vuelan la mente. En varias ocasiones tuve que detener mi lectura porque fueron tan sorprendentes los plot twist que tuve que pausar un momento todo para asimilar la gran verdad.
En serio necesitan leer este libro! Tiene magia, acción, representación latina y LGBTQ+, tiene plot twist increíbles y créanme cuando les digo que va a ser una de sus mejores lecturas~.
February 13, 2022
I've given this a B+ for narration and an A- for story at AAR
David R. Slayton’s White Trash Warlock was recommended to me a while back (by Gregory Ashe, no less) so when I saw it in the Audible Plus catalogue**, I pounced on it – and I’m so glad I did, because I was completely glued to it for the entire nine-and-a-bit hours of its run-time. The story is inventive, the central character is flawed, complex and captivating (just how I like ‘em!) and the narration is really good, so it was a win all round.
**It's no longer in the Plus catalogue (Jan 2022) - but it's more than good enough to use a credit for!!
Adam Binder has low-level psychic and magical abilities that are often more of a burden than a gift. Aged just twenty, he lives with his Great-Aunt Sue in Guthrie, Oklahoma and is estranged from the rest of his family; his father left when he was young, his mother doesn’t seem to care and he hasn’t seen his brother Robert (now a doctor in Denver) since Robert had him committed to an institution at thirteen because Adam was hearing voices. Adam got out as soon as he turned eighteen and now spends much of his time tracking down and destroying dangerous magical artefacts and trying to find their creator, a warlock he suspects may be his father.
Given their estrangement, Robert is the last person Adam expects to hear from – even less does he expect a request for help. Robert’s wife Annie has begun behaving extremely erratically and Robert has seen things in her behaviour that suggest to him that whatever is wrong with her may be something supernatural. He asks Adam to come to Denver to do what he can to help; Adam is reluctant but he goes. Whatever is wrong, Annie doesn’t deserve it – and also, he has a lead that points to the artefacts he’s been searching for originating from somewhere in Denver.
The reunion between the brothers – and Adam and their mother – is uneasy at best, but when Adam sees Annie, he realises she’s possessed by some sort of spirit entity. A visit to the hospital where Robert works reveals a connection between it and the spirit – while he’s looking around, the spirit tries to kill Adam, and when a couple of cops inadvertently get in the way and one of them is killed, Adam manages to save the life of the other by giving him a strand of his own life-force, making it impossible for the Reaper to claim him and unwittingly creating a bond between himself and the young police officer.
It doesn’t take Adam long to discover that whatever is going on, it’s affecting more than just Annie – the entire magical community in Denver has been affected and its magicians are all dead. As Adam investigates further, he finds some unexpected allies, learns more about his past and finds himself at the centre of a long-game being played by immortals – who want the spirit dealt with but want someone else to do their dirty work.
White Trask Warlock is a superb piece of storytelling featuring an intriguing and well-constructed mystery plot, strong worldbuilding, a burgeoning romance and a compelling, engaging and relatable protagonist. When he was young, Adam was wronged by the very people who should have been looking out for him and he feels like he’s broken – but somehow, he has retained his kindness and compassion, and the fact that he’s ‘ordinary’ – he isn’t well-educated, doesn’t have a real job, and his magic isn’t particularly powerful – is quite refreshing. The bulk of the story is told from his perspective, although there are a handful of chapters told from Robert’s PoV; I thought that was an odd decision when I first looked at the list of contents, but then realised that it was a good way of integrating elements of Adam’s backstory as there were things Robert knew that Adam didn’t or couldn’t know.
There’s a romance in the story although it’s not the main focus – and that works perfectly well in context. This is a series featuring the same characters, so there’s time for it to develop and I’m quite looking forward to seeing where the author goes with it.
Mr. Slayton skilfully integrates his fantastical world with the ‘real’ one, has devised an interesting magic system and paces the story extremely well, gradually ramping up the tension and the stakes until we’re racing towards a thrilling and exciting climax.
Michael David Axtell – a new-to-me narrator – delivers an excellent performance all round, assigning distinct, recognisable character voices to a fairly large cast, and he differentiates effectively between all of them by using a variety of tone, timbre and accent. I enjoyed his interpretation of the elven princess Argent, her posh accent, slight drawl and haughty demeanour perfectly conveying her confidence and status, and I liked the way he voices Adam’s love interest, Vic Martinez , who is sweet, grounded and fun. Mr Axtell’s portrayal of Adam is the real high point though; he perfectly captures every aspect of his personality – his kindness, his humour, his insecurities – and brings him vividly to life.
