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The ABCs of Spellcraft #13
Comic Sans
If a man’s home is his castle…then his stash is his treasure.
When a traveling comic book auctioneer comes to town, Dixon is thrilled to hear his father’s beloved basement stash might contain something valuable after all: a mint condition copy of the rare Eel Man #1.
But when they unearth the comic book, Yuri ends up finding a lot more than he bargained for. Now he’s no longer sure if Dixon is really the product of a loving, happy home…or if Spellcraft the only thing holding his family together.
To make matters worse, the comic book has a major “issue” of its own.
The quest to restore the comic takes Dixon and Yuri from one wonky end of Pinyin Bay to the other. Can they salvage their big find and save a marriage—or is their copy of Eel Man #1 worth nothing more the paper it’s printed on?
The ABCs of Spellcraft is a series filled with bad jokes and good magic, where M/M romance meets paranormal cozy. A perky hero, a brooding love interest, and delightfully twisty-turny stories that never end up quite where you’d expect.
When a traveling comic book auctioneer comes to town, Dixon is thrilled to hear his father’s beloved basement stash might contain something valuable after all: a mint condition copy of the rare Eel Man #1.
But when they unearth the comic book, Yuri ends up finding a lot more than he bargained for. Now he’s no longer sure if Dixon is really the product of a loving, happy home…or if Spellcraft the only thing holding his family together.
To make matters worse, the comic book has a major “issue” of its own.
The quest to restore the comic takes Dixon and Yuri from one wonky end of Pinyin Bay to the other. Can they salvage their big find and save a marriage—or is their copy of Eel Man #1 worth nothing more the paper it’s printed on?
The ABCs of Spellcraft is a series filled with bad jokes and good magic, where M/M romance meets paranormal cozy. A perky hero, a brooding love interest, and delightfully twisty-turny stories that never end up quite where you’d expect.
121 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 25, 2022
22 people are currently reading
53 people want to read
About the author
Jordan Castillo Price
139 books2,134 followersAuthor and artist Jordan Castillo Price writes paranormal sci-fi thrillers colored by her time in the Midwest, from inner city Chicago, to various cities across southern Wisconsin. She’s settled in a 1910 Cape Cod near Lake Michigan with tons of character and a plethora of bizarre spiders. Any disembodied noises, she’s decided, will be blamed on the ice maker.
Jordan is best known as the author of the PsyCop series, an unfolding tale of paranormal mystery and suspense starring Victor Bayne, a gay medium who's plagued by ghostly visitations.
Jordan is best known as the author of the PsyCop series, an unfolding tale of paranormal mystery and suspense starring Victor Bayne, a gay medium who's plagued by ghostly visitations.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
May 16, 2023
I can barely believe this will be the penultimate book of this long-standing slightly OTT paranormal series ... and I ill be sad to say goodnight/adieu to Dixon, Yuri, the Handed folk and the rest of the citizens of Pinyin Bay. I was quite amused to see the author bring back for a ?finale encore several secondary characters from much earlier titles. The treasure-hunting/antique roadshow vibe throughout this book proved quite amusing as well - 3.5 stars.
October 25, 2022
Another adventure in which Dixon and Yuri shine in their usual loveliness and particular brand of crazy :P
Yuri is worried; he has found a suspicious crafting that makes him wonder about... things. And he's really set on finding its meaning. All the while, both of them are set on getting the most perfect specimen of an old comic to support Dixon's dadhoarding collecting.
As always, Dixon is filled with energy and optimism, and his love for his family (his father in particular in this case) is the strength that propels him. And, as always, too, Yuri's love for Dixon will make him do things that he would have never considered otherwise :P
Warm, sweet and funny, this is another lovely instalment in this series. Shees! I'm going to miss these guys so much!
