A Touch of Fever

Arcane Hearts #1

by Nazri Noor, Zachary Johnson (Narrator)

What do you do when you can’t cast spells? You make your own magic.

Jackson Pryde was never great at wielding magic. Instead, he works as an artificer, crafting enchanted devices in the Black Market, a shadowy bazaar of wonders. But Xander Wright, the mouthy, pretentious mage next door, hates all the hammering in Jackson’s workshop.

When a chance assignment forces them to team up, they discover a terrifying predicament. Something is driving members of the magical community into murderous rages. Jackson and Xander must combine might and magic to find the source of the Fever and stop it. Can they put aside their differences long enough to end the Fever, or will they succumb to its bloodthirsty curse?

A Touch of Fever is a 73,000-word M/M urban fantasy romance with a HFN ending. Join a fast-talking artificer and a snarky sorcerer, best friends turned bitter enemies, as they navigate an adventure filled with strange flora, mythical fauna, and magical murders. If you like your urban fantasy with humor, horror, and a whole lot of heart, you’ve come to the right place. Experience A Touch of Fever today.

Genres: Fantasy, M M Romance, Romance, Urban Fantasy, Magic, Paranormal, Enemies To Lovers

7 pages, Audible Audio

First published September 8, 2021

About the author

Hi, I'm Nazri, a Filipino-Malaysian author based in California. I’m trilingual, but I really only write in English. I can also speak just enough Sindarin and Valyrian to impress absolutely no one. My urban fantasy novels focus on realistic heroes who use wits, style, and their wildly unpredictable magic to (try) and save the day. Think sass and class, while kicking ass.

My influences come from horror and fantasy: HP Lovecraft, Anne Rice, George R.R. Martin, Chuck Palahniuk, Terry Pratchett, and Neil Gaiman. Growing up I was shaped by the Blood Sword, Fighting Fantasy, Lone Wolf, and Grey Star game book universes. I'm also inspired by video games, specifically the Castlevania, Final Fantasy, and Persona series.

TL;DR: I'm a huge nerd. And yes, that's my real hair. I try to donate it to the American Cancer Society as often as I can. Also, have you heard? You can get a free book at www.NazriNoor.com.

Reviews

[Ami · Rating 4 out of 5]

This author pops out whenever I browse through Amazon looking for urban fantasy titles - especially since I also bought a number of Clara Coulson's books. But Noor already has many books released and I was too lazy to go back to the beginning. Then I saw this one, only book one so far, planned as a trilogy, also marketed as MM. HELLO! 🤩

Well, this was FUN!! I mean, the chapter opened with the protagonist, Jackson Pryde, tangling with four-hundred pounds of pure gryphon!! I enjoy the world-built, with magic, and creatures, and poisonous flower, and a market that also acts as portal to different places in our Earth. Cool!

Then there's this touch of romance between Jackson and his "pseudo-nemesis but actually long-time best friend whom Jackson has hots on" Xander Wright. Jackson is artificer - makers of magical artifacts. Xander is a mage, on the way of becoming a great one. Then they have to work together to bring back magical flowers, for sum of golds. They argue, huffing, puffing, then end up "smooth things" over their arguments and kiss instead 🤭

Yeah. It's a nice easy adventure - and there's an on-going plot that has to do with the magical poisonous flower which will last over the next two books. Looking forward to that.

Sorry if this review doesn't make any sense at all 😆

[Shelba · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF @ 45%.

This started off on the right foot, but alas! It didn’t stay that way.

You have the impossible task that many died trying to do accomplished in one day with zero planning and little effort.

The rivalry between Jackson and Xander is very vapid. I don’t believe that they hate each other, which is only confirmed when they are back to being friends after years of estrangement after a mutual “my bad”.

And Xander telling Jackson to stop being so insecure to to get over it in regards to how society treats him for being an artificer is bs. People treat you as less than them because you innately have less magic and tinker with machines and you are supposed to just accept that?

[Layla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Did I pick up this book because Zachary Johnson aka Zane Daniels narrates? You betcha.

But... that's only part of why I loved this book!

1. A sassy, posh and entirely stuck up Griffin named Zephyr.
2. Friends to enemies to lovers
3. Magic
4. Awesome world building
5. Lovable characters
6. Action and adventure
7. Romance and Steam

This was a winner on all accounts for me. Can't wait for the next one. ❤

[Ash🍉 · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This was a fun, low angst read. Jackson and Xander were childhood friends who grew apart and became “enemies” (really they’d just be snarky with each other). In this world everyone has a certain amount of magic. Xander has a lot, and Jackson has barely any which leads him to use gadgets instead. This also causes more of a rift between them.