Full of magic, supernatural creatures and likeable characters, White Trash Warlock is an enthralling mix of mystery and fantasy with a slight horror vibe that gets this inventive urban fantasy series off to an exciting start. I already have book two, Trailer Park Trickster, in my Audible library, but I gather it ends on a big cliffhanger so I’m waiting for news of book three before I listen to it! (Patience has never been my strong suit, however.) In the meantime, White Trash Warlock earns a strong recommendation and a place on my keeper shelf.
David R. Slayton’s White Trash Warlock was recommended to me a while back (by Gregory Ashe, no less) so when I saw it in the Audible Plus catalogue**, I pounced on it – and I’m so glad I did, because I was completely glued to it for the entire nine-and-a-bit hours of its run-time. The story is inventive, the central character is flawed, complex and captivating (just how I like ‘em!) and the narration is really good, so it was a win all round.
**It's no longer in the Plus catalogue (Jan 2022) - but it's more than good enough to use a credit for!!
Adam Binder has low-level psychic and magical abilities that are often more of a burden than a gift. Aged just twenty, he lives with his Great-Aunt Sue in Guthrie, Oklahoma and is estranged from the rest of his family; his father left when he was young, his mother doesn’t seem to care and he hasn’t seen his brother Robert (now a doctor in Denver) since Robert had him committed to an institution at thirteen because Adam was hearing voices. Adam got out as soon as he turned eighteen and now spends much of his time tracking down and destroying dangerous magical artefacts and trying to find their creator, a warlock he suspects may be his father.
Given their estrangement, Robert is the last person Adam expects to hear from – even less does he expect a request for help. Robert’s wife Annie has begun behaving extremely erratically and Robert has seen things in her behaviour that suggest to him that whatever is wrong with her may be something supernatural. He asks Adam to come to Denver to do what he can to help; Adam is reluctant but he goes. Whatever is wrong, Annie doesn’t deserve it – and also, he has a lead that points to the artefacts he’s been searching for originating from somewhere in Denver.
The reunion between the brothers – and Adam and their mother – is uneasy at best, but when Adam sees Annie, he realises she’s possessed by some sort of spirit entity. A visit to the hospital where Robert works reveals a connection between it and the spirit – while he’s looking around, the spirit tries to kill Adam, and when a couple of cops inadvertently get in the way and one of them is killed, Adam manages to save the life of the other by giving him a strand of his own life-force, making it impossible for the Reaper to claim him and unwittingly creating a bond between himself and the young police officer.
It doesn’t take Adam long to discover that whatever is going on, it’s affecting more than just Annie – the entire magical community in Denver has been affected and its magicians are all dead. As Adam investigates further, he finds some unexpected allies, learns more about his past and finds himself at the centre of a long-game being played by immortals – who want the spirit dealt with but want someone else to do their dirty work.
White Trask Warlock is a superb piece of storytelling featuring an intriguing and well-constructed mystery plot, strong worldbuilding, a burgeoning romance and a compelling, engaging and relatable protagonist. When he was young, Adam was wronged by the very people who should have been looking out for him and he feels like he’s broken – but somehow, he has retained his kindness and compassion, and the fact that he’s ‘ordinary’ – he isn’t well-educated, doesn’t have a real job, and his magic isn’t particularly powerful – is quite refreshing. The bulk of the story is told from his perspective, although there are a handful of chapters told from Robert’s PoV; I thought that was an odd decision when I first looked at the list of contents, but then realised that it was a good way of integrating elements of Adam’s backstory as there were things Robert knew that Adam didn’t or couldn’t know.
There’s a romance in the story although it’s not the main focus – and that works perfectly well in context. This is a series featuring the same characters, so there’s time for it to develop and I’m quite looking forward to seeing where the author goes with it.
Mr. Slayton skilfully integrates his fantastical world with the ‘real’ one, has devised an interesting magic system and paces the story extremely well, gradually ramping up the tension and the stakes until we’re racing towards a thrilling and exciting climax.