Yuri is worried; he has found a suspicious crafting that makes him wonder about... things. And he's really set on finding its meaning. All the while, both of them are set on getting the most perfect specimen of an old comic to support Dixon's dad
As always, Dixon is filled with energy and optimism, and his love for his family (his father in particular in this case) is the strength that propels him. And, as always, too, Yuri's love for Dixon will make him do things that he would have never considered otherwise :P
Warm, sweet and funny, this is another lovely instalment in this series. Shees! I'm going to miss these guys so much!
October 27, 2022
Hate to see this series ending very soon!!!!
But wow it is going out on top! Love these two guys SO much! Just one more novella left before the end!
But wow it is going out on top! Love these two guys SO much! Just one more novella left before the end!
October 31, 2022
I hate to hear that this series is nearly over and there is only one new ABCs of Spellcraft yet to come . . . how can it nearly be done? So unfair. Oh well, sometimes the characters just stop talking to an author, if Dixon and Yuri want to keep their further adventures to themselves then that's what must be. I'll love ABCs right to the end, oh who am I kidding? I'll love and cherish them every step of the way and beyond in rereads & re-listens, the adrenaline rush may not be quite the same but the enjoyment factor will always be topnotch.
So on to Comic Sans.
With a title like that you just know comic books will factor into the trouble Dixon undoubtedly finds himself facing. Sure enough, a rare, mint condition Eel Man #1 could fetch a pretty penny and where does Dixon's dad thinks he seen one last? In his never-ending always-growing pile of stash of what-nots and doo-dads. Once the men are told of a flaw in the comic, Dixon hatches a scheme to recondition said comic . . . and that's where the true fun begins.
That's the end of the plot I'll give away but just know that there are plenty of hi-jinks that only Dixon and Yuri can discover on their path to mint condition. What fun it is. We see Pinyin Bay characters that we've met before, we see plenty of Penn family time as well. Truthfully, I'm not sure if I'd say this is the most we've seen of Dixon's parents yet but their chemistry, their banter, their unique look at things is an absolute treat and I think it gives us plenty of insight into how and why Dixon is the way he is: delightful blend of quirky, charming, loving and all around instantly likeable. Yuri is more stoic, I think anyway, than Dixon's mom but I can't help but think when you look at Johnny and Florica Penn you're actually getting a glimpse into what Dixon and Yuri's future years will be like.
The series may be nearly over and yet after 13 novellas, The ABCs of Spellcraft just keeps getting better and better.
So on to Comic Sans.
With a title like that you just know comic books will factor into the trouble Dixon undoubtedly finds himself facing. Sure enough, a rare, mint condition Eel Man #1 could fetch a pretty penny and where does Dixon's dad thinks he seen one last? In his never-ending always-growing pile of stash of what-nots and doo-dads. Once the men are told of a flaw in the comic, Dixon hatches a scheme to recondition said comic . . . and that's where the true fun begins.
That's the end of the plot I'll give away but just know that there are plenty of hi-jinks that only Dixon and Yuri can discover on their path to mint condition. What fun it is. We see Pinyin Bay characters that we've met before, we see plenty of Penn family time as well. Truthfully, I'm not sure if I'd say this is the most we've seen of Dixon's parents yet but their chemistry, their banter, their unique look at things is an absolute treat and I think it gives us plenty of insight into how and why Dixon is the way he is: delightful blend of quirky, charming, loving and all around instantly likeable. Yuri is more stoic, I think anyway, than Dixon's mom but I can't help but think when you look at Johnny and Florica Penn you're actually getting a glimpse into what Dixon and Yuri's future years will be like.
The series may be nearly over and yet after 13 novellas, The ABCs of Spellcraft just keeps getting better and better.
February 9, 2023
Comic Sans (ABCs of Spellcraft 13)
By Jordan Castillo Price
JCP Books, 2022
Four stars
This series is so silly, but fun to read. “I Love Lucy” where Lucy and Ricky are a magical twink and his looming Russian boyfriend (excuse me, grown man friend). Or maybe Yuri, the Russian, is more Ethel.
