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Blood Magick Trilogy #1
The Blood Mage
On his sixteenth birthday, Tom triggered strange new magical abilities. When his sister is kidnapped, he discovers he was the intended target. A community of magical villains is after him because he may be the Last Blood Mage. Will Tom embrace his new destiny?
The Blood Mage is the first in a new YA series. It's a spinoff of The Evers Series, but new readers do not need to have read the series to enjoy the book.
The Blood Mage is the first in a new YA series. It's a spinoff of The Evers Series, but new readers do not need to have read the series to enjoy the book.
213 pages, ebook
Published December 21, 2021
51 people are currently reading
812 people want to read
About the author
Marie-Hélène Lebeault
97 books384 followersMarie-Hélène Lebeault writes Speculative Fiction for children, teens, and adults
Be sure to follow her here and on https://www.bookbub.com/authors/marie...
Join her newsletter for events, sales, and new releases at https: //mhlebeaultauthor.substack.com
Marie-Hélène is a Canadian author. She writes young adult quest and adventure stories rooted in the world of fantasy, magic and time travel. With important coming of age lessons at the core of her writing, children and young adults alike will revel in the fantastical journeys of her characters. When not immersed in the worlds of magic and mystery, you’ll find Marie-Hélène hiking, cycling, or lying on the beach with a good book.
Be sure to follow her here and on https://www.bookbub.com/authors/marie...
Join her newsletter for events, sales, and new releases at https: //mhlebeaultauthor.substack.com
Marie-Hélène is a Canadian author. She writes young adult quest and adventure stories rooted in the world of fantasy, magic and time travel. With important coming of age lessons at the core of her writing, children and young adults alike will revel in the fantastical journeys of her characters. When not immersed in the worlds of magic and mystery, you’ll find Marie-Hélène hiking, cycling, or lying on the beach with a good book.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
January 10, 2022
This is the first book in this series and is a spin off from The Evers series. The main character is Tom Callahan, who on his sixteenth birthday is given the responsibility of becoming the Repository for his family’s keys. These keys are what his family and others use to travel from one place to another, with a door they can open between each place, much like a portal. After his father’s death from cancer, his older sister Tabitha declined the honour, not wanting all the added responsibilities and duty that would be involved with the position. His mother also gives him his father signet ring which is centuries old and been passed down in the family for generations. He and his family are what are known as Travellers in the magical community, for their ability to use their keys and travel to any place and time, although the time travel bit needs a specific artifact and is strictly controlled! All Travellers must attended a special academy, to be taught about their magic and how to use it properly. His mother and his uncle prompted him to become friendly with a girl called Lola Evers, who is now his girlfriend, although they are taking things slowly and don’t seem to ever get much time together.
The ring is a trigger for a new magical ability for Tom, something he and no one else seems to know much about. When he tests out his new abilities with his friends Lola and her brother Devlin, the headmaster catches sight of them and calls them into his office for a chat. Some of the other professors are called in to look at the ring and it is one of them that finds the hidden opening. The secret opening has a small athame inside, allowing the magic user to draw blood discretely. Until they can find out more, he needs to go to the magic academy for witches, in Scotland, where they test him and find out exactly what new abilities he has. They find out he has Blood Magick, something that is extremely rare and very dangerous in the wrong hands. He is warned that the magic will make his blood boil and his anger get out of control. He needs to experiment with his new magic, but do it in a controlled and calm manner. His sister is kidnapped, but eventually found by one of the professors, with it seemingly like she was the wrong person and it is Tom the people behind this action are looking for and it is because of his blood!
