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The Baine Chronicles #1
Burned by Magic
In the city of Solantha, mages rule absolute, with shifters considered second-class citizens and humans something in between. No one outside the mage families are allowed to have magic, and anyone born with it must agree to have it stripped from them to avoid execution.
Sunaya Baine, a shifter-mage hybrid, has managed to keep her unruly magic under wraps for the last twenty-four years. But while chasing down a shifter-hunting serial killer, she loses control of her magic in front of witnesses, drawing the attention of the dangerous and enigmatic Chief Mage.
Locked up in the Chief Mage’s castle and reduced to little more than a lab rat, Sunaya resists his attempts to analyze and control her at every turn. But she soon realizes that to regain her freedom and catch the killer, she must overcome her hatred of mages and win the most powerful mage in the city to her side.
*Important note for readers: This book is "new adult" fantasy, not "adult" fantasy. Therefore it contains mild violence, swearing, and sexual references more appropriate for someone who reads new adult novels than traditional fantasy. Despite this, the romance in this series is "slow burn", and there is no sex in this particular novel.
Sunaya Baine, a shifter-mage hybrid, has managed to keep her unruly magic under wraps for the last twenty-four years. But while chasing down a shifter-hunting serial killer, she loses control of her magic in front of witnesses, drawing the attention of the dangerous and enigmatic Chief Mage.
Locked up in the Chief Mage’s castle and reduced to little more than a lab rat, Sunaya resists his attempts to analyze and control her at every turn. But she soon realizes that to regain her freedom and catch the killer, she must overcome her hatred of mages and win the most powerful mage in the city to her side.
*Important note for readers: This book is "new adult" fantasy, not "adult" fantasy. Therefore it contains mild violence, swearing, and sexual references more appropriate for someone who reads new adult novels than traditional fantasy. Despite this, the romance in this series is "slow burn", and there is no sex in this particular novel.
239 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 24, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 484 reviews
July 12, 2017
Burned by Magic (The Baine Chronicles #1) by Jasmine Walt is an awesome book that got me started on this wonderful series! A shifter/mage that has been hiding her mage side to keep from getting killed, it was illegal. While trying to save a couple of children from a rhino shifter gone rogue, she kills him while defending herself, now everyone knows she has magic. She is arrested and due to be executed. This is so exciting! Mages, shifters, humans, groups against other groups, mysteries, drug rings, and a handsome Head Mage that may be her only hope.
July 14, 2016
This started off well and for roughly the first half of the book I was hopefully optimistic that it would be a 3+ star read for me. Sadly though I never fully connected with the main character of Sunaya and from the mid-way point I found her actions becoming more and more ridiculously outlandish.
I did genuinely feel for Sunaya, or Naya as she goes by for much of the book, at the beginning, and for the first chapter or two she seemed like she was going to be the typical snarky, opinionated female arse-kicker that's become so popular (primarily in UF) in the last few years. Yet very quickly her personality settled not so much on cocky confidence in her skills and abilities, as it did brash impetuousness bordering on flat-out rudeness for its own sake. A combination that I'm not a personal fan of and find rather unlikable.
I don't think it's a spoiler to mention, since the synopsis makes note of her forbidden mage heritage already, but early on in the story she's imprisoned and the Chief Mage has to consider her case and whether to execute her as an inherent threat to public safety. At this time Naya decides that instead of playing it cool and trying to find a way out of her predicament, the "best" thing she could do under the circumstances is to start yelling at, and essentially telling the only person standing between her and death, to go fuck himself. Because "just 'cause" and misdirected anger, or something. Much later in the story she slides from over the line from brash impetuousness to just being an outright bully when she decides she wants some answers and thinks commiting physical assault against those she doesn't like very much is the most expediant method, possibly with a dash of "the means justify the end" because her victims are rather thuggish themselves.
I do think that sometimes there's a meandering and circumstantial line between being disrespectful (for good reason) and simple stubborness to the point of willful stupidity, and this character manages to regularly cross it in my opinion. Not only that, but it's incredibly difficult to root for the "one good cop" who stands by their morals and is "fighting the good fight" against an entirely corrupt department/ establishment, when they themselves are prone to rushing in thoughtlessly fists first and are just as much a part of the problem as the people they rail against.
Moving on to a personal pet peeve that many readers will either not care about or may actively enjoy, I was also not too impressed with the insta-lust hormonal nonsense between Naya and Iannis. Not just for the usual reason that it came out of nowhere between two people who don't know or like each other, but because it was explained away as a magical woo-woo consequence of Naya being a Jaguar shifter who goes in to heat twice a year. "Luckily" her hormones start unnecessarily ramping up months in advance, presumably leaving her conveniently willing and capable of having sex at any time like most regular human women, but as her actual heat gets closer she becomes ever more susceptible to tingles and "lower belly heat" around even mildly attractive yet emotionally aloof males.
Honestly, Would it be such a bad thing to have a character physically attracted to another only to resist their basic urges because they found them repugnant on many other levels? Why are very few authors writing about their characters having continual meaningful interaction with others that lead to character growth and eventual romance instead of just jumping straight for the magical woo-woo reasons? Also I'm really not sure what Iannis even sees in Naya since she spends so much time being so incredibly rude and abrasive towards him just because he's a mage and she has a big hate-on for the whole lot of them (except for her friend who is one but comes from a different country and so is therefore totally cool and not inherently an evil oppressor?)