In any case, the premise of this episode’s lamebrained adventure is the discovery of a rare comic book in Dixon Penn’s father’s “stash” (the hoarding nightmare in the family basement). So much of the goofiness of this series is rooted in the inherent eccentricities of the community endowed with magic – that sense of being different from normal people (referred to as “handless”) and thus disinclined from following the rules, and being somewhat marginalized for it.
The chaos and messiness that seems to be part of the Penn family’s world always makes me edgy – because I am such a neatnik and a control freak. That’s why Yuri appeals to me so much; big and gentle, talented but discreet, deeply in love with Dixon and therefore protective of him and his family. Yuri is my anchor in the storm of Pinyin Bay’s magical world.
What’s also interesting is the vagaries of this particular take on human magic. The Scrivener and the Seer – the artist who creates the drawing that is then inscribed to make the magic happen. It’s a really creative way to imagine magic as a sort of barely-controlled force of nature. It’s also a great way to trigger all sorts of problems and adventures, as magic goes awry through careless creation or malicious intent. There’s really nothing quite like it in the genre…
This is the penultimate book in the series, and I know I’ll be sad when it’s over.
By Jordan Castillo Price
JCP Books, 2022
Four stars
This series is so silly, but fun to read. “I Love Lucy” where Lucy and Ricky are a magical twink and his looming Russian boyfriend (excuse me, grown man friend). Or maybe Yuri, the Russian, is more Ethel.
In any case, the premise of this episode’s lamebrained adventure is the discovery of a rare comic book in Dixon Penn’s father’s “stash” (the hoarding nightmare in the family basement). So much of the goofiness of this series is rooted in the inherent eccentricities of the community endowed with magic – that sense of being different from normal people (referred to as “handless”) and thus disinclined from following the rules, and being somewhat marginalized for it.
The chaos and messiness that seems to be part of the Penn family’s world always makes me edgy – because I am such a neatnik and a control freak. That’s why Yuri appeals to me so much; big and gentle, talented but discreet, deeply in love with Dixon and therefore protective of him and his family. Yuri is my anchor in the storm of Pinyin Bay’s magical world.
What’s also interesting is the vagaries of this particular take on human magic. The Scrivener and the Seer – the artist who creates the drawing that is then inscribed to make the magic happen. It’s a really creative way to imagine magic as a sort of barely-controlled force of nature. It’s also a great way to trigger all sorts of problems and adventures, as magic goes awry through careless creation or malicious intent. There’s really nothing quite like it in the genre…
This is the penultimate book in the series, and I know I’ll be sad when it’s over.
October 26, 2022
I love this story, where the search for a rare comic that could bring Dixon’s father big bucks (and redeem his hoarding stash) leads Dixon and Yuri on a wild pursuit that includes cameos from many characters from past books, and visits to places old and new. One adventure leads to another which leads to another…and so on and so on. Meanwhile Yuri finds a bit of Spellcraft at the Penn house that makes him wonder about Johnny and Florica’s happy marriage, and Johnny and Fonzo set out to make a better mousetrap for 'friend' mice (as opposed to stranger mice). The story is creative, fun, quirky, and utterly ridiculous sometimes. I loved the mousetrap trials (don't worry, no animals were harmed, rodent or otherwise).😉
I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving this honest review.
I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving this honest review.
October 29, 2022
As always Dixon and Yuri brings me such entertainment. The family, comedy and love gives me the warm fuzzies and is always balanced by disappointment that is made into a family triumph. I don't know what I'll do when the author closes out this series and I am left with no Yuri or Dixon to take me on their adventures in a world that could crumble down around everyone's ears in an instant but no one seems to see the danger as they are too happy with their life to pay attention. This story involves a comic book that may or may not bring a small fortune to the family, a "Seen" that Yuri may or may not have misinterpreted, and a mouse that needs a trap that Dixon's father may...or probably not... be able to invent. A great read as usual.