Michael David Axtell – a new-to-me narrator – delivers an excellent performance all round, assigning distinct, recognisable character voices to a fairly large cast, and he differentiates effectively between all of them by using a variety of tone, timbre and accent. I enjoyed his interpretation of the elven princess Argent, her posh accent, slight drawl and haughty demeanour perfectly conveying her confidence and status, and I liked the way he voices Adam’s love interest, Vic Martinez , who is sweet, grounded and fun. Mr Axtell’s portrayal of Adam is the real high point though; he perfectly captures every aspect of his personality – his kindness, his humour, his insecurities – and brings him vividly to life.
Full of magic, supernatural creatures and likeable characters, White Trash Warlock is an enthralling mix of mystery and fantasy with a slight horror vibe that gets this inventive urban fantasy series off to an exciting start. I already have book two, Trailer Park Trickster, in my Audible library, but I gather it ends on a big cliffhanger so I’m waiting for news of book three before I listen to it! (Patience has never been my strong suit, however.) In the meantime, White Trash Warlock earns a strong recommendation and a place on my keeper shelf.
October 19, 2020
Growing up is difficult for many. Growing up poor worsens it. Adam Lee Binder is Oklahoma trailer trash. The low class of society, which most don't give a fuck about. Adam has been able use the Sight to see the other side; the spirit realm and other planes since he was a child and it happened frequently growing older and to every day in his teens. This causes strain on his family resulting in tense relationships. His own brother and mom locked him up in a psychiatric facility, which they think was good for him. It wasn't. Years have passed and college aged Adam is flung back into his estranged older brother's life. He has to save his possessed sister in law. Lives are at stake and his life will never be the same.
Urban fantasy often has middle to upper class protagonists. This is extremely prevalent in YA. You rarely see rural , lower class or poor protagonists in adult and YA urban fantasy. And queer and this case gay protagonists even less. I love how Adam's social and financial situation colored this book. Slayton crafted a highly traumatized young man with a past who perservers and tries to remain kind. Adam really is a cinnamon roll but boy is he broken. You feel for Adam , want to hug him and say everything will be okay. I immediately liked him on page one and fell more in love chapter by chapter.
Every queer experience is unique and every person is different. Adam is real and was real reading his story. I love how Adam felt like a real guy, had sexual urges but wasn't a horndog. He's fully fleshed person. I would be his friend no doubt. You feel that Slayton cares for every character he created. From smaller to more important.
Every being Adam encountered had a life when they were off and on the page. You jump into action from the get go. Every character is important and helps reveal the story or is revealed throughout the book. The pace slows down at parts to help build character but is never boring and always important.
The love story between Adam and his lover past and present builds organically. You understand why they are a thing. And why Adam has doubts with both because of things and power beyond his control. I love how Adam is low powered. This means winning and defeating his enemies won't be easy. Adam being over powered is less of a thing.Adam has to work with other beings to get things done. Beings that are sneaky. Don't mess with the Fae is all I'm saying. I adore Argent and Silver , high fae , who are maybe or not friends. Magic has a price and Adam really pays for it. I know he will grow stronger, build stronger relationships and heal. Be less broken in his story. I'm in for the ride and thank you Slayton for creating Adam Lee Binder.
Cover talk: It is standard with urban fantasy to have the lead or leads on the cover. I expected it but change is good. I still love the first mentioned cover style. The green and purple fit perfect together. It depicts a scene and I'm looking forward what will depicted the following books
Urban fantasy often has middle to upper class protagonists. This is extremely prevalent in YA. You rarely see rural , lower class or poor protagonists in adult and YA urban fantasy. And queer and this case gay protagonists even less. I love how Adam's social and financial situation colored this book. Slayton crafted a highly traumatized young man with a past who perservers and tries to remain kind. Adam really is a cinnamon roll but boy is he broken. You feel for Adam , want to hug him and say everything will be okay. I immediately liked him on page one and fell more in love chapter by chapter.
Every queer experience is unique and every person is different. Adam is real and was real reading his story. I love how Adam felt like a real guy, had sexual urges but wasn't a horndog. He's fully fleshed person. I would be his friend no doubt. You feel that Slayton cares for every character he created. From smaller to more important.
Every being Adam encountered had a life when they were off and on the page. You jump into action from the get go. Every character is important and helps reveal the story or is revealed throughout the book. The pace slows down at parts to help build character but is never boring and always important.