The fact that I didn't like the main character or how the rather unsubtle romance elements were presented (and seem to have spent an awful lot of time complaining about them) is a real shame, because the world building showed promise and the plot was a murder mystery/ conspiracy that, whilst lightly explored in this book, wouldn't have felt out of place in a novel by some of my favourite authors. I do wish more time had been spent on the gathering information/ hunting down clues aspect instead of the antagonistic conversations Naya would have with pretty much everyone, because every time a new clue was uncovered it fed my curiosity over who was behind everything and why they were doing it. I don't think that was completely satisfied at the end, though the immediate plot arc was resolved and it did set up interesting questions and plot hooks for future use. I think it's a case of having to let things play out for a while and properly get going than anything else.
Also on a positive note I found the writing really nice and easy to read. It flowed well and there were no glaring errors or particularly choppy parts that I can recall off the top of my head. It seems silly and perhaps a little hard to describe, but being able to immerse myself in the writing to the point that I almost forget I'm reading and switch to simply picturing it all as a movie in my head, is perhaps one of the most important qualities I look for in a novel, and this author is certainly capable of that. It's even more impressive and generally a good sign that I can continue doing that even when there are elements of the story I am not enjoying.
I think that perhaps I'll keep an eye out for the second in this series on the off chance that the main character has a bit of a personality re-adjustment in the next one. If she settles down to true snarkiness and cocky confidence in herself instead of whatever it was she was projecting in this one (maybe we can write it off due to grief?) then I think she'll be a much more tolerable character to read about. In the meantime if you can/ do manage to connect with the main character or can otherwise overlook some of her more glaring issues, then this may well be a fun read for you and the beginning to a new fantasy series set in a sort-of-modern day setting with some steampunk and magitech bits thrown in for good measure.
-----
Edited July 14th 2016 to remove some of the longer run on sentences. Now we can all take a breath when reading this wall of text. Hurray!
I did genuinely feel for Sunaya, or Naya as she goes by for much of the book, at the beginning, and for the first chapter or two she seemed like she was going to be the typical snarky, opinionated female arse-kicker that's become so popular (primarily in UF) in the last few years. Yet very quickly her personality settled not so much on cocky confidence in her skills and abilities, as it did brash impetuousness bordering on flat-out rudeness for its own sake. A combination that I'm not a personal fan of and find rather unlikable.
I don't think it's a spoiler to mention, since the synopsis makes note of her forbidden mage heritage already, but early on in the story she's imprisoned and the Chief Mage has to consider her case and whether to execute her as an inherent threat to public safety. At this time Naya decides that instead of playing it cool and trying to find a way out of her predicament, the "best" thing she could do under the circumstances is to start yelling at, and essentially telling the only person standing between her and death, to go fuck himself. Because "just 'cause" and misdirected anger, or something. Much later in the story she slides from over the line from brash impetuousness to just being an outright bully when she decides she wants some answers and thinks commiting physical assault against those she doesn't like very much is the most expediant method, possibly with a dash of "the means justify the end" because her victims are rather thuggish themselves.
I do think that sometimes there's a meandering and circumstantial line between being disrespectful (for good reason) and simple stubborness to the point of willful stupidity, and this character manages to regularly cross it in my opinion. Not only that, but it's incredibly difficult to root for the "one good cop" who stands by their morals and is "fighting the good fight" against an entirely corrupt department/ establishment, when they themselves are prone to rushing in thoughtlessly fists first and are just as much a part of the problem as the people they rail against.
Moving on to a personal pet peeve that many readers will either not care about or may actively enjoy, I was also not too impressed with the insta-lust hormonal nonsense between Naya and Iannis. Not just for the usual reason that it came out of nowhere between two people who don't know or like each other, but because it was explained away as a magical woo-woo consequence of Naya being a Jaguar shifter who goes in to heat twice a year. "Luckily" her hormones start unnecessarily ramping up months in advance, presumably leaving her conveniently willing and capable of having sex at any time like most regular human women, but as her actual heat gets closer she becomes ever more susceptible to tingles and "lower belly heat" around even mildly attractive yet emotionally aloof males.
Honestly, Would it be such a bad thing to have a character physically attracted to another only to resist their basic urges because they found them repugnant on many other levels? Why are very few authors writing about their characters having continual meaningful interaction with others that lead to character growth and eventual romance instead of just jumping straight for the magical woo-woo reasons? Also I'm really not sure what Iannis even sees in Naya since she spends so much time being so incredibly rude and abrasive towards him just because he's a mage and she has a big hate-on for the whole lot of them (except for her friend who is one but comes from a different country and so is therefore totally cool and not inherently an evil oppressor?)
The fact that I didn't like the main character or how the rather unsubtle romance elements were presented (and seem to have spent an awful lot of time complaining about them) is a real shame, because the world building showed promise and the plot was a murder mystery/ conspiracy that, whilst lightly explored in this book, wouldn't have felt out of place in a novel by some of my favourite authors. I do wish more time had been spent on the gathering information/ hunting down clues aspect instead of the antagonistic conversations Naya would have with pretty much everyone, because every time a new clue was uncovered it fed my curiosity over who was behind everything and why they were doing it. I don't think that was completely satisfied at the end, though the immediate plot arc was resolved and it did set up interesting questions and plot hooks for future use. I think it's a case of having to let things play out for a while and properly get going than anything else.
Also on a positive note I found the writing really nice and easy to read. It flowed well and there were no glaring errors or particularly choppy parts that I can recall off the top of my head. It seems silly and perhaps a little hard to describe, but being able to immerse myself in the writing to the point that I almost forget I'm reading and switch to simply picturing it all as a movie in my head, is perhaps one of the most important qualities I look for in a novel, and this author is certainly capable of that. It's even more impressive and generally a good sign that I can continue doing that even when there are elements of the story I am not enjoying.
I think that perhaps I'll keep an eye out for the second in this series on the off chance that the main character has a bit of a personality re-adjustment in the next one. If she settles down to true snarkiness and cocky confidence in herself instead of whatever it was she was projecting in this one (maybe we can write it off due to grief?) then I think she'll be a much more tolerable character to read about. In the meantime if you can/ do manage to connect with the main character or can otherwise overlook some of her more glaring issues, then this may well be a fun read for you and the beginning to a new fantasy series set in a sort-of-modern day setting with some steampunk and magitech bits thrown in for good measure.
-----
Edited July 14th 2016 to remove some of the longer run on sentences. Now we can all take a breath when reading this wall of text. Hurray!
March 21, 2021
⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱*I Like It Fine, But*⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱
The only problem I had with this book right now was the main character herself. She annoyed me. Her lack of control over her emotions made her seem childish at time. She was also ungrateful and I felt she didn't truly had a loyalty to anyone as she doubted something/someone after someone told her something. That said, it was an interesting book in itself, but boring at time and frankly, I wanted more about the Chief Mage and his wolf. Overall, I will continue the series with at least the next book. If Sunaya doesn't mature more, I might not continue further than book two as the main character annoyed me with her attitude and it overshadowed it all.
The Characters:
I've put the list of character under a spoilers tag as the list is long.
Quick basic facts:
Genre: - (New Adult) Urban Fantasy (M/F).
Series: - Series, Book One.
Love triangle? -
Cheating? -
HEA? -
Favorite character? - Iannis ar’Sannin.
Would I read more by this author/or of series? - Yes.
Would I recommend this book/series? - Unsure.
Will I read this again in the future? - No.
Rating - 3 (weak) stars.
September 19, 2016
I'm at a loss.
I think this was a fairly average book that for some reason I liked a lot.
I just don't know why.
I started writing this review and had managed to fill two pages with all the things wrong with it, and I just could't think of all that much that was right with it.
I know it's not perfect, I know it's directionless and occasionally wanders off into the wilderness. And yet I liked it.
I think this was a fairly average book that for some reason I liked a lot.
I just don't know why.
I started writing this review and had managed to fill two pages with all the things wrong with it, and I just could't think of all that much that was right with it.
I know it's not perfect, I know it's directionless and occasionally wanders off into the wilderness. And yet I liked it.
May 3, 2017
I DNF the audiobook about 40% through (I fell asleep and probably missed about 5-10% somewhere in the middle) because it was boring. The characters were not interesting, I didn't like the narrative, the narrator speaks with a lisp (a bit, but still), and nothing really interesting happened.
I've done nothing wrong that I deserve this boredom:), DNF sounds like a great idea in this case, though normally I don't do it.
2.5/5.
I've done nothing wrong that I deserve this boredom:), DNF sounds like a great idea in this case, though normally I don't do it.
2.5/5.
March 13, 2016
This was a lot of fun and a fabulous debut by Jasmine Walt. A tightly plotted fantasy in a world divided by humans, shifters and mages. Someone is poisoning shifters, and once the killer strikes close to home, our main character, Sunaya, must discover who in a world corrupted by those who are supposed to protect it. That would be difficult enough, but with her emerging Mage powers, the Chief Mage has taken an interest in her and he's not letting her go easily.
Lots of intrigue and some buzzing chemistry between the young and feisty lead and the mysterious Chief Mage Iannis.
Burned By Magic is the first book in a new series. The second book has just been released and I'm eager to see how this world develops. Lots of questions are left unresolved. I'm hooked.
4.5 stars.
Lots of intrigue and some buzzing chemistry between the young and feisty lead and the mysterious Chief Mage Iannis.
Burned By Magic is the first book in a new series. The second book has just been released and I'm eager to see how this world develops. Lots of questions are left unresolved. I'm hooked.
4.5 stars.
January 2, 2016
She becomes really quite annoying stretching my credulity to its limits.
September 25, 2022
Burned by Magic is book one in The Baine Chronicles by Jasmine Walt. It’s a decent start to the series.
This is my first taste of Jasmine Walt and I have to say this Urban Fantasy series captivated me. I ended up bing reading all the way to book seven in The Baine Chronicles series. It’s unique, magical, and entertaining.