He has to make a decision as to which academy will be the best for him to learn about his new magic and also to keep him and others safe. He is attacked on his first visit to the other academy, by what he believes to be a trio of students from there, who it seems want to test his powers. But there is a far more dangerous point to their actions. He is being hunted down by a figure known only as the Master and all of his minions, who want his blood for nefarious purposes. He doesn’t know enough general defensive and offensive magic to fight against trained witches and warlocks and this will make his decision even more important. His mother and uncle’s actions in getting close to some prominent magical families was for criminal means and this ends with his uncle imprisoned and Tom having to make a harsh judgement on his mother and her freedom. Tom could be the only Blood Mage in existence and he needs to understand more about it and try to trace which of his ancestors this ability came from, to be able to get any answers. It’s a lot to place on a sixteen year old, as well as his new responsibilities as his family’s keeper of their keys and to take over running of their household, as his father did. So much more to come from this series and although it says you can read this as a standalone, the book does seems to expect you to have some prior knowledge of the Evers and Travellers, but it isn’t essential. There are some annoying typos which I presume have come from translating this book into English, which make some sentences unreadable, which would be nice not to see in the future. Overall, an exciting prospect and I look forward to seeing what comes next and what Tom and his friends can find out about his magic. I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
The ring is a trigger for a new magical ability for Tom, something he and no one else seems to know much about. When he tests out his new abilities with his friends Lola and her brother Devlin, the headmaster catches sight of them and calls them into his office for a chat. Some of the other professors are called in to look at the ring and it is one of them that finds the hidden opening. The secret opening has a small athame inside, allowing the magic user to draw blood discretely. Until they can find out more, he needs to go to the magic academy for witches, in Scotland, where they test him and find out exactly what new abilities he has. They find out he has Blood Magick, something that is extremely rare and very dangerous in the wrong hands. He is warned that the magic will make his blood boil and his anger get out of control. He needs to experiment with his new magic, but do it in a controlled and calm manner. His sister is kidnapped, but eventually found by one of the professors, with it seemingly like she was the wrong person and it is Tom the people behind this action are looking for and it is because of his blood!
He has to make a decision as to which academy will be the best for him to learn about his new magic and also to keep him and others safe. He is attacked on his first visit to the other academy, by what he believes to be a trio of students from there, who it seems want to test his powers. But there is a far more dangerous point to their actions. He is being hunted down by a figure known only as the Master and all of his minions, who want his blood for nefarious purposes. He doesn’t know enough general defensive and offensive magic to fight against trained witches and warlocks and this will make his decision even more important. His mother and uncle’s actions in getting close to some prominent magical families was for criminal means and this ends with his uncle imprisoned and Tom having to make a harsh judgement on his mother and her freedom. Tom could be the only Blood Mage in existence and he needs to understand more about it and try to trace which of his ancestors this ability came from, to be able to get any answers. It’s a lot to place on a sixteen year old, as well as his new responsibilities as his family’s keeper of their keys and to take over running of their household, as his father did. So much more to come from this series and although it says you can read this as a standalone, the book does seems to expect you to have some prior knowledge of the Evers and Travellers, but it isn’t essential. There are some annoying typos which I presume have come from translating this book into English, which make some sentences unreadable, which would be nice not to see in the future. Overall, an exciting prospect and I look forward to seeing what comes next and what Tom and his friends can find out about his magic. I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
May 7, 2025
First of all, a huge thank you to Marie-Hélène Lebeault for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review, via @rbn_tours ( https://rbntours.wixsite.com/rbntours )
The Blood Mage is a book from the universe of the author's Evers Series, the The Ancestors' Key being the beginning of the 4 book series.
As someone who hasn't read the previous series, I don't think this book can be read as a standalone. I tried to make sense of the beautiful world the author has crafted through hints scattered across the pages of the first chapters. Some information is provided later on, however, up until that point I was confused regarding the world's systems and magic. Portals, parallel universes and teachers from other planets, the entire lore needed to be introduced anew, in order for new readers to understand the world solely based on this book.
Another thing that dulled my reading experience was the already established character dynamics from the series before. I love character-driven stories but especially, love to see how a friendship or a relationship is built in a story. I missed the descriptions of the characters' appearances, their quirks and pet peeves, and why they developed the bonds that they have. I missed the retrospect, the point where we get introduced to that relationship via a flashback or a brief retelling of the events that led to said bonds.
I also felt like some parts dragged due to a flat description of events. Extra information was given more space to grow than necessary, while key parts of the story remained unexplored.
Before you pass on the opportunity to read this book, I want to clarify that this is by no means a bad story. I loved the world (at least the parts of it I could make sense of) and the cliffhanger is very well placed within the plot! (to put it simply, you will flip frantically through the last pages to find the rest of the story, but unfortunately, you will have to wait until the next book comes out.)
If you like stories about magic academies and family secrets, I suggest you give this book a shot!
The Blood Mage is a book from the universe of the author's Evers Series, the The Ancestors' Key being the beginning of the 4 book series.