The love story between Adam and his lover past and present builds organically. You understand why they are a thing. And why Adam has doubts with both because of things and power beyond his control. I love how Adam is low powered. This means winning and defeating his enemies won't be easy. Adam being over powered is less of a thing.Adam has to work with other beings to get things done. Beings that are sneaky. Don't mess with the Fae is all I'm saying. I adore Argent and Silver , high fae , who are maybe or not friends. Magic has a price and Adam really pays for it. I know he will grow stronger, build stronger relationships and heal. Be less broken in his story. I'm in for the ride and thank you Slayton for creating Adam Lee Binder.
Cover talk: It is standard with urban fantasy to have the lead or leads on the cover. I expected it but change is good. I still love the first mentioned cover style. The green and purple fit perfect together. It depicts a scene and I'm looking forward what will depicted the following books
January 14, 2022
(Urban fantasy, gay lead, love triangle, family bond, no on-page sex, duology)
Isn't it awesome, when you pick a fantasy book solely based on 'it has a gay lead' turns out to be so fascinating that you just don't care about no on-page sex scene???🤭🤭
1. Most YA/Adult urban fantasies have rich educated MCs with an urban background. Here Adam Binder is impoverished, not even a high school pass, having been kept up in the psychiatric ward before he escaped to live in the trailer park with his aunt.
Adam being gay is strongly represented but the undercurrent is constantly about Adam's survival and him being an outcast. He is too magical for his family and has too little magic for the 'other world'.
2. The magic system is not striking, the narration is. I liked how the author integrated the 'magical world' into the real world.
3. The main conflict is not in romance but the family. The elder brother, Robert who adored Adam in childhood, later sent him to the psych ward. Their past made the relationship between two brothers and their mother so conflicting.
I am invested in the romance, in Adam's acceptance of being accepted. But, what I liked most was the mystery around Adam and Robert's past.
The audiobook narration by Michele David Axtell is perfect.
On to the next part…...
Isn't it awesome, when you pick a fantasy book solely based on 'it has a gay lead' turns out to be so fascinating that you just don't care about no on-page sex scene???🤭🤭
1. Most YA/Adult urban fantasies have rich educated MCs with an urban background. Here Adam Binder is impoverished, not even a high school pass, having been kept up in the psychiatric ward before he escaped to live in the trailer park with his aunt.
Adam being gay is strongly represented but the undercurrent is constantly about Adam's survival and him being an outcast. He is too magical for his family and has too little magic for the 'other world'.
2. The magic system is not striking, the narration is. I liked how the author integrated the 'magical world' into the real world.
3. The main conflict is not in romance but the family. The elder brother, Robert who adored Adam in childhood, later sent him to the psych ward. Their past made the relationship between two brothers and their mother so conflicting.
I am invested in the romance, in Adam's acceptance of being accepted. But, what I liked most was the mystery around Adam and Robert's past.
The audiobook narration by Michele David Axtell is perfect.
On to the next part…...
November 16, 2025
This was not what I expected, and that's a good thing.
I liked Adam a lot, and the world building was pretty well done, if a bit repetitive at times. I was able to guess some things, but not others, and the finale really didn't go how I thought it would at all. It's made me eager to start the next one.
I'm really interested to see where things go with Vic, and his family is great. Unlike Adam's family. His mother is awful, and his brother Bobby, well, let's just say, if we didn't have POV chapters for him, I'd hate him. Right now, I'm mostly disappointed in him. 😂 Adam is way too good for his family.
Edit: Dropping this to 3.5 stars after finishing the initial trilogy. I was clearly being way too hopeful about this series's potential when I read this. 🙈
I liked Adam a lot, and the world building was pretty well done, if a bit repetitive at times. I was able to guess some things, but not others, and the finale really didn't go how I thought it would at all. It's made me eager to start the next one.
I'm really interested to see where things go with Vic, and his family is great. Unlike Adam's family. His mother is awful, and his brother Bobby, well, let's just say, if we didn't have POV chapters for him, I'd hate him. Right now, I'm mostly disappointed in him. 😂 Adam is way too good for his family.