Jackson and Xander get tasked to find something together, so they need to get over their animosity to get it done. But they have to be extra careful because there is also the matter of people randomly combusting after they commit murder.

Overall this was a good read. I wish the enemies to lovers part was more drawn out, but if you want something low angst then this is a good pick. The banter between Jackson and Xander was so funny, it was honestly my favourite part. Even tho this is part of a series, it finished with a nice HFN and doesn’t leave any open plots. I do wish it was duel pov instead of single, but being in Jackson’s head is funny enough to forgive the lack of a Xander pov.

[Kaity · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars

felt very surface level even with all of the magic elements in this.

i am not sure if i will continue but only time will tell haha

[Lily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Starting out as a pseudo enemies to lovers almost lost me, but it quickly became apparent it’s a second chance, friends to lovers.

I enjoyed the story as it unfolded from the point of view of Jack. He was struggling to find his place in the Black Market, an alternate realm that exists both within and outside our own. Xander is a mage from a powerful family and Jack’s ex-best friend.

There was a lot going on in this storyline. The mystery of who is causing the fever and killing people, the relationship development between Xander and Jack, and the world building, all added up to a lot of information. But was definitely a good set up for future stories in this world.

I loved the small part Zephyr the gryphon played, he was an awesome addition to the story.

The action and adventure in conjunction with the mystery was well done. The magical world Noor built was original and held my interest well. The mystery aspect was well-crafted and mostly unpredictable. I had a few guesses how everything would work out but the way it was woven together in the end was well executed.

Overall I would say this was a good start to a new series, and another author added to my list for PNR books.

Character development: 8/10 (both characters had their own voices)
Plot: 9/10 (we’ll organized and paced)
Mystery: 9/10 (all of the pieces of the puzzle fit together well in the end but are still unpredictable)
World building: 9/10 (original and well-crafted)
Heat: 4/10 (only two sex scenes, but I expect more in the next book since this was the first in a series)
Writing: 9/10 (well balanced and description and dialogue, made the story easy to picture)
Overall: 8/10 (would recommend

[Caz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've given this a B+ for narration and a B for content at AudioGals.

Nazri Noor has penned a number of urban fantasy series, but this is the first book of his to appear on my radar. I confess though, that the main draw was Zachary Johnson’s name listed as the narrator; I’ve only listened to him once before (in Emma Scott’s Someday, Someday, which he co-narrated with Greg Tremblay) but liked his work enough to want to listen to him again, and when this title was offered for review, I grabbed the opportunity.

A Touch of Fever is a fun romp through an interesting fantastical world inhabited by (among others) imps, merfolk, enchanters, dragons, sylphs, fae and a scene-stealing gryphon, combined with a murder mystery and a childhood friends-to-enemies-to-lovers romance between (says the blurb) a fast-talking artificer and a snarky sorcerer. Arcane Hearts is an ongoing series (book four is due for release at the end of January) and this story ends on a firm HFN; this is so far the only one of the set available in audio, but I hope the others will follow.

Jackson Pryde is an Artificer, someone with very low-level magical ability who creates enchanted devices designed to direct and amplify magic. When we first meet him, he’s at one of his regular sparring sessions with Zephyr – a gryphon – “Half eagle. Half lion. Pure asshole” – and attempting to win using a magical gauntlet of his own creation. Unfortunately, however, the gauntlet still needs work – as evinced by the fact that Jackson has to concede the bout once again. But more tinkering requires more money – and for Jackson, that’s not easy to come by, which is why he’s interested in the flyers he’s seen posted offering a huge reward for the identification of whoever is responsible for a recent spate of baffling murders.

Jackson makes his way to the Black Market – a bustling bazaar of wonders, a massive emporium of the rare and magical that travels its way around the world in a dimension that acts as a kind of portal between it and the ‘real’ world. He hears that the Garland – the guild of those who work with plants and flowers – is looking to acquire a special item, a Chrysanthemyst (a mutated chrysanthemum that has petals like crystals) and that they’re prepared to pay handsomely for it. Jackson offers his services, but is told that owing to the danger involved, it’s a two-person job that will also require the skills of an accomplished mage. He insists he only works alone, but is immediately informed that a suitable partner has already been found for him. Jackson’s heart sinks when he hears the name of Alexander Wright – the man who was once his best friend and is now the bane of his existence.