As someone who hasn't read the previous series, I don't think this book can be read as a standalone. I tried to make sense of the beautiful world the author has crafted through hints scattered across the pages of the first chapters. Some information is provided later on, however, up until that point I was confused regarding the world's systems and magic. Portals, parallel universes and teachers from other planets, the entire lore needed to be introduced anew, in order for new readers to understand the world solely based on this book.
Another thing that dulled my reading experience was the already established character dynamics from the series before. I love character-driven stories but especially, love to see how a friendship or a relationship is built in a story. I missed the descriptions of the characters' appearances, their quirks and pet peeves, and why they developed the bonds that they have. I missed the retrospect, the point where we get introduced to that relationship via a flashback or a brief retelling of the events that led to said bonds.
I also felt like some parts dragged due to a flat description of events. Extra information was given more space to grow than necessary, while key parts of the story remained unexplored.
Before you pass on the opportunity to read this book, I want to clarify that this is by no means a bad story. I loved the world (at least the parts of it I could make sense of) and the cliffhanger is very well placed within the plot! (to put it simply, you will flip frantically through the last pages to find the rest of the story, but unfortunately, you will have to wait until the next book comes out.)
If you like stories about magic academies and family secrets, I suggest you give this book a shot!
January 18, 2022
Tom is a traveler. Meaning he was given a key and with that key, he can open portal doors. These doors allow him to travel faster than any normal human. The book starts out laying out the background of who Tom is. A 16 year old boy who is reeling from the recent death of his father. The plot starts developing when his sister Tabitha is kidnaped. They purposely targeted Tom's family because of rumors of magic blood. Tom is tested and it turns out that he has a special power and can revive a dark magic art that's been dormant for a long time. Soon after, three boys corner Tom and try to kidnap him too but his magic comes in time to save him. There is another attempt after that, which fails because the pupils at his school come in time to save him. Finally, the book ends on a cliff hanger with Tom's kidnapers about to storm his home.
At this point in time, I'm not sure if I like Tom. He seems very naïve and is constantly falling for traps, which really irritates me. He has a girlfriend, Lola (who has her own series) but their relationship seems lackluster to me. Hopefully they break up in the later books and Tom gets with Zaina. She's a friend from his time at Harding school. In fact the characters I like so far, Zaina and Arturo, are all from Harding school. I hope to see more personality in the later book from the characters.
At this point in time, I'm not sure if I like Tom. He seems very naïve and is constantly falling for traps, which really irritates me. He has a girlfriend, Lola (who has her own series) but their relationship seems lackluster to me. Hopefully they break up in the later books and Tom gets with Zaina. She's a friend from his time at Harding school. In fact the characters I like so far, Zaina and Arturo, are all from Harding school. I hope to see more personality in the later book from the characters.
April 11, 2022
Young adult fantasy story introducing blood magic.
This is a spin-off from the author's previous series, but works as a standalone. I liked the minor exploration of abuse of power and whether a blessing may have negative consequences. This is done through the tale of a 16 year old assuming leadership of his family and having to negotiate starting at a new school.
Blood magic in this world is uncommon and associated with dark arts. The accidental way in which our hero discovers part of his powers could only happen to a male. The author has not thought through the application of this magic as females would automatically come into their power at menarche. I'm uncomfortable with the idea of promoting blood smearing as a way of increasing power as emulating this in the context of HIV and hepatitis is risky in the real world.
There is some character development and dilemmas of who can be trusted, but the conflict is simplistic and there is a crashing cliff-hanger ending which I found unsatisfying as a) we know the hero survives as there is a sequel and b) I will not be reading the sequel. The whole text is marred by numerous editing errors which interrupt the story flow.
I received a free advance review copy, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This is a spin-off from the author's previous series, but works as a standalone. I liked the minor exploration of abuse of power and whether a blessing may have negative consequences. This is done through the tale of a 16 year old assuming leadership of his family and having to negotiate starting at a new school.
Blood magic in this world is uncommon and associated with dark arts. The accidental way in which our hero discovers part of his powers could only happen to a male. The author has not thought through the application of this magic as females would automatically come into their power at menarche. I'm uncomfortable with the idea of promoting blood smearing as a way of increasing power as emulating this in the context of HIV and hepatitis is risky in the real world.
There is some character development and dilemmas of who can be trusted, but the conflict is simplistic and there is a crashing cliff-hanger ending which I found unsatisfying as a) we know the hero survives as there is a sequel and b) I will not be reading the sequel. The whole text is marred by numerous editing errors which interrupt the story flow.
I received a free advance review copy, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 19, 2022
This is the first of Marie's books that I have read. Blood Mage is the first in a new spin off series connected to her Evers series.
Having not read the previous series, I was still able to enjoy the story and the world created. I was intrigued by the overall story line, the relationships between the characters, and direction the story took.
Personally, I'm going to go back and read the previous series so that I have a better understanding of some of the other characters mentioned and more of the world building before continuing this new series
I was given an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.
Having not read the previous series, I was still able to enjoy the story and the world created. I was intrigued by the overall story line, the relationships between the characters, and direction the story took.
Personally, I'm going to go back and read the previous series so that I have a better understanding of some of the other characters mentioned and more of the world building before continuing this new series
I was given an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.
January 26, 2022
The Blood Mage is Book 1 in a new series by Marie-Helene Lebeault. The Blood Mage has a lot of magical fantasy; an academy for magical art, elves, magical villains, lots of excitement. Tom's father has died he became the Custodian of his family on his 16th birthday and he is a blood mage. This is an exciting book and Tom is coming into his magic. Magical Villains want to stop him and I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series. I received an arc for free and am leaving my review voluntarily.
December 25, 2021
Whenever you read a book by A.J. Scudiere you know you get certain things: the book is well-structured, well-proofed and well-edited; the storyline is fast-paced, without trite or contrived scenes; the story is strongly written, the characters are complex and well-developed and the dialogue is honest and believable. The writing is fast-paced. This book is a real page-turner. You won’t want to put it down, so clear your diary, get comfortable and settle in for a treat. I received this novel from BookFunnel. This is my honest review. The opinions are all my own.
January 29, 2022
Rcvd an advanced reader copy from BookSirens for giving my two cents. We meet Tom, a 16 year old Custodian of his family and Traveler, who has inherited his fathers keep of sorts. Tom, his sister Tabitha and her bffs Lola, Devin are students at the Academy for Travellers. Unfortunately one day his sister is kidnapped and they learn she was not the intended target....he was. Tom learns that he has Blood Magic, a very old and dark magic that hasn't been seen in ages and his is now a target for the bad guys. Tom and his friends need to keep each other safe and decide to look into their ancestry....as it may have all the answers. What Tom doesn't know is another academy may have those answers and it's time to not be afraid and embrace his destiny!.
December 26, 2021
Dangerous secrets. A mysterious heritage. Sinister powers. The world of magic as we know it could be transformed forever … Both an extension of and a suitable starting point for the Traveler’s Universe, The Blood Mage follows Tom Callahan as a dark mystery suddenly unravels before him, one that will test the extent of his magical abilities, his capacity to endure being the outsider, and not least of all his relationship with girlfriend Lola Evers. This is the kind of fantasy book that’s best enjoyed with a mug of hot tea on a rainy afternoon. Spectacular powers, rival magic boarding schools, a strong element of coming-of-age - this is the stuff of Harry Potter-esque comfort, found in bulk here, but with Marie-Hélène Lebeault’s distinctive details and twists keeping you on your toes.
January 8, 2022
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I did not read the original series (The Evers Series), and I'm assuming I'm missing some of the background that would have been useful in enjoying this story.
*This book ends on a cliffhanger (some might consider it more of a TBC ending, but to me it was more of a cliffhanger).
I think this story has potential and there were some interesting points in the story, but overall it fell really flat for me. There were points that would get built-up and then the result was so short and honestly disappointing.
I found it weird how almost all of the book was told basically following Tom, but then you'd get a random chapter told from a different POV (I could see it was because it couldn't be told from Tom's view, but it was still inconsistent with the rest of the story). The secondary characters were rather superficial (2-demensional). Tom's family (sister and mother) were almost more like props than characters. Same with many of Tom's friends at school. I'm sure others would enjoy the story more, but it was more miss than hit for me.
I did not read the original series (The Evers Series), and I'm assuming I'm missing some of the background that would have been useful in enjoying this story.