Edit: Dropping this to 3.5 stars after finishing the initial trilogy. I was clearly being way too hopeful about this series's potential when I read this. 🙈
June 3, 2021
4.5 Stars!
Fab debut
Stellar audiobook performance
Urban fantasy
No sex (on or off page)
Complex characters
Intense world building
Magic
Spirits
Reapers
Fae
Monsters
Dragons
Octopi
Leprechauns
And more for your paranormal pleasure!
Despite the cute cover (it’s cute 😉) this isn’t a cute tale...it’s creepy AF!
This is the story of Adam. Of Adam and his brother.
Flashbacks in time
Visits to different realms
Exes
New boyfriends
Regrets
Hates
Pains
HFN-ish
Get me part 2 now!
Fab debut
Stellar audiobook performance
Urban fantasy
No sex (on or off page)
Complex characters
Intense world building
Magic
Spirits
Reapers
Fae
Monsters
Dragons
Octopi
Leprechauns
And more for your paranormal pleasure!
Despite the cute cover (it’s cute 😉) this isn’t a cute tale...it’s creepy AF!
This is the story of Adam. Of Adam and his brother.
Flashbacks in time
Visits to different realms
Exes
New boyfriends
Regrets
Hates
Pains
HFN-ish
Get me part 2 now!
August 5, 2022
This is not just dark. This is frigging depressing.
The editing doesn't help either. Some paragraphs and sentences simply don't make any sense. For example: a paragraph describes the surroundings a character finds himself in. The doors are locked. The lights are flickering. The character doesn't need to pee. The walls are green. The ceiling is white. WHAT? 😵 Other sentences have a string of words that just don't go together, utter gibberish.
I wasn't always sure of the characters' whereabouts; which characters were talking or not - it was hard to follow dialogs. Chapter break-up by characters' POV did not make sense because it was all about Adam anyway.
Death and her overreach was also very disappointing. Death is death, she should not have power over the living, not in a traditional Universe. Once the characters are on precipice, wounded or sick, - sure. Play with the humans, go ahead. But manipulating young beings full of life and potential? No. Not in my book. Sorry. There should be order in the Universe, and here Death rules them all. Unnatural.
I didn't connect with Annie and did not much care for her, tho the book suggests I should be involved. I wasn't. Nor did I care for Bobbie's or Adam's mother. Both women were quite blah.
There was NO SEX and NO ROMANCE to speak of. Some sort of connection flickered between Silver/Adam and Vic/Adam (more so with Silver than Vic), but nothing tangible.
There are other issues, but I don't want to draw this review out. The problems I mentioned were the most concern to me and I am stopping at that.
2 stars. Will not continue.
The editing doesn't help either. Some paragraphs and sentences simply don't make any sense. For example: a paragraph describes the surroundings a character finds himself in. The doors are locked. The lights are flickering. The character doesn't need to pee. The walls are green. The ceiling is white. WHAT? 😵 Other sentences have a string of words that just don't go together, utter gibberish.
I wasn't always sure of the characters' whereabouts; which characters were talking or not - it was hard to follow dialogs. Chapter break-up by characters' POV did not make sense because it was all about Adam anyway.
Death and her overreach was also very disappointing. Death is death, she should not have power over the living, not in a traditional Universe. Once the characters are on precipice, wounded or sick, - sure. Play with the humans, go ahead. But manipulating young beings full of life and potential? No. Not in my book. Sorry. There should be order in the Universe, and here Death rules them all. Unnatural.
I didn't connect with Annie and did not much care for her, tho the book suggests I should be involved. I wasn't. Nor did I care for Bobbie's or Adam's mother. Both women were quite blah.
There was NO SEX and NO ROMANCE to speak of. Some sort of connection flickered between Silver/Adam and Vic/Adam (more so with Silver than Vic), but nothing tangible.
There are other issues, but I don't want to draw this review out. The problems I mentioned were the most concern to me and I am stopping at that.
2 stars. Will not continue.
September 15, 2021
4.75 stars for the audiobook
As with the book, this is a strong start to Slayton's series, Adam Binder. A magic rollercoaster of a ride. Colorful deftly drawn characters, solid world building, fascinating unique storyline, and an unexpected twist.
Narrator Michael David Axtell delivered an excellent performance. What a difference it made for the story. Issues I had with the book simply disappeared. I'm chomping at the bit for the next in the series.
As with the book, this is a strong start to Slayton's series, Adam Binder. A magic rollercoaster of a ride. Colorful deftly drawn characters, solid world building, fascinating unique storyline, and an unexpected twist.