Sunaya is our lead heroine who is a hybrid (mage/shifter). She’s kept her status hidden for years until an unfortunate event happens. I liked and didn’t like Sunaya. She’s got good and bad qualities and I’m hoping we see some character growth as the story continues. She’s rude and snarky in this installment. I’m all for strong willed heroines with flaws, but it needed to be toned down a notch here.
I was captivated from start to finish. The characters are unique and easy to fall in love with. We’re treated to an interesting world full of mages, shifters, and humans. We have groups against other groups, drug rings, mysteries and a handsome Mage who might be Sunaya’s only hope if she can curb her snark.
Sunaya’s story is just beginning. I look forward to seeing what happens next with Sunaya and how she will grow and evolve.
Burned by Magic was a fun read. If you enjoy UF then this series might be for you.
Rated: 3.5 Stars
This is my first taste of Jasmine Walt and I have to say this Urban Fantasy series captivated me. I ended up bing reading all the way to book seven in The Baine Chronicles series. It’s unique, magical, and entertaining.
Sunaya is our lead heroine who is a hybrid (mage/shifter). She’s kept her status hidden for years until an unfortunate event happens. I liked and didn’t like Sunaya. She’s got good and bad qualities and I’m hoping we see some character growth as the story continues. She’s rude and snarky in this installment. I’m all for strong willed heroines with flaws, but it needed to be toned down a notch here.
I was captivated from start to finish. The characters are unique and easy to fall in love with. We’re treated to an interesting world full of mages, shifters, and humans. We have groups against other groups, drug rings, mysteries and a handsome Mage who might be Sunaya’s only hope if she can curb her snark.
Sunaya’s story is just beginning. I look forward to seeing what happens next with Sunaya and how she will grow and evolve.
Burned by Magic was a fun read. If you enjoy UF then this series might be for you.
Rated: 3.5 Stars
February 11, 2018
Wow, this book may win the award for having the most annoying and unlikeable main character.
Sunaya is a hybrid shifter, jaguar and mage, except it's illegal to have magic and not be in mage school. She hides her magic and works as a bounty hunter until her magic is exposed and she's sentenced to death.
Enter the Chief Mage, who's like the emperor. He allows her to live & saves her life, etc. and what does she do? Yells at him, telling him how incompetent he is, etc. She is the rudest person ever. She can't even thank someone who brings her food. Everyone is incompetent compared to her & should be told so by her big mouth.
That's basically the book - Sunaya pudding everyone off because she thinks they're all incompetent. She's not snarky, she's nasty and rude. There are no redeeming qualities about her other than she's honest. Ends there.
Her best friend, Noria, is equally annoying. Iannis & Fenris were good characters, but Sunaya never lets them talk. If she died, the book would have a HEA.
Sunaya is a hybrid shifter, jaguar and mage, except it's illegal to have magic and not be in mage school. She hides her magic and works as a bounty hunter until her magic is exposed and she's sentenced to death.
Enter the Chief Mage, who's like the emperor. He allows her to live & saves her life, etc. and what does she do? Yells at him, telling him how incompetent he is, etc. She is the rudest person ever. She can't even thank someone who brings her food. Everyone is incompetent compared to her & should be told so by her big mouth.
That's basically the book - Sunaya pudding everyone off because she thinks they're all incompetent. She's not snarky, she's nasty and rude. There are no redeeming qualities about her other than she's honest. Ends there.
Her best friend, Noria, is equally annoying. Iannis & Fenris were good characters, but Sunaya never lets them talk. If she died, the book would have a HEA.
July 12, 2016
This started out pretty good, then the more I read the more I disliked the heroine Sunaya. She's a snarky, rude, impetuous b*tch as well as her sidekick Noria. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for strong willed, flawed characters and I hoping this one learns to knock it down a notch in the next book, because I do like this author so far.
November 5, 2019
I liked it, a good first book to the series. Naya was an interesting female MC, she did find herself in compromising positions because she was usually rushing into things without thinking it through. This happened just twice but those situations were dire. I will be checking out the rest of the series.
February 12, 2017
3.5 stars.
Kindlel unlimited
Heroine is a Panther shifter and a bit of a hothead. She is also part mage.
Story is intrigue of new shifter drug, shifters showing up dead under mysterious circumstances.
Interesting story. No romance but foundation has been set for future possibilities.
Recommended if you can grab it Kindle Unlimited.
Kindlel unlimited
Heroine is a Panther shifter and a bit of a hothead. She is also part mage.
Story is intrigue of new shifter drug, shifters showing up dead under mysterious circumstances.
Interesting story. No romance but foundation has been set for future possibilities.
Recommended if you can grab it Kindle Unlimited.
July 3, 2023
Burned by Magic has a good plot but unfortunately the main character is annoying af and seems childish as she was not able to control her emotions at times. She was also ungrateful, she dont see that the Chief mage is helping her and she throws a tantrum everytime. This book has so much potential, the world building was good. 2.5/5
April 8, 2016
First it needs to be said that this book is edited right. I did not want to bash my brains out due to grammar errors. The writing isn't too bad either. It has life and a flavor to it. Sadly the overall story, events, and characters bored me. I fell asleep while reading. Had to skip a few parts that basically went exactly how I knew they would. (For a read-every-word girl like me, that's not a good sign.)