Xander and Jackson’s youthful friendship ended after Xander’s ambitious and wealthy parents sent their son – a magical prodigy – away to train at Madame Grayhaven’s School for Gifted Boys. Though they’re still neighbours, the two men don’t get on at all now – Jackson thinks Xander is a pretentious prick, and takes delight in winding him up whenever Xander appears on his doorstep to complain about the noise from Jackson’s workshop disturbing his studies. Xander has been selected to join the ranks of the Incandescent, mages of great power who have the potential to become great leaders and pioneers. But to Jackson he’s just plain annoying, what with his complaints and his air of superiority. And his handsome face. And his ridiculously silky-looking black and white hair.

Neither of them is exactly delighted at the prospect of working together but they’re going to have to if they’re to complete the task they’ve been engaged to do.  Getting to the Chrysanthemyst is not going to be easy; the site must be approached from the air, but the plant is protected by an angry, vicious sylph who has so far prevented anyone from landing on the remote crag by destroying them in the air. It looks as though Jackson and Xander have been stymied before they’ve even begun – even a mage as powerful as Xander can’t fly two people – but Jackson calmly, and with immense satisfaction at besting Xander, tells them he can get them there, no problem.

It’s clear early on that the animosity between Jackson and Xander is basically due to misconception and frustrated mutual attraction. They’ve jibed and sniped at each other constantly for years, and Jackson is obviously still hurt by what he sees as Xander’s abandonment – both physically and of their friendship – and Xander is, for the most part, simply reacting to Jackson’s hostility as a way of hiding his own hurt feelings. They have terrific chemistry, their sniping and snarking is blatant foreplay, and I’m always up for a good dollop of sizzling UST. Forced to work together – and with a nudge from a match-making gryphon – they start to remember what it was like to be friends and to realise how much they’ve missed each other. They begin to let their guard down around each other and admit to the attraction zinging between them – but Xander is destined for Incandescence and a relationship with Jackson – or anyone – is out of the question, for reasons he is determined to conceal.

Jackson is the sole PoV character and I liked his self-aware, tongue-in-cheek manner and the way his and Xander’s differences complement each other. The mystery is well done, with the author seeming to set up a couple of disparate storylines which he then skilfully pulls together as we head into a tense and exciting climax. The world-building is excellent – I loved the idea of a moving dimension that goes wherever its wares are needed that allows its inhabitants to hop on and off at its various destinations (rather like a tantastical cruise liner!) – and the information about the magical world and systems is incorporated naturally as part of the story and without info-dumps. The history given to the Artificers – once revered creators of magical artefacts who are now sadly diminished in both number and consequence – is a sad but compelling detail that adds to the overall richness of the world the author has created.

The small secondary cast is well-defined. Zephyr is a hoot, and I especially liked Lore, the Artificer’s Intelligence invented by Jackson’s late parents who gleans his information about the world from watching re-runs of soaps and sit-coms, and who takes a kind of parental role in Jackson’s life.

I did have a couple of quibbles though; Jackson and Xander move from ‘I don’t like you’ to getting it on pretty quickly, and there’s a plot point near the end (so I’ll be vague to avoid spoilers) that injects real tension into the story and seriously endangers our heroes which is then resolved in a way that isn’t well-explained and felt like a bit of a cop-out and I’ve pushed the story grade down a bit because of it.

I thoroughly enjoyed Zachary Johnson’s performance and hope he’s on board for the rest of the series. His narration is well-paced and his vocal characterisations are nicely judged all-round. He portrays Zephyr using a (very good) English accent and an expansive tone that work to give the impression of a creature who is well aware of his own magnificence – and also a bit of a drama queen. It’s a delightfully over-the-top rendition with a touch of the hammy actor about it! I also liked his characterisation of Lore, who I immediately thought of as a kind of J.A.R.V.I.S – Lore is static and has a physical form, but he’s just as protective and given to well-placed sarcasm, and again, the English accent he’s given is accurate and consistent. When it comes to the two leads, Mr. Johnson does a great job of capturing Jackson’s voice in particular, the quick wit and smart comebacks are well-timed and he allows his insecurities and vulnerabilities to peek through when called for. Other than a very few instances where Jackson and Xander sounded a bit too similar, they’re easy to distinguish in conversation, and all the secondary characters are clearly differentiated. Mr Johnson is also great at amping up the tension in the action scenes or moments of danger, keeping the momentum going without falling over that fine line between breathless excitement and caricature.

A Touch of Fever was another unexpected hit and I’m really glad I took a chance on it. The story and characters are fun, the worldbuilding is excellent and the author’s confident, breezy style is captivating. Zachary Johnson – who is definitely going on my list of narrators to trust after this – delivers a thoroughly entertaining performance that enhances an already enjoyable book, and I’m looking forward to listening to the rest of the series.

This review originally appeared at AudioGals.

[True Loveislovereview · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.25 stars. What an enthralling story! It felt like a movie, I enjoyed the entertainment and magnificent scenery.

The Black Market offers everything, tarts, silks, pet dragons, Jackson can’t afford any of it, he needs food, that’s what’s most important.
So he trades gryphon feathers at the Black Market for good prices. He’s an artificer and wields magic, he’s not great at it. He’s no wizard or mage and has just a little magic to channel into the devices.
Among being a Market, the place is also a portal to many destinations.

Jackson lost his parents in an accident, he’s lonely with just a few friends, actually two, Beatrice and Preston. Well maybe three, there’s also the big gryphon, Zephyr.

Xander and Jackson were best friends until Xander left to study and returned educated, as a decorated spellcaster, haughty, who looks down his nose at Jackson. When they are close they want to kill each other. Behind it all there’s something else, itching, hot, waiting to explode.

Xander has magic and spells, unlike Jackson. Using them changes him. Wait for it!
Jackson developed a Gauntlet, it doesn’t perform properly, yet.
Jackson and Xander have to work together on a case to find the Chrysanthemyst. They are very sensitive around each other, while Jackson finds delicate Xander beautiful, he hates his attitude.
Zephyr will fly them to their destination. They have to fight elements.

There is a mysterious Fever running around, popping up here and there, and combust people, leaving them to nothing but ashes.
After Preston’s dear friend Sedgewick got accused and caught by SEER, the protectors of the Black Market, the small circle of friends collaborate to save him.
Jackson is afraid to lose Xander, it seems he will, he’s desperate, angry, and immensely sad. How cruel, he’ll lose the love before he even had him.

At first, it looks like there are a few separate storylines, but it all comes together. While reading it was a bit distracting, but afterward, I must conclude it was quite cleverly done.
Everything was wonderfully detailed described, I could imagine it easily, I look around and saw many different things.
It’s the first book of three, so far the characters were nicely developed Jackson more than Xander. I hope to get to know them better in the coming books.
The tension between the two men was palpable. There are emotional moments, humor, and fun.
The story was entertaining, the attention balanced and detailed, nothing rushed, rather fine and explicit developed.
We get to experience beautiful and especially diverse kinds of magic and creatures, I loved it all hard.
The characters are funny, witty, sexy, and… dangerous, lol.
This was my first read from this author, it was a wonderful experience. The writing was pleasant, smooth, lively detailed and clear, the story itself fascinating, charming, and quite engaging.
Overall a recommendation worthy!

Read and reviewed for LoveBytes - LGBTQ bookreviews

[V.ya · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

A fun fantasy, but a bit shallow and predictable. It’s still interesting enough as a start of a series, though. We have a sassy gryphon, estranged best friends rekindling the flame, a couple of interesting side characters.

[Jenny (Nyxie) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of fun. Audio was great. Investigator husbands vibes. With magic!

Tags: contemporary paranormal, best friends to enemies to lovers, artificer and mage, making mechanical gadgets, lovable cast of friends, political machinations

[Rin (indefinite hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an audio review.

First, I have to say that I 100% believe that this would not have been read the same way it’s listened to. ESPECIALLY by a good narrator. That’s not to say I don’t think this is a good book! But I think the characters and their voices Zachary Johnson/Zane Daniels’ DELICIOUS voice just brought this to a whole new level.

Because this is the first book of a big series with a brand new world, there is a lot of world building that can sometimes drag. I’ll be honest and say that I’m not quite sure if this world is set in an apocalyptic earth where the magic world is sort of alongside the normal human world or what. There were a lot of modern references. BUT. It’s entirely possible I missed that explanation. I’m pretty good at always paying attention to my audios but sometimes my mind can wander so I may have missed it. If not, I really hope we do get to learn more about the world they live in. If I did miss it, I should probably go back and listen to the beginning. 🤪

That being said, this was a fun new series to start. I’m excited to continue and see where it goes. I like the main couple, but I also am looking forward to seeing them have more layers. And hopefully some more steam.

Sometimes I have a hard time continuing series that follow the same couple but these are short and entertaining enough that I think my squirrel brain will dig in, especially with Zachary’s narration.

[Joyfully Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Joyfully Jay review.

4.5 stars

Noor crafts an interesting and inventive world here with his new series, urban fantasy at its finest, and the story kept me engaged to the end. I was invested in the characters and story right from the start, and while it wasn’t a perfect read for me, I greatly enjoyed it.

The world building is inventive and interesting, taking the norms of the genre and giving them a slight twist. The Black Market is where a lot of supernatural beings live, and it’s a bazaar of sorts that caters to all their needs. But it also travels around the world, so you never know quite where you’re going to end up should you venture into the mortal realm. Mythological creatures, gods, and magic users all exist, and some live in the mortal realm, though they stay hidden. The author manages to give all the pertinent information without it ever feeling like an info dump.

Read Kris’ review in its entirety here.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoy the magical world building and the action. The MC is fun and snarky, but I feel the romance lack the tension despite the presence of smexy scene. I guess reader who prefer urban fantasy plot with queer character will enjoy it. I'm more of a paranormal romance gal.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a spontaneous, pretty much random pick from among the dozens of KU books Amazon keeps throwing my way as recommendations. Turns out, sometimes their algorithms actually work!
A Touch of Fever is an immensely entertaining series opener introducing a fun Urban Fantasy world that offers just the right mix of humour, action, magical elements and romance. The characters are a fun, quirky bunch that by the end of the book had all managed to grow on me, the worldbuilding is interesting and well done, leaving room for plenty of intriguing elements to be added in future installments, I enjoyed the romance, and most importantly: the humour actually works for me (which is, sadly, not always the case).
Really enjoyed this, definitely a series to continue.

[Moon ☾ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nazri Noor does it again!! I really hope to see more of Jackson and Xander being all boyfriend-y together in the next few books.

[Teeny · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 stars but I'm going to round down and I'll explain why.

This is my first time ever reading Nazri Noor. As always I'm game for any UF/PNR MM romances so I requested the ARC of this. For someone like me that doesn't remember the books I read after I finish them this reminded of my one and only try with TJ Klune by listening to The Lightning Struck Heart which was so and so for me. But I think it had mostly to do with Jackson's and Zephyr's friendship and bantership.

So a bit of the story:
Jackson is orphaned, living in Black Market, a magical, traveling dimension. His parents (both dead in a horrific accident that destroyed the Artificer's guild and the reputation of Artrifice) and he were artificers, meaning people that had very little arcane gifts in them, that they utilized by mechanical parts (think FMA a bit). Xander is the boy next door that used to be his friend till he development his arcane gifts and went to an elite school and bit by bit they lost touch and the only thing remained was a tense relationship between them. That is till a mission for the Garland (a guild that has to do with the flora -and maybe the fauna too, I don't remember-) brings them closer and their friendship and more is rekindled.

After finishing this book I wonder if the main plot the series is Jackson's magic/gift awakening, especially after what Hecate said, although I doubt if the "prism" Hecate mentioned has anything to do with artifice and not Xander.

Anyways the story was interesting but there were a couple of things that didn't work for me.

A lot of the story happens in incredibly long inner musings and thoughts and the dialogue moves the plot on. The thing is that when Jackson and Xander have their first intimate scene, which happened by missing a step between phoning Reza to Xander unbuttoning Jackson, Jackson was so chatty in his own head that any chemistry from the scene was killed stoned dead and half of it happened off page while Jackson was going on and on about how a divine creature like Xander was on his knees for a peasant like him!


Both sex scenes in the story aren't organically added to the story. They are weirdly and clumsily inserted where they don't make much sense happening and makes both MCs seem more like two 21yo frat boys that aren't so bright, which isn't the case. Yes Jackson is a bit too much into self love (of the affirmation kind not the masturbation kind) and flexing and Xander is a bit too haughty and full of himself but that didn't excuse the way, how and WHEN they went at each other.

In the beginning of the story when Xander and Jackson were on their mission to gather the Chrysanthemyst, as it proves later, Xander was too full of himself and way up on his high horse with the way he handled the Sylph and not listening to its message as it was intended which was apparent if only he wasn't so self righteous.

At the last 3rd of the book Xander gets the Fever, which supposedly is mitigated when Jackson suggested to Xander to use a fire spell to expel all the fire burning him from the inside. When afterwards they go to the Garland they present that as the solution but how can they be sure it was that and not Jackson slowly but surely reaching Xander and the kiss sealing the deal? It was just not substantiated.

Anyways this was a fun read to pass the time. Will I continue with the series? I'm not so sure.

I received an ARC from Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest review.

[Claudia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review audiobook December
As I liked the storybthe first time, I was happy that I got an ARC for the audiobook
And I have to say, Zachary Johnson did such a fine job that even the things, which bucked me a bit after reading it, where quite ok.
I liked his voice for Jackson and loved how he brought the whole world to life

I will read the next book in this series, but I think I would prefer the audiobook.


Review book September
This is the first book in a really promising new Urban Fantasy series and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The plot and pacing of the story was well done. We get within the first half enough time to get to know the world building and the characters and some hints of the mystery part.
The second part concentrates on the mystery, with developments I really liked.

The world building was really interesting and for me totally new .
I really enjoyed the writing style and how we get to know the world.

The secondary characters are interesting and I can imagine maybe one book for Preston as well *hint*
I think one of my favourite characters was Zephyr and I really hope we will see him again ... and done other mystical creatures

We see this world and the occurrences of this story from Jacksons point of view. He was an interesting character but here lies also a big weakness of this story. I liked Jackson as a character and most of the time I enjoyed his voice but in most instances regarding Xander he sounds like a whiny teenager, which annoyed me.

Nevertheless, I can't wait to get my hands on the next book. I really hope the second one has again Jackson and Xander as MCs

[Juniper · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was going to skim the first couple of paragraphs to get a sense of this book and instead found myself glued to my e-reader, unable to put it down. I have no regrets, as the hours I spent binge-reading this were totally worth it. There’s so much to like here: the worldbuilding, which layers a magical marketplace that travels (magically), a complex network of magical skills and the guilds that organize them, a menagerie of mythical beings (my favorite: a snarky griffon with a thing for rotisserie chicken). It’s not a utopia by any means: there’s a shady and powerful law-enforcement body that privileges expedient results (and not necessarily accurate ones) at the expense of individual liberties and a rigid social hierarchy that’s connected to how much power one has. It's rough edges, however, just make it that much more immersive. The characters are also phenomenal: I loved Jackson, the artificer with a chip on his shoulder, a self-appointed calling to restore the glory of his profession, and a sometimes awkward, sometimes adorable frenemies-to-lovers thing going with Xander, the guy next door. There’s a compelling mystery as well, parts of which felt a bit self-evident, other parts of which took me completely by surprise. All in all, a great start for a series, and I can’t wait to read more.

*I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars - I was given a copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.

When artificer Jackson reluctantly teams up with his childhood friend and adult nemesis Xander to source a rare flower, neither of them is ready for what happens next.

Jackson and Xander’s world is more similar to Harry Potter’s world than to most high fantasy writing. While Xander is a talented Mage, Jackson creates magical tools to compensate for his own lack of magic. Their magical world will feel familiar to fantasy fans, but not much of it is terribly original.

Jackson feels like the only fully developed character in the story. Xander and the rest of Jackson’s friends feel quite static and one dimensional. Jackson’s and Xander’s romance happens way too fast with very little build up.

I think I struggled most with the pacing of this book. There are a couple of exciting scenes but way too much time where little happens. I found it a slow, hard read at times. The adult characters often feel very childlike in their relationships and actions. With less explicit sex, this might work better as a YA read - but even YA needs engaging, well-crafted characters and fast paced action. I enjoyed parts of this story but it was a book I kept picking up and putting down without ever becoming fully engrossed in it.

[Delena666 · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found Jack very immature and very insecure, bad combination. At first the world had been intriguing but after their first adventure, at about 50% I completely lost interest, immature Jackson and romcom writing style started to annoy me.

[Eugenio · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story has potential but the execution is not really satisfying. The protagonists seem to turn in circles at points, it’s never clear how things get resolved, and you are left with this sense of emptiness like the surface was only scratched.

[XX · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finished this last week, 2.5 stars rounded up. Longer RTC maybe, I got 80% through typing one up then got sick for half a week and haven't felt up to finishing it. My OCD demands I stop postponing marking this finished.

Short version: Very YA-like, fanficcy-feeling sort of fluffy read. Characters are very predictable but likable, also act a lot younger than they're supposed to be... I think they're supposed to be 20~22 but they read as being about 16, 17 yrs old tops. Kind of awkward as this book contains explicit sex scenes but honestly not many. You can skim them and then it feels like a very PG-rated cutesy YA short adventure story with a romance subplot.

I felt guilty for enjoying this book enough to give it 3 stars but honestly it was the kind of silly fluff read I was looking for. Contains a lot of nerd humor and sentiment of the "cringe, but awkward and endearing so honestly kinda cute cringe" kind. The writer voice reads super young but very sweet often.

Don't think this book was edited, because I lost count of how many times cheeks reddened, faces flushed, blushed, lips moistened, became pink, you get the idea...This is kinda what I mean about the characters reading as teenagers; there is adult shyness and then there is teenage shyness...the teasing and blushing and stuff reads so much like first-crush teen behavior to me. As does the way the characters discuss their feelings and crushes in general and behave around each other. But whatever! It's fine I guess. I'm going to try reading the sequel! Despite it not being very original, this book was surprisingly fun and I enjoyed it more than I felt I should have...

[Maddy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Magic is in the air!


This was quite good. It has a bit of an adventure, a bit of mystery, a bit of drama, a bit of conflict, a bit of romance, a pinch of this and a pinch of that. Together it swirls into quite a story. Of course, the mystery was quite obvious. The clues were right there for all to see, but it was still an engaging and funny story that had an unusual setting, interesting characters and just enough dramatic action to keep it going. Quite a treat!

**I was provided an ARC of this book from the GRR for an honest review**

[Kashonna Shaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun story. Good world building. Interesting characters.

[Clemy-chan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun mystery and sassy MC vs stilted romance and many, many hurtful words... I wonder if the next installment will be about the same MCs... I sure do hope so. I want to see them grow and change together.

[Resch Reads · Rating 2 out of 5]

New to me authors are always so hit or miss and unfortunately, this book and author were a miss for me. I was in the mood for an urban fantasy, but not ready for the emotional commitment that Hailey Turner's novels require, so I decided to give Nazri Noor a try. 

The plotline itself wasn't bad, I didn't hate the characters or how the story built up. But I had several issues. First of begin there was way too much descriptive text and not enough dialogue. It was to the point where after 60-some percent into the book I started skimming text because it was a lot of useless filler information that didn't contribute to the storyline or character arcs. Secondly, what I desperately needed more of was character conversations and development.

Xander and Jackson's arc from enemies to boyfriends was weird and lacked any fluidity. Of course there was definitely some chemistry between the two of them, but there was as an awkward tension that blanketed them every time their mouths weren't fused together. Was it really unrequited love for years that these two just had for each other and why the sudden distance after Xander went to school? There were some gaps here that desperately needed filled.

The ending seems rushed and very abrupt but I also don't like that the plot didn't feel like it was building up to one culprit and the culprit's justification for doing what they did, didn't make sense. It all felt very anti-climatic and once the chapter ended I sat here and said, 'that was it?'. Everything just fell short of my expectations and as a result I won't be picking up this series or author again. 

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

A new series and another great read. Jackson Pryde is a hero who doesn't know he is. Living in the "Black Market,'' he has a serious case of a negative feeling of self worth. It's fed by loss of his parents before his training is through and having to grapple for money. With their loss the guild of "Artificer's" fell apart and now to make money Jackson has become a hunter of various magical items in demand while he works on his magical inventions. Xander is a mage that Jackson has known all his life, but Xander is from a wealthy family and is working on becoming an "Incandescent.'' They have become enemies,but life has thrown them together again and their real feelings come out. Two major quests keep us on the edge of our seats and a secret that Xander is keeping from Jackson throws them into turmoil. A group of friends and a crystal facilitated computer that is sentient made by his father for him add to the entertainment value of this story. This is a first LGBT story written by one of my favorite authors and I think he did a fabulous job of it. Jackson and Xander will continue their adventures in the next book and I can't wait. I voluntarily read and reviewed this ARC book.

[Lillian Francis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Over the last few years urban fantasy has become my drug of choice. More specifically M/M urban fantasy. This is my first book by Nazri Noor and first audiobook by Zachary Johnson. And I loved the whole package.
Best friend's who have drifted almost to the point of enemies, certainly to mutual animosity. A great bunch of friends. Tragic backstory. Excellent world-building. And a solid mystery.
Highly recommended.
Now the quandary. Do I read the next book or wait for the audio to come out?

[Bette · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Brilliantly Fascinating Story & Narration🎧

A Touch of Fever
Arcane Hearts, Book 1
By: Nazri Noor
Narrated by: Zachary Johnson

I enjoyed this book immensely, it is my first written by Nazri Noor and he has an impressive writing style and a fabulously creative mind, he created a fascinating story with imaginative characters that are likable, easy to relate to and connect with. The character development and world building is phenomenal. His descriptive details bring you in to the story right alongside the characters, allowing you to see what they are seeing, feeling and thinking. This book drew me in with that exciting first scene, grabbing my attention and then holding it straight to the end. Jackson Pryde is an artificer living in a magical world, he is not a mage and does not have power at his fingertips as they do but he is an inventor and maker of magical artifacts and he is working on a gauntlet, a device that would amplify the tiny bits of magical fuel that is held in his body. Unfortunately, he is a long way off from any brilliant invention, but that does not stop him from trying, especially since it would restore much needed honor to the artificer’s guild. He makes ends meet by selling things like gryphon feathers and taking odd jobs, including the ones he gets to work with his once friend, now enemy Xander Wright but we learn quickly that there is great chemistry between these two and they still harbored feelings for each other. The two worked well together and continued to work together after that and their relationship starts to heat up. I loved how everything played out in this cleverly plotted and action packed story, the author masters several different genres and balances them well, the witty dialogue was amazing too. There is never a dull moment in this book, there is plenty of drama, a touch of angst, humor, some mystery, thrilling suspense, heartfelt and emotional moments and a sweet romance. There are some great secondary characters in this book, my favorite being Zephyr, the gryphon, loved what came out of his mouth, including son of Jack. Nazri Noor, thank you for this wonderfully entertaining story.

🎧📚🎧 And for the amazing narration, Nazri Noor could not have cast a better narrator to bring his story and characters to life. Zachary Johnson is a talented narrator and a versatile voice artist. His character voices are amazing, he has a complete understanding of each character he portrays, gives them a voice that fits that character’s persona to a tee, sounds believable in every role he plays and just as I pictured the character to sound. He sets the perfect tone for the story, handles the humor and witty back-and-forth dialogue with ease without missing a beat. He captures all the characters’ emotions and projects them into his performance. Zachary Johnson is an entertaining storyteller and a pleasure to listen to. Thank you for another exceptional listen.

[Maijie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This would be my first time reading Nazri Noor. I pretty much liked the blurb that was provided so I decided to give this book a shot.

A Touch of Fever is the first in the Arcane Hearts series. Jackson Pryde is the last of the artificers. He has been orphaned early on and is living in the Black Market - a magical, travelling dimension. Both of his parents were very gifted artificers - people with minimal arcane/magical gift that creates tools/machines that can enhance magical abilities and grant its users additional powers. However, upon their death the once thriving trade slowly died leaving Jackson the only person who can continue their legacy. Xander Wright is the mouthy, talented and a bit snotty neighbor who was also Jackson's childhood friend once upon a time. However, due to Xander exhibiting strong gifts in magic, he went to attend an elite school and lost touch with his friend resulting in a very strained relationship down the line. However, a mission that required the two to work together brought them closer, rekindled that friendship and made them discover their attraction for each other.

I loved a lot of things in this book - the worldbuilding is interesting with its mix of a magical, travelling marketplace, the guilds that organize people with various complex arcane skills, the various mythical creatures that inhabit the place including one snarky griffon who loves his chicken. It has its own social hierarchy with those having the gift of magic mostly near the top of the food-chain. It has its own shady side which we had a glimpse of when our main protagonists had a dealing with the law-enforcement. The implied over-arching arc of Jackson awakening or discovering his gift especially after Hecate has mentioned it later on in the story is intriguing.

The characters are fun and likeable though admittedly they do suffer from a lack of character development. The story does give Xander and Jackson some growth individually as they meet the challenges and obstacles in their way, but at times they merely feel like narrators of their own story, observers at times due to long internal monologues and inner musings. The chemistry between the two is there but their romance felt almost like insta-love with how fast their relationship jumped from being frenemies to lovers in a short span of time.

The story gives that new adult fiction vibe with the tone of its writing and how the protagonists were portrayed with both of them teetering from being mature at one moment then being a bit childish and immature the next minute. Overall though, A Touch of Fever is good start to this new series. It has some fun, engaging characters and an interesting world and magical system to explore. I'd give this 4 stars out of 5.

I received an ARC of this book via GRR and I have chosen to publish my fair and honest review.