*This book ends on a cliffhanger (some might consider it more of a TBC ending, but to me it was more of a cliffhanger).
I think this story has potential and there were some interesting points in the story, but overall it fell really flat for me. There were points that would get built-up and then the result was so short and honestly disappointing.
I found it weird how almost all of the book was told basically following Tom, but then you'd get a random chapter told from a different POV (I could see it was because it couldn't be told from Tom's view, but it was still inconsistent with the rest of the story). The secondary characters were rather superficial (2-demensional). Tom's family (sister and mother) were almost more like props than characters. Same with many of Tom's friends at school. I'm sure others would enjoy the story more, but it was more miss than hit for me.
March 21, 2023
This is my first Lebeault read and absolutely not my last. I came in a bit late, not realizing right away that I probably should’ve read “The Evers” series first—but I didn’t feel lost or like I was missing anything.
The writing is good, the book fast-paced and the characters very lovable. The book is packed with adventure, as these characters face all sorts of challenges. I definitely noticed some parallels to HP.
Based on this, I’ll be reading more from this author, and I’ll likely go back and check out “The Evers”—how fun!
Overall: 4 stars.
I listened to the audiobook—the narrator did a great job and the production was well done.
The writing is good, the book fast-paced and the characters very lovable. The book is packed with adventure, as these characters face all sorts of challenges. I definitely noticed some parallels to HP.
Based on this, I’ll be reading more from this author, and I’ll likely go back and check out “The Evers”—how fun!
Overall: 4 stars.
I listened to the audiobook—the narrator did a great job and the production was well done.
December 27, 2021
A fun new world of magic and time travel. Tom's family has always been able to open doors to walk through space. He attends a special school after completing high school to train and grow his abilities. But a Traveler is not all he is, and a group of rogue witches and warlocks is out for his blood!
The Blood Mage is the first in a new series with a cliffhanger ending.
The Blood Mage is the first in a new series with a cliffhanger ending.
January 11, 2022
My exact rating would be 3.5⭐
Okay, so, thoughts.
This started really nice, introducing us to a new magical world. The thing is, for a very long time I thought this was book two of the series because I struggled to understand the lore. I would have like a bit more explaining throughout the story. Many times I found that things were presented like we should have known and that's what confused me. Otherwise it is a beautiful story with well thought characters who stand out from each other. And it does have this more mature Harry Potter and academia feeling that give the book extra points for me.
Okay, so, thoughts.
This started really nice, introducing us to a new magical world. The thing is, for a very long time I thought this was book two of the series because I struggled to understand the lore. I would have like a bit more explaining throughout the story. Many times I found that things were presented like we should have known and that's what confused me. Otherwise it is a beautiful story with well thought characters who stand out from each other. And it does have this more mature Harry Potter and academia feeling that give the book extra points for me.
January 29, 2022
The author caught ur attention from the first chapter. How much thrilling it was! The writing style was what attracts me the most. How fast-paced the story went, well-structured and well-written. After every scene, my curiosity increases to know more about Tom's magic. The way every scene was a portrait, with every emotion present there was a treat 💓💓.
witches, time travelers, fights, romance, and lots of magic with Harry Potter's hint 😉It was really a blissful read. 🔖📕
witches, time travelers, fights, romance, and lots of magic with Harry Potter's hint 😉It was really a blissful read. 🔖📕
February 20, 2023
Slow world-building in this scifi-tinged magical teen academy story
I couldn’t quite get into this book, tbh, not my cuppa due to very very very slow upbuild. I prefer stories with provocative dialogue where things ignite in the first few pages. I’m just not the right target audience, I think. I mean it’s got 16yo warlocks, a magical academy, fated bloodlines, elves in Southern England, someone vying for family artefacts; with portals and time-travel it’s bordering on scifi, but the pace was killing me - nothing really happens until page 50. I did like the portal hopping and friendship ties. You might like this if you’re into slow world building, love stuff set in England and enjoy clean & sweet teen academy fantasy with a dash of whodunnit.
I couldn’t quite get into this book, tbh, not my cuppa due to very very very slow upbuild. I prefer stories with provocative dialogue where things ignite in the first few pages. I’m just not the right target audience, I think. I mean it’s got 16yo warlocks, a magical academy, fated bloodlines, elves in Southern England, someone vying for family artefacts; with portals and time-travel it’s bordering on scifi, but the pace was killing me - nothing really happens until page 50. I did like the portal hopping and friendship ties. You might like this if you’re into slow world building, love stuff set in England and enjoy clean & sweet teen academy fantasy with a dash of whodunnit.
January 13, 2023
I didn’t know what to expect from this book but I certainly wasn’t disappointed. It’s very Harry Potter like in the relationship with his headmaster. Tom finds his new magic as a traveler on his sixteenth birthday. He knows little of the traveler ways and the use of keys to open doors as his father died before he could pass on the knowledge as head of the family now due to his sister’s dismissal of the responsibility it is with a heavy heart that he delves into his hidden past and onward to the future ,but what’s this got to do with his girlfriend Lola and her brother Devlin..
June 10, 2022
Fun series, interesting premise. You can tell the author was influenced by Harry Potter, but it is its own story and ideas for sure. The first book ends on a major cliffhanger, but book two picks up exactly where it leaves off. Definitely would recommend reading The Evers Series first, but not absolutely necessary.
September 4, 2022
This is a new author for me and I enjoyed this story of Tom, his friends, their magic and the mystery of his kidnapped sister immensely. I was drawn into the world and the characters' lives and had to keep reading to see what would happen next. I'm definitely going to read the next two books in the trilogy.
September 5, 2022
An awesome magical adventure. Tom has magical powers that he discovers on his 16th birthday. Now he has to save his sister Can he do it Loved everything about the characters and the book. Ready for more.
August 22, 2022
I've been sitting on this story for a while now and that should let you know how incredible it was!😍
September 17, 2022
Exciting Beginning to a New Magical Series from Marie-Hélène Lebeault
I received The Blood Mage, by Marie-Hélène Lebeault as an ARC from the author. It is the first book in a new series, The Blood Magick Trilogy. While technically it has its own story, reading the Evers Series first will help with the flow. The book begins where the Evers Series ends. The Evers Series revealed a rather benign sort of magic. There is travelling on earth by means of a magic key, through time by means of a magic watch, and to different magical worlds by means of a magical sphere.
Lola, Tom’s girlfriend, and Devlin, her brother, and the Academy for Travelers, from the previous series, do play significant roles in this book, but the book is clearly about Tom and a new and rare magic. Blood magick. It is about Tom’s experiences and adventures because of this different form of magick. As such, it necessitates a different type of training for Tom Callahan. And that is to be had at the Harding Academy of Magical Arts.
Even though his sister Tabitha is the oldest, on his 16th birthday, Tom becomes the Custodian for his family. Tabitha has no interest in being the Custodian and relinquished those duties to Tom. With the custodianship comes many responsibilities. Not the least of which, is being the family protector. At the same time, Tom’s mother gives him his father’s signet ring. Tom is still grieving the death of his father a year ago. His father had asked his mother to give it to him, along with a last letter, on his 16th birthday.
I started reading the Evers series to pre-approve it for my granddaughter and got hooked. It is totally appropriate for her. The Blood Magick series is a little more intense than the Evers series, but not enough for me to not let her read it. I hope she likes these books as much as I do.
With the exception of a few typos, the storyline is fascinating and proceeds rapidly when Tom’s sister is kidnapped for her blood. The characters, however, are developed gradually, adding depth to the book. Each chapter ends with a hook to the next chapter. With the addition of new characters from the Harding Academy, the story builds to a gripping ending. The ending is not exactly a cliffhanger, but it is enough to make me want to read the next book in the series. Now.
I received The Blood Mage, by Marie-Hélène Lebeault as an ARC from the author. It is the first book in a new series, The Blood Magick Trilogy. While technically it has its own story, reading the Evers Series first will help with the flow. The book begins where the Evers Series ends. The Evers Series revealed a rather benign sort of magic. There is travelling on earth by means of a magic key, through time by means of a magic watch, and to different magical worlds by means of a magical sphere.
Lola, Tom’s girlfriend, and Devlin, her brother, and the Academy for Travelers, from the previous series, do play significant roles in this book, but the book is clearly about Tom and a new and rare magic. Blood magick. It is about Tom’s experiences and adventures because of this different form of magick. As such, it necessitates a different type of training for Tom Callahan. And that is to be had at the Harding Academy of Magical Arts.
Even though his sister Tabitha is the oldest, on his 16th birthday, Tom becomes the Custodian for his family. Tabitha has no interest in being the Custodian and relinquished those duties to Tom. With the custodianship comes many responsibilities. Not the least of which, is being the family protector. At the same time, Tom’s mother gives him his father’s signet ring. Tom is still grieving the death of his father a year ago. His father had asked his mother to give it to him, along with a last letter, on his 16th birthday.
I started reading the Evers series to pre-approve it for my granddaughter and got hooked. It is totally appropriate for her. The Blood Magick series is a little more intense than the Evers series, but not enough for me to not let her read it. I hope she likes these books as much as I do.
With the exception of a few typos, the storyline is fascinating and proceeds rapidly when Tom’s sister is kidnapped for her blood. The characters, however, are developed gradually, adding depth to the book. Each chapter ends with a hook to the next chapter. With the addition of new characters from the Harding Academy, the story builds to a gripping ending. The ending is not exactly a cliffhanger, but it is enough to make me want to read the next book in the series. Now.
December 30, 2021
🧙”Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.”
Roald Dahl
🧙”The blood mage” is the first book in a new YA series. The story follows Tom Callahan, 16 years old, studying at magical academy along with his sister, Tabitha. He is a traveller in possession of a key which allows him to travel from one place to another in seconds. After the death of his father, he becomes the sole custodian of his family. On his sixteenth birthday he discovers that he has some hidden magical abilities triggered by blood, the Blood Magick.
🧙 When his sister gets kidnapped, he soon finds out that he was the actual target. Some evil forces are after him who wants to use his blood magick for their own sinister benefits. Will Tom be able to discover and save his magic from their evil intentions and keep his family safe and protected. Read this magical book to find out.
🧙It took me few chapters to get hold of this book but once I did there was no going back. From travelers to witches, going back in time, travelling from one place to another merely with the help of a key, finding about one’s origin and ancestors, magic and potions and a hint of Harry Potter, this book is a perfect treat for all the fantasy lovers out there. And the storyline will keep you intrigued till the end and you would wish for the next book to come already.
Roald Dahl
🧙”The blood mage” is the first book in a new YA series. The story follows Tom Callahan, 16 years old, studying at magical academy along with his sister, Tabitha. He is a traveller in possession of a key which allows him to travel from one place to another in seconds. After the death of his father, he becomes the sole custodian of his family. On his sixteenth birthday he discovers that he has some hidden magical abilities triggered by blood, the Blood Magick.
🧙 When his sister gets kidnapped, he soon finds out that he was the actual target. Some evil forces are after him who wants to use his blood magick for their own sinister benefits. Will Tom be able to discover and save his magic from their evil intentions and keep his family safe and protected. Read this magical book to find out.
🧙It took me few chapters to get hold of this book but once I did there was no going back. From travelers to witches, going back in time, travelling from one place to another merely with the help of a key, finding about one’s origin and ancestors, magic and potions and a hint of Harry Potter, this book is a perfect treat for all the fantasy lovers out there. And the storyline will keep you intrigued till the end and you would wish for the next book to come already.
June 4, 2023
Great Start on a New Series
Parents: PG-PG13 this is acceptable for middle school and up
Language: PG very little used
Violence: PG13 nothing too graphic
Sexual content: PG - kissing, background LGBT characters, but overall it stays really clean.
I have listened to all the Evers Series and enjoyed them but I think I like this one more - nice to have a more relatable character. I really liked getting to know Tom and his version of talent/blood magic is kind of interesting. This one also had more going on, faster paced with more tension and action, which was great! Definitely looking forward to reading the next one.
The narrator did a good job with all the differentiations and acting. There was only one accent that I struggled with and I did prefer listening at 1.35x speed.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
Parents: PG-PG13 this is acceptable for middle school and up
Language: PG very little used
Violence: PG13 nothing too graphic
Sexual content: PG - kissing, background LGBT characters, but overall it stays really clean.
I have listened to all the Evers Series and enjoyed them but I think I like this one more - nice to have a more relatable character. I really liked getting to know Tom and his version of talent/blood magic is kind of interesting. This one also had more going on, faster paced with more tension and action, which was great! Definitely looking forward to reading the next one.
The narrator did a good job with all the differentiations and acting. There was only one accent that I struggled with and I did prefer listening at 1.35x speed.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
August 23, 2023
The Blood Mage (Blood Magick Trilogy Book 1), my fifth read from author Marie-Hélène Lebeault. A spinoff of The Evers Series focusing on Tom Callahan who was introduced in that series. An entertaining read! Zane Boyer's narration, thogh different from Valerie Rose Lohman's narration on the Evers series none-the-less makes a good book even more enjoyable, the accents he affects help bring the characters to life. I can't imagine reading the book without these accents. I look forward to reading more from this author, in fact Blood Magick (Blood Magick Trilogy Book 2) is next on my TBR list. I received a free Audible copy of this book, and am voluntarily leaving a review." The gifting of this book did not affect my opinion of it. I(RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).
February 15, 2023
Audiobook: This was my first experience with Marie-Hélène Lebeault's work, and I enjoyed the story. Tom was granted magical powers on his sixteenth birthday. This book related Tom's journey of discovery about and mastery of his abilities. I liked the characters. I appreciated all the humor that was a part of this story. Zane Boyer's narration was great, and his performance enhanced the entertainment of the novel. I was given a free copy of the audiobook, and I have voluntarily posted this review.
March 31, 2023
IT'S GROWING ON ME.
After listening to the first series,"THE EVERS SERIES" which I just LOVED, I was taken aback with the new narrator of this series, but..you know- give a guy a go, hoping his accents would grow on me. Well apart from one male voice l did get used to the characters. I must say it must have been hard work for the narrator to do so many voices differently.
The storyline was interesting and exciting and I will Listen to the rest of the series as I am quite caught up in the storyline and attached to the characters.
Recommended
After listening to the first series,"THE EVERS SERIES" which I just LOVED, I was taken aback with the new narrator of this series, but..you know- give a guy a go, hoping his accents would grow on me. Well apart from one male voice l did get used to the characters. I must say it must have been hard work for the narrator to do so many voices differently.
The storyline was interesting and exciting and I will Listen to the rest of the series as I am quite caught up in the storyline and attached to the characters.
Recommended
August 6, 2023
An unimaginable birthday gift!
A sixteenth birthday usually includes a memorable party and some great gifts. In Tom Harding’s case, it included incredible new powers and no idea how to use them. When his sister is kidnapped, Tom is determined to learn how to protect his family and friends and the Academy is ready and willing to help with the correct instruction even if it means leaving the Academy.
This book is a good start to the series. It kept my eyes glued to the pages. I received an advance copy but my review is honest and voluntary.
A sixteenth birthday usually includes a memorable party and some great gifts. In Tom Harding’s case, it included incredible new powers and no idea how to use them. When his sister is kidnapped, Tom is determined to learn how to protect his family and friends and the Academy is ready and willing to help with the correct instruction even if it means leaving the Academy.
This book is a good start to the series. It kept my eyes glued to the pages. I received an advance copy but my review is honest and voluntary.
August 11, 2023
I enjoyed this story. It really is a YA story with its clean story but had some drama and intrigue to it. And a bit of mystery that is easily solved as to what makes Tom so special. A fun continuation of characters met in the Ever's story. But Tom and his trials are the main issues this time around. Made me laugh and groan but entertained me and kept me reading (and I am an adult). Engaging story for the young so not really crazy but more a fun story to relax and read. And had to see what was going on and what would happen to Tom next.
August 11, 2023
I really enjoyed Tom’s (MMC) story. He really had a LOT of the ups and downs and hard learning experiences that life can give you in this fun book! I enjoyed the author’s description of his magic and the way the MMC discovered it! I think if I had magic, he had the lind I would like to have! This was an interesting, fun, imaginative story! The narration was ok, but I thought some of the accents took away from the story rather than enhanced it. The story was well read, but I would have preferred different voicing rather than some of the accents.
February 17, 2023
Excellent. The quick update from the author explaining the few details that changed in the universe from its outing in the Evers series was useful as I have listened to them but if this is a first dip into this universe it might not have much bearing.
Overall this was also a great pace, fun and true to the characters that had been already established. Easy going pace and still had a few twists and turns to make it fun.
Overall this was also a great pace, fun and true to the characters that had been already established. Easy going pace and still had a few twists and turns to make it fun.
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