Narrator Michael David Axtell delivered an excellent performance. What a difference it made for the story. Issues I had with the book simply disappeared. I'm chomping at the bit for the next in the series.
November 2, 2020
4.25 stars
A strong start to Slayton's series, Adam Binder. A magic rollercoaster of a ride. Colorful deftly drawn characters, solid world building, fascinating unique storyline, and an unexpected twist.
I did wish for less tell and more show, and only Adam's POV.
Personally, I thought he ended up with the wrong potential love interest. 😄
A strong start to Slayton's series, Adam Binder. A magic rollercoaster of a ride. Colorful deftly drawn characters, solid world building, fascinating unique storyline, and an unexpected twist.
I did wish for less tell and more show, and only Adam's POV.
Personally, I thought he ended up with the wrong potential love interest. 😄
September 21, 2024
If you like urban fantasy, there's no excuse for you not to read the Adam Binder series! It's the genre at its best. Dresden Files meets Supernatural without the probelmatic parts of either.
An urban fantasy story crafted using traditional fantasy elements (elves, gnomes, leprechauns, realms) and paranormal elements (spirit walking, Death, tarot, Sight) in a refreshing and captivating combination.
It's a story with diverse characters of different background, gender, age, sexuality, species without being a story about poor, gay, Latino etc. It's part of their identity, not the entirety of their identity.
The characters are the highlight. Adam is young but wise beyond his years, having learnt a lot out of necessity and having lived a hard childhood, shunned by his mother and brother, his father absent, and balancing between two worlds. He is very poor and lives in a town he calls home but doesn't feel like home in many ways. His heart is in the right place and he doesn't hesitate to use his power (which by the way is not limitless, he is not a Chosen One/superhero-style main character) to help the ones who need it, both magical creatures and humans.
Vic is caught in the crossfire and plunged headfirst in a word he didn't know existed, and the thread connecting him to that world is Adam. I really loved his character and he shines even more in the sequel!
Argent was the exact right mixture of intimidating and funny. She is powerful, she is not human, she doesn't pretend to be, she enjoys what she can do and she is a scene-stealer.
Some of the background environment (rural America, paycheck to paycheck, extreme poverty) will be really relatable to readers who are more familiar with it, but it does the job of creating the intended atmosphere for everyone (I don't think I've read another book set in Denver by the way).
There is also a perfect description of a disfunctional family. You can see it in Adam's mother's mannerisms, in Bobby's thoughts, in the baggage buried deep inside their heads and supressed for years. Bobby tries hard to apply a bland filter in his life, Adam's childhood memories are mushed and distorted in a desperate attempt to find some flashes of happiness in his past amidst the darkness. The effect their past (and the place where they grew up) has on them becomes more obvious when you read the sequel, where you get to see how Vic (who doesn't come from the same place) sees everything.
The story ended on a cliffhanger and some of the questions were not answered, but luckily for everyone, the sequel, Trailer Park Trickster is out and you can jump right to it !
An urban fantasy story crafted using traditional fantasy elements (elves, gnomes, leprechauns, realms) and paranormal elements (spirit walking, Death, tarot, Sight) in a refreshing and captivating combination.
It's a story with diverse characters of different background, gender, age, sexuality, species without being a story about poor, gay, Latino etc. It's part of their identity, not the entirety of their identity.
The characters are the highlight. Adam is young but wise beyond his years, having learnt a lot out of necessity and having lived a hard childhood, shunned by his mother and brother, his father absent, and balancing between two worlds. He is very poor and lives in a town he calls home but doesn't feel like home in many ways. His heart is in the right place and he doesn't hesitate to use his power (which by the way is not limitless, he is not a Chosen One/superhero-style main character) to help the ones who need it, both magical creatures and humans.
Vic is caught in the crossfire and plunged headfirst in a word he didn't know existed, and the thread connecting him to that world is Adam. I really loved his character and he shines even more in the sequel!
Argent was the exact right mixture of intimidating and funny. She is powerful, she is not human, she doesn't pretend to be, she enjoys what she can do and she is a scene-stealer.
Some of the background environment (rural America, paycheck to paycheck, extreme poverty) will be really relatable to readers who are more familiar with it, but it does the job of creating the intended atmosphere for everyone (I don't think I've read another book set in Denver by the way).
There is also a perfect description of a disfunctional family. You can see it in Adam's mother's mannerisms, in Bobby's thoughts, in the baggage buried deep inside their heads and supressed for years. Bobby tries hard to apply a bland filter in his life, Adam's childhood memories are mushed and distorted in a desperate attempt to find some flashes of happiness in his past amidst the darkness. The effect their past (and the place where they grew up) has on them becomes more obvious when you read the sequel, where you get to see how Vic (who doesn't come from the same place) sees everything.
The story ended on a cliffhanger and some of the questions were not answered, but luckily for everyone, the sequel, Trailer Park Trickster is out and you can jump right to it !
November 29, 2021
There were parts of this book that I really loved and appreciated like the main character's personality and back story and the writing at times. I also loved the premise -- the MC is an outsider for so many reasons and being magical is the least of them (being gay, poor, from the wrong section of town, estranged from his father and brother....). I found him very likeable and the main idea of the magical world that we all live in but generally can't see was interesting with so many different takes on common magical creature stereotypes. I had trouble following the story at times and there is so much description though. Sometimes the wording was just so odd and hard to translate that I'd read the same sentence three times trying to figure out what he was saying.
I ended up putting this one down so many times that it took me a very long time to get through. Some books just suck you in and carry you along like a fast river. This one felt like I had to slosh through thick mud to concentrate on every sentence and try to visualize what was being described and then understand it. So much world building, so much specific description of physical (and metaphysical) places. In many cases, I really felt that the right (merciless) editor could turn it into a five star book that I would have really enjoyed because it has so much really wonderful stuff buried in it.
All that said, the MC is charming, the basic premise is fun and interesting, and I can see this evolving into a really fun series.
I ended up putting this one down so many times that it took me a very long time to get through. Some books just suck you in and carry you along like a fast river. This one felt like I had to slosh through thick mud to concentrate on every sentence and try to visualize what was being described and then understand it. So much world building, so much specific description of physical (and metaphysical) places. In many cases, I really felt that the right (merciless) editor could turn it into a five star book that I would have really enjoyed because it has so much really wonderful stuff buried in it.
All that said, the MC is charming, the basic premise is fun and interesting, and I can see this evolving into a really fun series.
January 11, 2024
3.5 Stars. This was a pretty fun, if not simple, urban fantasy story with a reasonably traditional and basic (but effective) magic system and world.
This story doesn’t break any barriers but the plot is engaging and I had a fair bit of fun with it.
I enjoyed Adam as a protagonist, he was sweet and kind but also practical. I do wish he held on to his anger at his family a little more cause I was boiling on his behalf and I think he is entitled to more groveling than they gave him (perhaps that will come in book 2).
I went into this pretty blind so I didn’t realise that there was a love triangle business kind of going on and I generally try to avoid situations with love triangles cause I seem to always have a talent for emotionally investing in the wrong option and being disappointed. I found this one to be relatively inoffensive, although the relationship with Vic was a bit insta-lovey and I’m a sucker for a relationship where there is some obstacles to overcome and some pining.
I listened to this by audiobook and I found the narrator’s voice to be such a good fit and really soothing and I think it contributed to my enjoyment of this story a lot.
I’ll probably continue with this one, maybe not immediately. But I’ll probably spoil myself on the love triangle so I can prepare myself 😂😂
This story doesn’t break any barriers but the plot is engaging and I had a fair bit of fun with it.
I enjoyed Adam as a protagonist, he was sweet and kind but also practical. I do wish he held on to his anger at his family a little more cause I was boiling on his behalf and I think he is entitled to more groveling than they gave him (perhaps that will come in book 2).
I went into this pretty blind so I didn’t realise that there was a love triangle business kind of going on and I generally try to avoid situations with love triangles cause I seem to always have a talent for emotionally investing in the wrong option and being disappointed. I found this one to be relatively inoffensive, although the relationship with Vic was a bit insta-lovey and I’m a sucker for a relationship where there is some obstacles to overcome and some pining.
I listened to this by audiobook and I found the narrator’s voice to be such a good fit and really soothing and I think it contributed to my enjoyment of this story a lot.
I’ll probably continue with this one, maybe not immediately. But I’ll probably spoil myself on the love triangle so I can prepare myself 😂😂
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