The first thing I need to touch base with was the world building. The idea of a world where humans evolved into mages, and then the mages experimented on humans that then created shifters is awesome. When first diving into the story I thought this was an urban fantasy read. It felt like it. It revealed we were not on our earth, but a totally made up one. Cool. Then all of a sudden a steambike pops up and whams me in the face. OK. I rolled with it because the idea that this is a made up world with steampunk technology thrilled me.
So it was a steampunk fantasy world!
Maybe? The technology felt off because there was a power plant and lots of things that didn't quite fit a steampunk world. Such as sweatpants. And I'm assuming they are sweats, because that is the term used for them. Sweats in fantasy/steampunk worlds are usually “loose pants” or “baggy pants”. “Work out pants.” So on. Because the type of technology to make our kind of sweats does not mesh with the world.
I'm a picky reader. I felt like Walt simply wanted me to feel in the blanks. Assume a lot of things about this world. Which sucked.
Ah, the cast of characters. Who all felt barrowed from other stories and pieced together. Definitely urban fantasy characters. Who did and said the things I expected them to. The lead was supposed to be witty and snarky, but I found her more stupid and irritating. Rude. The male interests where boring and so typical that no attempt was made to flesh them out.
Oh, and the lead is magically attracted to the rude—excuse me mysterious/misunderstood—Chief Mage. AKA the man with all the power that seems like a bad guy but isn't. Of course she's drawn to him despite herself.
The mystery of her mentor's death and the “silver murders” is tacked onto the lead's secret being found out and so on. It's all rather boring. And well typical. (Yeah, I'm tired of using that word.) Actually it may have behooved this series to get us to care about the lead and her world before playing all of its cards.
The names of the characters have already left my head. Instead I remember them as stereotypes that did their stereotypical things. That just happened to be cut into a stereotypical UF plot. Which is a true shame as the basis of this world was so unique. With an underwhelming romance and boring plot. Despite the fact that this is supposed to be a fantasy steampunk world. It all falls short because it's so busy following the steps of a Urban Fantasy book that it forgets to be itself. To build emotions and distinguish its characters from the many others out there. To build the world and not just the buildings and rooms. To have the world figured out enough to clue readers into the hows and whys. Thumbs up for solid editing. Thank you.
Sexual Content: Sexual humor, minor dark themes, and overall clean.
2/5- Average/disappointing, library check-out.
Originally reviewed at Book Whispers.
The first thing I need to touch base with was the world building. The idea of a world where humans evolved into mages, and then the mages experimented on humans that then created shifters is awesome. When first diving into the story I thought this was an urban fantasy read. It felt like it. It revealed we were not on our earth, but a totally made up one. Cool. Then all of a sudden a steambike pops up and whams me in the face. OK. I rolled with it because the idea that this is a made up world with steampunk technology thrilled me.
So it was a steampunk fantasy world!
Maybe? The technology felt off because there was a power plant and lots of things that didn't quite fit a steampunk world. Such as sweatpants. And I'm assuming they are sweats, because that is the term used for them. Sweats in fantasy/steampunk worlds are usually “loose pants” or “baggy pants”. “Work out pants.” So on. Because the type of technology to make our kind of sweats does not mesh with the world.
I'm a picky reader. I felt like Walt simply wanted me to feel in the blanks. Assume a lot of things about this world. Which sucked.
Ah, the cast of characters. Who all felt barrowed from other stories and pieced together. Definitely urban fantasy characters. Who did and said the things I expected them to. The lead was supposed to be witty and snarky, but I found her more stupid and irritating. Rude. The male interests where boring and so typical that no attempt was made to flesh them out.
Oh, and the lead is magically attracted to the rude—excuse me mysterious/misunderstood—Chief Mage. AKA the man with all the power that seems like a bad guy but isn't. Of course she's drawn to him despite herself.
The mystery of her mentor's death and the “silver murders” is tacked onto the lead's secret being found out and so on. It's all rather boring. And well typical. (Yeah, I'm tired of using that word.) Actually it may have behooved this series to get us to care about the lead and her world before playing all of its cards.
The names of the characters have already left my head. Instead I remember them as stereotypes that did their stereotypical things. That just happened to be cut into a stereotypical UF plot. Which is a true shame as the basis of this world was so unique. With an underwhelming romance and boring plot. Despite the fact that this is supposed to be a fantasy steampunk world. It all falls short because it's so busy following the steps of a Urban Fantasy book that it forgets to be itself. To build emotions and distinguish its characters from the many others out there. To build the world and not just the buildings and rooms. To have the world figured out enough to clue readers into the hows and whys. Thumbs up for solid editing. Thank you.
Sexual Content: Sexual humor, minor dark themes, and overall clean.
2/5- Average/disappointing, library check-out.
Originally reviewed at Book Whispers.
November 18, 2015
I had the pleasure of reading an early copy from the author. Sunaya Baine is a shifter living in Shiftertown. When she hears her mentor has been murdered, she vows to solve the case of shifter deaths in her town.
I've never read shifter books before nor anything to do with magic not even Twilight so I came into this book with a clean slate. I found myself reaching for it any time I got. The author did a wonderful job creating this steam punk modern world where characters acted and spoke like today but the environment was set two hundred years ago.
I did find myself struggling trying to work out when the book was set. As I mentioned the dialogue was very modern but there was mention of steam bikes and old technology. I was reading the pages thinking am I going to see a cell phone? There is nothing wrong with that at all. It's very clever to incorporate the old with the new. It attracts readers like myself who never venture outside the safety of their favourite genres.
Sunaya's relationships with other characters are well-developed, and I found myself rooting for her and one other character ( I won't spoil it) I just hope they explore their relationship in the next book.
When the book reaches its intended plotline I was concerned that half the book was going to be set in this particular place and I was curious to see how the author would work around this. But to my surprise the author always keeps you guessing.
As soon as I was done I contacted the author and asked for book two. Burned by Magic is a fabulous tale and I look forward to reading the sequal.
I've never read shifter books before nor anything to do with magic not even Twilight so I came into this book with a clean slate. I found myself reaching for it any time I got. The author did a wonderful job creating this steam punk modern world where characters acted and spoke like today but the environment was set two hundred years ago.
I did find myself struggling trying to work out when the book was set. As I mentioned the dialogue was very modern but there was mention of steam bikes and old technology. I was reading the pages thinking am I going to see a cell phone? There is nothing wrong with that at all. It's very clever to incorporate the old with the new. It attracts readers like myself who never venture outside the safety of their favourite genres.
Sunaya's relationships with other characters are well-developed, and I found myself rooting for her and one other character ( I won't spoil it) I just hope they explore their relationship in the next book.
When the book reaches its intended plotline I was concerned that half the book was going to be set in this particular place and I was curious to see how the author would work around this. But to my surprise the author always keeps you guessing.
As soon as I was done I contacted the author and asked for book two. Burned by Magic is a fabulous tale and I look forward to reading the sequal.
November 19, 2015
I can't say enough good things about this book. It's a genre I don't normally read, but I wanted to give it a go anyway and I am so glad I did.
The storyline was superb, it kept me wanting to know what happens next so I really struggled to put it down to do the mundane everyday stuff, like sleep and go to work!
Sunaya is one badass chick and the kind of girl you'll either love or hate. Fortunately I loved her, she had fire in her belly and that spirit is what made her character as good as she is.
There are a handful of other characters you will adore as well but I will leave that to you to find out.
Happy reading!
The storyline was superb, it kept me wanting to know what happens next so I really struggled to put it down to do the mundane everyday stuff, like sleep and go to work!
Sunaya is one badass chick and the kind of girl you'll either love or hate. Fortunately I loved her, she had fire in her belly and that spirit is what made her character as good as she is.
There are a handful of other characters you will adore as well but I will leave that to you to find out.
Happy reading!
December 30, 2015
This book was given me by Rebecca Hamilton in exchange for a fair and honest review .
If this was the authors first book then I'm amazed. What a terrific start to her career. This book was exciting , pacey , very comical in parts and thoroughly enjoyable. With an undertone of sexual attraction between the two main characters it kept a tension running throughout and a feeling that a connection was going to be made. Definitely one of my best reads in the last few months I can recommend you give this book a read and like me look forward to the continuation .
If this was the authors first book then I'm amazed. What a terrific start to her career. This book was exciting , pacey , very comical in parts and thoroughly enjoyable. With an undertone of sexual attraction between the two main characters it kept a tension running throughout and a feeling that a connection was going to be made. Definitely one of my best reads in the last few months I can recommend you give this book a read and like me look forward to the continuation .
March 24, 2016
I was really beginning to think that I'd lost my reading mojo when I stumbled upon "Burned by Magic" by Jasmine Walt. It is so refreshing to discover a series with so much promise and an author with so much skill. I tend to like gritty and flawed main characters and that is exactly what I received in the character of Sunaya Baine.
Sunday is a half human panther shifter who also has a touch of mage magic. If it is ever discovered she would be facing death or having her mind altered. Additionally, since she refuses to do any sexual favors for her pigeon a boss her income has been diminished in her job as enforcer.
When her long time mentor and friend is killed by an untraceable silver poison his dying wish is that she finish his investigation. However, before she gets a chance she responds to a call requesting assistance in saving two babies from a raging rhino shifter. With her life threatened, Sunaya does what she has to do to survive and that is call upon her magic..Of course she is arrested but before she faces execution, she us sent to the Chief Mage for ultimate judgment.
Sunaya has an instant dislike and wariness of the sexy Chief Mage but is shocked when he spares her life and agrees to take her on as his apprentice
As the two work together to untangle the mounting deaths, government corruption a growing hatred between shifters and humans it becomes increasingly clear that someone is behind this subterfuge. Oh course, a lot more could get done if Sunaya could just get her hormonal thoughts of the Chief Mage under control
I really enjoyed the world building, characters, and action in this read. I gobbled it down in one setting. As far as cliffhangers go, I am one of those people who actually like them as long as they are epic and leave me screaming, "No!" However, in this case, the cliffhanger was really weak. I was a bit disappointed. Yet, it did not spoil the read for me and I will definitely be going on to the next book in this series.
Sunday is a half human panther shifter who also has a touch of mage magic. If it is ever discovered she would be facing death or having her mind altered. Additionally, since she refuses to do any sexual favors for her pigeon a boss her income has been diminished in her job as enforcer.
When her long time mentor and friend is killed by an untraceable silver poison his dying wish is that she finish his investigation. However, before she gets a chance she responds to a call requesting assistance in saving two babies from a raging rhino shifter. With her life threatened, Sunaya does what she has to do to survive and that is call upon her magic..Of course she is arrested but before she faces execution, she us sent to the Chief Mage for ultimate judgment.
Sunaya has an instant dislike and wariness of the sexy Chief Mage but is shocked when he spares her life and agrees to take her on as his apprentice
As the two work together to untangle the mounting deaths, government corruption a growing hatred between shifters and humans it becomes increasingly clear that someone is behind this subterfuge. Oh course, a lot more could get done if Sunaya could just get her hormonal thoughts of the Chief Mage under control
I really enjoyed the world building, characters, and action in this read. I gobbled it down in one setting. As far as cliffhangers go, I am one of those people who actually like them as long as they are epic and leave me screaming, "No!" However, in this case, the cliffhanger was really weak. I was a bit disappointed. Yet, it did not spoil the read for me and I will definitely be going on to the next book in this series.
December 19, 2015
Sunaya Baine is my new favorite shifter!
***I received an advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.*** In the magical city of Solantha, being a hybrid is risky business--especially if you're half mage. Then it can mean your death. Sunaya Baine, a half-jaguar, half-mage hybrid, has been hiding her true nature most of her life, but when a magical mishap puts her at the mercy of the Chief Mage, Sunaya's world is turned inside out. Her investigation of a string of related silver poisoning murders is put on hold while she's held captive at the Chief Mage's castle until he decides her fate.
This was a fun, fast read! The world-building was well done, the characters diverse, and the action top notch--as well as the sexual tension. Sunaya is a snarky badass, with her many weapons, her steambike, and her fiery attitude--what's not to love? Her interaction with the two very different worlds--the human/shifter real world and the mysterious world of the dangerous upper-crust mages--will pull readers into the heart of Sunaya's struggle and make them realize that nothing is ever as black and white as it appears from one side of the fence.
If you're into snarky heroines, murder mysteries, kickass fight scenes, wild new worlds, and a dash of romance--Sunaya is your girl!
***I received an advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.*** In the magical city of Solantha, being a hybrid is risky business--especially if you're half mage. Then it can mean your death. Sunaya Baine, a half-jaguar, half-mage hybrid, has been hiding her true nature most of her life, but when a magical mishap puts her at the mercy of the Chief Mage, Sunaya's world is turned inside out. Her investigation of a string of related silver poisoning murders is put on hold while she's held captive at the Chief Mage's castle until he decides her fate.
This was a fun, fast read! The world-building was well done, the characters diverse, and the action top notch--as well as the sexual tension. Sunaya is a snarky badass, with her many weapons, her steambike, and her fiery attitude--what's not to love? Her interaction with the two very different worlds--the human/shifter real world and the mysterious world of the dangerous upper-crust mages--will pull readers into the heart of Sunaya's struggle and make them realize that nothing is ever as black and white as it appears from one side of the fence.
If you're into snarky heroines, murder mysteries, kickass fight scenes, wild new worlds, and a dash of romance--Sunaya is your girl!
December 31, 2015
A good start to a potentially good series.
A morally driven Enforcer of second class citizenry(IF that) with a life threatening secret, tries to hunt down a serial murderer and ends up being the one tossed in jail. rather than lose her life when her secret is exposed, a hail-mary-pass saves her and she is brought before the chief mage who is not all as bad as she and everyone believes. Working together they work to catch the killer and get to the bottom of some other disturbing happenings.
pretty interesting, no?
well written, well paced.
my only issue was that i expected more from Baine. she's a black 'panther' shifter with mage powers that kickass. and yet, in the kickass department, she wasn't that impressive.
suffice to say, this isn't an all around action packed book with gun fights and pow-wows at every turn. This is a story about a girl's trials with a side dose of conspiracy and investigation; an introduction. Here's to hoping book two is ... more.
recommend
A morally driven Enforcer of second class citizenry(IF that) with a life threatening secret, tries to hunt down a serial murderer and ends up being the one tossed in jail. rather than lose her life when her secret is exposed, a hail-mary-pass saves her and she is brought before the chief mage who is not all as bad as she and everyone believes. Working together they work to catch the killer and get to the bottom of some other disturbing happenings.
pretty interesting, no?
well written, well paced.
my only issue was that i expected more from Baine. she's a black 'panther' shifter with mage powers that kickass. and yet, in the kickass department, she wasn't that impressive.
suffice to say, this isn't an all around action packed book with gun fights and pow-wows at every turn. This is a story about a girl's trials with a side dose of conspiracy and investigation; an introduction. Here's to hoping book two is ... more.
recommend
June 19, 2016
3.5 stars
This was better than I expected and the ending was nice and tight. The world has mages and shifters and humans in it, but they are distinct species with a lot of bigoted oppression and struggles for egalitarianism between the races, a lot of "us and them" but it plays well. Tense but not too gory.
More, the copy editing is pretty good, certainly as good as most of the large publishing house books I've read recently. There were not glaring mistakes in grammar form and the story was easy to follow without any mental missteps.
If I had a complaint it's that the MC is a bit of a bitch. She's still young enough to have "strong" and "bitch" confused with each other and she's got abandonment issues so it's manifesting as making her not entirely likeable. I understand the reasons for it but I don't enjoy it as escapist reading. I am told she grows out of it a bit as the story progresses. I'm definitely jumping into the next one.
This was better than I expected and the ending was nice and tight. The world has mages and shifters and humans in it, but they are distinct species with a lot of bigoted oppression and struggles for egalitarianism between the races, a lot of "us and them" but it plays well. Tense but not too gory.
More, the copy editing is pretty good, certainly as good as most of the large publishing house books I've read recently. There were not glaring mistakes in grammar form and the story was easy to follow without any mental missteps.
If I had a complaint it's that the MC is a bit of a bitch. She's still young enough to have "strong" and "bitch" confused with each other and she's got abandonment issues so it's manifesting as making her not entirely likeable. I understand the reasons for it but I don't enjoy it as escapist reading. I am told she grows out of it a bit as the story progresses. I'm definitely jumping into the next one.
March 5, 2017
Very promising series, a good storyline but I don't like the heroine which is the main character for this series, the story is about her really.
She's got a short fuse, very rude but always in tears, weird.. and eating too much like a pig!
Yeah, so confusing and not sure if I want to continue read this series.
Oh well, let's see!
She's got a short fuse, very rude but always in tears, weird.. and eating too much like a pig!
Yeah, so confusing and not sure if I want to continue read this series.
Oh well, let's see!
February 18, 2023
This was good but not great. It was more of an origins story so that makes sense but it was just meh to me. I wish I liked it more.
December 14, 2015
I received Burned by Magic as an ARC (advance reader's copy) book from the author. The gifting did not determine the review/rating, which reflects my honest opinion. I'm really bummed I have to wait for the next book. This was an excellent read. Engaging characters, well-paced plot, strong female lead, and a few twists to keep the reader smiling. The rating is five-stars, but my book is an ARC, which means it hasn't gone through the final edit. It contained numerous typos and grammar issues, which would have dropped the rating if this were a final copy. Since I haven't read the uploaded version, my caveat is to read a chapter or two from Amazon's Closer Look feature to make sure your copy is edited properly. This author is one to follow.
November 23, 2015
I received this as an arc from the book club (tbc) in exchange for an honest review.
In the city of Solantha, mages rule absolute, with shifters considered second - hand class citizens and humans something in between. No one outside the mage families are allowed to have magic, and anyone born with it must agree to have it stripped from them to avoid execution.
Wow. Absolutely fantastic read.
I loved the story and the characters.
my favourite was Sunaya and Fenris.
Can't wait for book 2 as I would love to know who it is. I still have no clue.
This is a must read and I would highly recommend this book.
In the city of Solantha, mages rule absolute, with shifters considered second - hand class citizens and humans something in between. No one outside the mage families are allowed to have magic, and anyone born with it must agree to have it stripped from them to avoid execution.
Wow. Absolutely fantastic read.
I loved the story and the characters.
my favourite was Sunaya and Fenris.
Can't wait for book 2 as I would love to know who it is. I still have no clue.
This is a must read and I would highly recommend this book.
December 2, 2015
I had the pleasure of reading an ARC of Burned by Magic and was not disappointed. This is an exciting romp with strong, well-rounded characters and innovative worldbuilding. Sunaya is an intriguing personality with a tough, startlingly modern voice that is consistently vivid and rich. The conflict between the shifters, mages, and humans is layered and morally complex, and impacts the characters' relationships to one another, particularly the romance between Sunaya and Iannis. I appreciated Burned by Magic for both its fresh prose style and its lively characters, and I can't wait for the sequel to explore unanswered questions left at the end of the book.
December 28, 2015
An exciting fantasy adventure full of mystery and sexy paranormal creatures. I loved the concept and how you never really knew what was what. The mystery was delightful and uncovering it was fun. The story follows the main character a hybrid Mage/shifter. The combination was interesting and her character was smart, independent and she didn't take no crap.
I'm definitely interested to see where the story goes from here and what happens next.
I'm definitely interested to see where the story goes from here and what happens next.
July 6, 2016
Interesting world, characters & politics. Harsh cliffhanger ending -1 star Unresolved mystery-1 star
Possible pet-peeve (besides cliffhanger ending) h is pretty self absorbed unable to think past her priorities. However this is a series & I suspect her character will grow past that as it progresses.
Possible pet-peeve (besides cliffhanger ending) h is pretty self absorbed unable to think past her priorities. However this is a series & I suspect her character will grow past that as it progresses.
June 16, 2016
4.5 stars. I was honestly pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. It feels like a good start to
The series and is vaguely reminiscent of the fever series in a way to me with the relationship aspect. Had more love interest than anyone really shares which is great.
The series and is vaguely reminiscent of the fever series in a way to me with the relationship aspect. Had more love interest than anyone really shares which is great.
December 28, 2015
Good
Different but love the story line. Shifters, humans, magic and others all together. If you enjoy these this is a must read.....
Different but love the story line. Shifters, humans, magic and others all together. If you enjoy these this is a must read.....
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