November 4, 2022
Dixon and his grown up friend Yuri have found a new quest, which takes us again through the streets and landmarks of Pinyin Bay, meeting old friends and getting acquainted with new ones… This time, an important amount of money is waiting for the lucky owner of a rare comic
Impervious to any kind of disappointment, and with the help and support of Yuri, Dixon follows his plans with a tenacity and a never fading positiveness which always makes me smile. I do love these two, and the very special characters that compose their family and close friends. I’m really hooked to these neurotic, very particular and really endearing characters!
I received an ARC and this is my voluntary review
Impervious to any kind of disappointment, and with the help and support of Yuri, Dixon follows his plans with a tenacity and a never fading positiveness which always makes me smile. I do love these two, and the very special characters that compose their family and close friends. I’m really hooked to these neurotic, very particular and really endearing characters!
I received an ARC and this is my voluntary review
May 13, 2023
Unfortunately, what I thought was going to happen, happened. This series has lost me. The quirkiness I liked in the other stories felt really silly in this one... or maybe it was me, but I found myself skimming most of this book. Since there is only one more book and I own it I'll read it and hope for the best. I hate when this happens. :(
QUICK THOUGHTS
• Paranormal/magic
• Established couple
• Quirky town
• Didn't feel this one
• Didn't hold my interest
• Is it me or the story?
• Recurring secondary characters make an appearance
• Still love the MCs... Yuri & Dixon
• NOT a stand-alone
October 30, 2022
Yuri and Dixon are off on another adventure as they chase down a prize comic book. I was surprised by the vulnerable side of Yuri as he deals with an unexpected ‘seen’. There are plenty of laughs and sweet moments, but the last chapter has me completely falling in love with the guys all over again.
Highly recommended author and series
Highly recommended author and series
November 18, 2022
Dixon and Yuri are a joy!
Our favourite Pinyin Bay residents are back and chasing down a rare collectible...can you guess what it is from the title? Lol. Life's never dull for the guys and this romp around town is as off the wall as ever. I'm going to be so sad when their adventures are over, but book 13 in the series? It's so much fun! 5*
Our favourite Pinyin Bay residents are back and chasing down a rare collectible...can you guess what it is from the title? Lol. Life's never dull for the guys and this romp around town is as off the wall as ever. I'm going to be so sad when their adventures are over, but book 13 in the series? It's so much fun! 5*
February 15, 2024
Delightful
It's always a delight to catch up with Yuri and Dixon as they're such wonderful characters and Comic Sans is laugh-out-loud hilarious. I absolutely loved it! I wholeheartedly recommend this series but for anyone interested, start with book 1 - Qwill Me Now. Trust me you won't regret it.
It's always a delight to catch up with Yuri and Dixon as they're such wonderful characters and Comic Sans is laugh-out-loud hilarious. I absolutely loved it! I wholeheartedly recommend this series but for anyone interested, start with book 1 - Qwill Me Now. Trust me you won't regret it.
October 31, 2022
Such fun!
Anyone who ever mailed in a dollar for sea monkeys or x ray glasses will especially love Yuri and Dixon’s comic adventure.
Anyone who ever mailed in a dollar for sea monkeys or x ray glasses will especially love Yuri and Dixon’s comic adventure.
November 12, 2022
The usual mad cap adventures.....
Fun read, nice to revisit the spellcraft universe. This is a crazy fun place to visit. Well worth the investment of time for all the reading.
Fun read, nice to revisit the spellcraft universe. This is a crazy fun place to visit. Well worth the investment of time for all the reading.
May 11, 2023
Good.
I adore Dixon and Yuri! This wasn’t as wacky as previous books, and this set of stories don’t seem to have an overall arc. It wasn’t my favourite of the series but still very enjoyable.
I adore Dixon and Yuri! This wasn’t as wacky as previous books, and this set of stories don’t seem to have an overall arc. It wasn’t my favourite of the series but still very enjoyable.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews