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Wicked Magic
Hunters are supposed to hate vampires—but everyone will betray their people for a price. Nathan is about to discover his. Nathan is a vampire hunter on the cusp of graduation. He’s been training for this his entire the moment he qualifies and joins the rest of his family in their noble calling. If only it were that simple. His grades are a mess, his social life is a disaster, and what’s worse, his best friend is a witch! Add to that, his vampire uncle is back in town and his crush might just be supernatural too, and you have one big melting pot of potential parental disapproval. Nathan doesn’t think he can take much more, and then the dark mages come to town. As bodies begin piling up in the streets, Nathan finds himself pulled deeper into political intrigue and a deadly plot that will pit him against his own family. When the girl he likes comes under threat, Nathan races against time to solve the mystery... well aware that with every step he takes, he comes closer to his father exposing all his secrets. *** WICKED MAGIC is an action-packed vampire suspense exploring the ancient streets of Oxford, UK. Vampires, witches, shapeshifters, druids, and many more converge to solve a paranormal mystery in this fast-paced 95,000-word urban fantasy novel. This is a high school/young adult novel with high stakes ideal for readers ages 16 and above. It features some violence and profanity.
322 pages, Paperback
Published April 19, 2022
50 people are currently reading
212 people want to read
About the author
Margot de Klerk
10 books21 followersMargot de Klerk is a British author who writes fantasy and science fiction for teens and adults, with a bit of comedy, a dash of romance, and a whole lot of plot. She is most often found in her favourite coffee shop typing furiously on her computer with an iced latte at hand. When not writing, she enjoys photography, travelling, sewing, and various sports.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
August 8, 2022
Wicked Magic is Margot de Klerk debut novel, it was an incredible good starts for a fantasy series aimed at young people, but it can be appreciate at every age because it's written really well.
Nathan is a vampire hunter trainee, his graduation day is fast approaching but he begins to doubt on the hunters methods. When he runs into some troubles that threaten his friends Nate decides to help them going against every principle his family tought him. Will he save everyone keeping his family n the dark?
I've enjoyed to follow Nate in his search of himself, I liked his personality and his heart of gold. I empathized with him and I felt as lost as him at times because the pressure on him was too much. I'm glad he has such an eclectic and loyal group of friends who help him.
I would have like to have some more of the back stories of the supporting characters, I hope to read about their past in a spin-off kind of book...maybe.
I recommend it, I thought at this story and these characters every time I put down the book because real life needed my attention.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for kindly giving me an advanced copy of this book to read.
November 3, 2021
Wicked Magic is a young adult urban fantasy story set in Oxford. Nathan is training to be a hunter of supernatural beings; it’s a family tradition. However, he has a few doubts about this career; he’s friends with a witch, his uncle is a vampire and his new girlfriend is a shapeshifter.
As his eighteenth birthday draws near, life gets complicated when he rescues a girl from an attack by two dark mages. During the scuffle he confiscates a rare knife, one which drains magical powers.
The supernatural world in Oxford is controlled by a council made up of witches, vampires and hunters, with each group vying for power. Nathan finds himself in the unique position of being accepted by all three groups; quite useful when help is needed. He’s about to be tested by his conscience and his fighting skills need to be at their best for what’s approaching the underworld of leafy Oxford.
I really enjoyed the setting of this book and the paranormal world was quite easy to picture. Nathan had two sides to his character, the awkward teenage boy and the hunter in training, and I thought that he developed through the story at a good pace. A couple of times I wasn’t sure if there was a prior story to this book as there were one or two references to earlier events; however, a quick search has me thinking that this is the first book in the series.
There was room for deeper character development, especially of the supporting characters, just to make them more memorable, but overall I think this was a good story in this genre and I look forward to reading more from this author.
As his eighteenth birthday draws near, life gets complicated when he rescues a girl from an attack by two dark mages. During the scuffle he confiscates a rare knife, one which drains magical powers.
The supernatural world in Oxford is controlled by a council made up of witches, vampires and hunters, with each group vying for power. Nathan finds himself in the unique position of being accepted by all three groups; quite useful when help is needed. He’s about to be tested by his conscience and his fighting skills need to be at their best for what’s approaching the underworld of leafy Oxford.
I really enjoyed the setting of this book and the paranormal world was quite easy to picture. Nathan had two sides to his character, the awkward teenage boy and the hunter in training, and I thought that he developed through the story at a good pace. A couple of times I wasn’t sure if there was a prior story to this book as there were one or two references to earlier events; however, a quick search has me thinking that this is the first book in the series.
There was room for deeper character development, especially of the supporting characters, just to make them more memorable, but overall I think this was a good story in this genre and I look forward to reading more from this author.
October 20, 2021
~About
Set in Oxford, England, Wicked Magic follows Nathan Delacroix, a socially awkward vampire hunter in training. When he saves a young girl from two thuggish men with dark magic, he’s puzzled as to why she has a ‘bird in her aura.’ Even more confusing is the mysterious knife he finds linked to powerful dark mages known only as The Sahir.
As Nathan’s eighteenth birthday looms closer, he faces his initiation to become a true hunter apprentice. However, Nathan is no longer sure he wants to be a hunter, deep in doubt over how he would protect humanity when he consorts with witches and vampires.
With dark Sahir magic continuing to surface in the streets of Oxford, Nathan and friends are pulled into situations that endanger their lives. Someone is siding with the Sahir mages, bringing trouble to Oxford, but who could it be?
~Characters
Of the characters involved, five took centre stage for me, each making the story memorable in their own way.
Nathan Delacroix is a socially awkward vampire hunter in training, his life ruled by martial arts practice and magical affairs. He is shown to be particularly sensitive to magic, his skin itching whenever he encounters powerful wards, as well as being highly observant. Throughout the story, he proved to be a firm and devoted friend, standing up for anyone no matter if they were supernatural or human. Nathan was the kind of person to always do what he thought was right, even if that meant breaking with tradition in ways that would be punished. He is definitely a character to root for and his story hooked me from start to finish.
Cynthia, Nathan’s girlfriend, seemed just as socially awkward. An athletic and kind girl, her supernatural status is kept secret until a good third of the way into the story (no spoilers here, I promise.) At times, Cynthia seemed a little unsure of herself, not feeling like she measured up to Nathan and his friends given their positions in the supernatural sphere of the world. However, Cynthia was a devoted and caring person and lent the story much heart where it needed it.
Monica, Nathan’s long time witch friend, was undeniably one of my favourite characters. Full of energy, impatient, and impulsive, she grabbed my attention from first meeting and refused to let go. Having lost her parents to a vampire attack, I came to empathise with her character and could therefore understand her distrust of vampires in general. Monica was crafty with magic and particularly passionate about wards. She was always trying to solve everyone-else’s problems, doing her best to protect those closest to her for fear she would lose them too.
Adrian Delacroix, Nathan’s hunter turned vampire uncle, was something-else. His humour was the first thing which struck me about him: he was always able to lighten a tense moment and made me smile and laugh, which immediately warmed me to him. He also proved to be caring and loyal to family, something I wasn’t expecting from a vampire member of a hunter family. Additionally, there was a low grade sadness to him at times, which made me wonder if he regretted having been turned into a vampire, if he longed to return to his former life.
Finally, we get to Benjamin Delacroix, Nathan’s father and vampire hunter. He first appeared as a stern and unaffectionate man, whose coldness toward his son made me wonder if he liked Nathan at all. Benjamin seemed chiefly concerned with the family reputation throughout the story, rather than with what Nathan needed in his life. Furthermore, Benjamin’s values conflicted with Adrian’s throughout the story, creating a great amount of tension between the two brothers. Overall, I thought I would never warm to him until the author proved me wrong at the end. For once, I saw a glimmer of the concerned father underneath, of the man behind the hunter façade, who cared deeply for his son and would stop at nothing to protect him.
~Positive Aspects
Wicked Magic has many positive elements to it, some of which I’ve included below.
-I immediately felt pulled into the author’s world. It was amazing and felt so real in an oddly relatable kind of way.
-The characters are each striking in their own unique way. You get an immediate sense of their personality.
-The author gives just enough description of people and places to allow you to imagine them without going overboard. This is a fine balance and the author has mastered it.
-The close third person narration worked well for this story: the perfect choice for maintaining intimacy with the main character, while allowing us to feel the other character’s emotions as well.
-There was a good balance of summary narration and dramatic scenes, which allowed the book to flow well, alongside its engaging writing style.
-The story has a light and friendly style of humour interspersed throughout, which lent the story a charming quality.
-I particularly liked the scene with the bonfire at the beach, where everyone threw their runed tablets in. It felt symbolic and deeply meaningful.
-The tension building was excellent, complimenting the gripping action scenes involving various supernatural beings.
-I loved how over the course of the story, Nathan’s relationship with his parents went from strict and almost unbearable, to eventually being one of genuine understanding and support. I feel that the gradual transformation of the relationship was done well and deserves recognition.
The only negative in my eyes was the climax. It felt a bit lacklustre at the end and was quickly over, whereas I was expecting a bit more of a fight and struggle.
~Memorable Quotes
During my reading, two particular quotes stood out to me.
1) ‘Maybe everybody was capable of being a monster.’
2) ‘Doubts and fears are part of being human.’
~Overview
Overall, Wicked Magic proved to be a gripping urban fantasy novel, full of supernatural creatures, parental expectations, and secrets.
My rating: 5 stars.
Recommended to: lovers of Young Adult Urban Fantasy with a heavy dose of the supernatural and just a hint of teen romance.
July 15, 2021
I was kindly provided by the author with an eARC of Wicked Magic in exchange for my honest review. Thank you, Margot, and congratulations on your debut novel!
Wicked Magic was a very solid read for me, and I whipped through it in less than three days — and busy ones at that! As many YA fantasy novels do, the story begins with a semblance of everyday normalcy — as normal as a vampire hunter's day-to-day could be, at least! We immediately receive a window into the aspects of Nathan that he shares with most teen boys, as he and his friend Matt hang out on the sidelines of a girls’ lacrosse game to ogle the players. I must admit I rolled my eyes a touch that our first encounter with the MC is so bro-y — but that’s teen boys, and it does a good job reminding us he’s not just a vampire hunter, he’s also just 17! In contrast, many other popular YA fantasy novels also set the characters' ages between 15-18 but their behaviors are pretty incongruent with their ages, because there’s often nothing grounding themselves in their youthful identities. This is just to say that it was refreshing that Margot made this effort to immediately construct a full view of Nathan as a person, a teen, and not just his responsibilities and family legacy. I also liked the clear growth we could see from beginning to end. Nathan begins as a teen exhausted by his responsibilities, doubtful of his path but fully committed to it as a matter of form, and pushing any uncertainty down. The moment Nathan finally confronted his father, after the gradual strengthening of his own set of ideals, was so satisfying. It had been such a long time coming, and the fact that although their core values are different and this is impossible to change, he was still able to show his father his perspective and the injustices he had been ignoring was great. In a genre with a lot of black-and-white character building, Margot did a great job painting this group in more reasonable shades of grey.
Outside of the characters themselves, the plotline is intriguing and suspenseful, the chain of events was quite compelling, and this book kept me eagerly reading into the night. While I often guess plot twists before they unfold, this book left just the right number of hints scattered throughout that I had an idea of where we were headed, but the actual twists remained surprising and interesting! The resolution also left enough material for a clear sequel, without making anything feel unfinished, or at the other end of the spectrum forcing a new storyline without a clear connection to the first installment.
Another very strong component of the novel was the amount of research that clearly went into the lore & the wide array of supernatural forces at work (vampires, witches, hunters, but also druids, shifters, and the variants of magic between different witches, and different energy affinities between humans). If it becomes a series (and the ending and epilogue suggest it will!) I would like to see more of this, a deeper focus on the witchcraft, particularly Anna’s faint traces of power, and the history, power, and relationship of the Druids to Nathan himself would be interesting to delve into, I think. In a sequel, I would also like to see a dive into Monica’s mental/physical/spiritual health, more attention on Kseniya, ideally some explanation of precisely why Nathan is lucky enough to have this enhanced affinity for natural energies to channel Druid practices, more on Damien in general since the degree of power, lack of desire to accumulate more, and general attraction for resentment and plots all make me veryyy interested to get some more details on his history. Lastly, maybe some perspective changes. Nothing wrong with Nathan but he’s such a “good guy” character that even the internal struggle about his initiation wasn’t enough to rock things because it felt expected for his moral foundations. The characters who are a little more questionable, maybe in a darker shade of grey, might be very compelling for a perspective shift — Adrian, Monica, Kseniya… A great debut novel that was a delight to read, and I will definitely be keeping my eye out for sequels!
Wicked Magic was a very solid read for me, and I whipped through it in less than three days — and busy ones at that! As many YA fantasy novels do, the story begins with a semblance of everyday normalcy — as normal as a vampire hunter's day-to-day could be, at least! We immediately receive a window into the aspects of Nathan that he shares with most teen boys, as he and his friend Matt hang out on the sidelines of a girls’ lacrosse game to ogle the players. I must admit I rolled my eyes a touch that our first encounter with the MC is so bro-y — but that’s teen boys, and it does a good job reminding us he’s not just a vampire hunter, he’s also just 17! In contrast, many other popular YA fantasy novels also set the characters' ages between 15-18 but their behaviors are pretty incongruent with their ages, because there’s often nothing grounding themselves in their youthful identities. This is just to say that it was refreshing that Margot made this effort to immediately construct a full view of Nathan as a person, a teen, and not just his responsibilities and family legacy. I also liked the clear growth we could see from beginning to end. Nathan begins as a teen exhausted by his responsibilities, doubtful of his path but fully committed to it as a matter of form, and pushing any uncertainty down. The moment Nathan finally confronted his father, after the gradual strengthening of his own set of ideals, was so satisfying. It had been such a long time coming, and the fact that although their core values are different and this is impossible to change, he was still able to show his father his perspective and the injustices he had been ignoring was great. In a genre with a lot of black-and-white character building, Margot did a great job painting this group in more reasonable shades of grey.
Outside of the characters themselves, the plotline is intriguing and suspenseful, the chain of events was quite compelling, and this book kept me eagerly reading into the night. While I often guess plot twists before they unfold, this book left just the right number of hints scattered throughout that I had an idea of where we were headed, but the actual twists remained surprising and interesting! The resolution also left enough material for a clear sequel, without making anything feel unfinished, or at the other end of the spectrum forcing a new storyline without a clear connection to the first installment.
Another very strong component of the novel was the amount of research that clearly went into the lore & the wide array of supernatural forces at work (vampires, witches, hunters, but also druids, shifters, and the variants of magic between different witches, and different energy affinities between humans). If it becomes a series (and the ending and epilogue suggest it will!) I would like to see more of this, a deeper focus on the witchcraft, particularly Anna’s faint traces of power, and the history, power, and relationship of the Druids to Nathan himself would be interesting to delve into, I think. In a sequel, I would also like to see a dive into Monica’s mental/physical/spiritual health, more attention on Kseniya, ideally some explanation of precisely why Nathan is lucky enough to have this enhanced affinity for natural energies to channel Druid practices, more on Damien in general since the degree of power, lack of desire to accumulate more, and general attraction for resentment and plots all make me veryyy interested to get some more details on his history. Lastly, maybe some perspective changes. Nothing wrong with Nathan but he’s such a “good guy” character that even the internal struggle about his initiation wasn’t enough to rock things because it felt expected for his moral foundations. The characters who are a little more questionable, maybe in a darker shade of grey, might be very compelling for a perspective shift — Adrian, Monica, Kseniya… A great debut novel that was a delight to read, and I will definitely be keeping my eye out for sequels!
September 23, 2021
This was an excellent, debut novel and gets a solid 3.75 ⭐️ from me. I powered through this is in less than 2 days, it was so easy to read.
The book follows Nathan who is a trainee vampire hunter from a very old and well respected hunter family. He is about to go through his initiations and the expectations and pressures are high. Nathan is trying and failing to balance his rigorous training, family obligations along with dealing with normal school work and the every day struggle of being a teenage boy. He is also unsure of the path laid out for him and doesn’t know if he is ready or whether he even wants to follow in his parents footsteps.
When a mysterious group of dark witches show up and start causing havoc, Nathan and his friends race to figure out what their motives are before someone gets hurt.
There’s lots of vampire, witch and vampire hunter politics, mystery and intrigue throughout this book and the main characters are likeable and have decent development. I loved that it was set in Oxford. There was no cliffhanger but there are hints that a second instalment could be in the works. If that’s the case, I’d like to see some of the characters like Damien and Lily get a bit more attention and development, as well as some exploration of Nathan’s affinity with warding; perhaps delving into the Druid magic that was touched upon.
Thank you to BookSirens and to the author Margot de Klerk for the free ARC in return for an open and honest review. I’m very much hoping that Margot does indeed have a sequel in the pipeline!
The book follows Nathan who is a trainee vampire hunter from a very old and well respected hunter family. He is about to go through his initiations and the expectations and pressures are high. Nathan is trying and failing to balance his rigorous training, family obligations along with dealing with normal school work and the every day struggle of being a teenage boy. He is also unsure of the path laid out for him and doesn’t know if he is ready or whether he even wants to follow in his parents footsteps.
When a mysterious group of dark witches show up and start causing havoc, Nathan and his friends race to figure out what their motives are before someone gets hurt.
There’s lots of vampire, witch and vampire hunter politics, mystery and intrigue throughout this book and the main characters are likeable and have decent development. I loved that it was set in Oxford. There was no cliffhanger but there are hints that a second instalment could be in the works. If that’s the case, I’d like to see some of the characters like Damien and Lily get a bit more attention and development, as well as some exploration of Nathan’s affinity with warding; perhaps delving into the Druid magic that was touched upon.
Thank you to BookSirens and to the author Margot de Klerk for the free ARC in return for an open and honest review. I’m very much hoping that Margot does indeed have a sequel in the pipeline!
July 3, 2022
Nathan, a vampire hunter in training, has a lot of hard choices to make when he realizes that his beliefs don’t exactly line up with the hunter ideology. But before he can make any sense of what he wants to do with his life unusual attacks start popping up around Nathan and his group of supernatural friends. Can this rag-tag bunch get to the bottom of the encroaching threat? Let’s find out.
Read if you like: YA paranormal romance, teen romance, found family, questioning the status quo, teen characters that don’t have it all figured out.
Nathan is so close to becoming a Hunter. Nathan is also a mess. His grades are awful. He’s friends with a witch and a couple of vampires and there’s something not quite human about his crush. How can he continue on this path when half of the people he cares about most are enemies in his family’s eyes? Nathan soon finds out that asking the ‘wrong’ questions leads to answers he doesn’t expect. His unique social position affords him inside information and the group quickly finds themselves in the middle of a political plot driven by dark mages who want to steal magic… and kill to take it.
I kept calling this book cute. It’s not ‘cute.’ It’s not ‘sweet.’ The teen romance is cute and sweet. The young and realistic characters are cute and sweet. But Wicked Blood has action and mystery and it’s all wrapped up around a wavering teen who boy is learning that ‘that’s the way it is’ doesn’t mean that it’s the way it should be. It is geared toward a younger teen reader. Or at least the characters seem more like actual teens unlike some YA that has overly capable and overly rational teen leads. So, maybe that’s why I kept calling it cute… because awkward teens are cute in their social flailing and illogical leaps of reason.
I really enjoyed having this book from Nathan’s perspective. It gave it a different feel from other teen/YA paranormal romance books. It could have easily been from Cynthia’s POV and we would have had yet another teen girl unknowingly caught up in a supernatural world dragging us along as she skeptically pieces together all the new info shoved her way. BUT… we don’t! (I mean Cynthia does do that, but she’s just the love interest. Ha!) We instead, have a kind, knowledgeable, and fun group of friends to help us navigate our story. It was a refreshing change of pace. It was a great YA read for those who love a teen story and I can’t wait to see what happens to our new friends next in Wicked Blood.
Thank you to NetGalley and Margo de Klerk for a copy of this fun book!
Read if you like: YA paranormal romance, teen romance, found family, questioning the status quo, teen characters that don’t have it all figured out.
Nathan is so close to becoming a Hunter. Nathan is also a mess. His grades are awful. He’s friends with a witch and a couple of vampires and there’s something not quite human about his crush. How can he continue on this path when half of the people he cares about most are enemies in his family’s eyes? Nathan soon finds out that asking the ‘wrong’ questions leads to answers he doesn’t expect. His unique social position affords him inside information and the group quickly finds themselves in the middle of a political plot driven by dark mages who want to steal magic… and kill to take it.
I kept calling this book cute. It’s not ‘cute.’ It’s not ‘sweet.’ The teen romance is cute and sweet. The young and realistic characters are cute and sweet. But Wicked Blood has action and mystery and it’s all wrapped up around a wavering teen who boy is learning that ‘that’s the way it is’ doesn’t mean that it’s the way it should be. It is geared toward a younger teen reader. Or at least the characters seem more like actual teens unlike some YA that has overly capable and overly rational teen leads. So, maybe that’s why I kept calling it cute… because awkward teens are cute in their social flailing and illogical leaps of reason.
I really enjoyed having this book from Nathan’s perspective. It gave it a different feel from other teen/YA paranormal romance books. It could have easily been from Cynthia’s POV and we would have had yet another teen girl unknowingly caught up in a supernatural world dragging us along as she skeptically pieces together all the new info shoved her way. BUT… we don’t! (I mean Cynthia does do that, but she’s just the love interest. Ha!) We instead, have a kind, knowledgeable, and fun group of friends to help us navigate our story. It was a refreshing change of pace. It was a great YA read for those who love a teen story and I can’t wait to see what happens to our new friends next in Wicked Blood.
Thank you to NetGalley and Margo de Klerk for a copy of this fun book!
January 6, 2022
A solid 4 stars! What a delightful new series and a debut novel. De Klerk creates a a supernatural landscape that is true to some tropes while adding some new twists.
Nathan is training to be a vampire hunter and dares to have friends that are other supes. His life is a mess and to make things worse… he stumbles into a bloody and deadly political mess. A great addition to the YA Horror genre and I can’t wait to read the next one.
On a personal note, while I was reading this it struck me how much YA I read with a female protagonist. This book was so refreshing to me because I was reading a YA book from a different viewpoint. It was not dramatically different, but seemed to rely on different tensions and tropes while still encapsulating the teenage experience.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Nathan is training to be a vampire hunter and dares to have friends that are other supes. His life is a mess and to make things worse… he stumbles into a bloody and deadly political mess. A great addition to the YA Horror genre and I can’t wait to read the next one.
On a personal note, while I was reading this it struck me how much YA I read with a female protagonist. This book was so refreshing to me because I was reading a YA book from a different viewpoint. It was not dramatically different, but seemed to rely on different tensions and tropes while still encapsulating the teenage experience.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 21, 2022
4.5 stars
Wicked Magic was so, so good and I powered through this is in less than 2 days (while I wastrying to survive a horde of zombies lovingly caring for my poor family who caught the flu).
~ The story
Nathan Delacroix is a few weeks away from turning 18. As a descendent of an old line of vampire hunters, it also means the countdown for his initiation as a proper hunter has started. He has spent all his life training for this moment - trying to balance his hunter training, school, and the stellar expectations his family harbour for him. However, on the cusp of graduation, he has more doubts than ever about whether he is ready and, more worryingly, it is his true calling.
Not that his best friend being a witch and his crush a supernatural has anything to do with said doubts. Nor secretly being on (more than) friendly terms with a couple of vampires.
But when a mysterious group of dark witches show up and the lives of those he loves are at stake, well, Nathan will have to stop doubting himself and race against time to solve the mystery.
~ My thoughts
Wicked Magic had me hooked from page one, thanks to a smooth narration and a very well-developed cast of characters.
Nathan was a great narrator, managing to pull the readers into the story and making them care for its characters. Moreover, hunting training and magical stuff aside, he was an actual teenager acting/thinking as an 18-year-old would do - a quite rare thing in the YA scenario which made the story believable and, hence, stronger. I loved how his character developed throughout the story and how his relationship with his (distant, demanding) parents evolved accordingly.
The other characters were well-rounded - each one utterly relatable in their own unique way. The bonds that connected them to Nathan, their motives and their struggles were tangible - which, again, contributed to making the reader feel them and root for them. Above all, I loved Aunt Anna, the figure closest to a parent Nathan had, and, of course, Adrian - Nathan’s hunter-turned-vampire-hence-banished-from-the-family uncle, with his unwavering sense of humour and mischievous attitude that hid a conflicted yet caring soul.
The plot was gripping, full of action, mystery and suspense. There was also a hint of romance (very sweet, I may add) that did not detract from the story, but rather enhanced it even more.
My only (minor) issue was with the worldbuilding: I would have loved to know more about the relationships among the three main factions (hunters, vampires and witches) and the role played by the other supernaturals
All in all, it was a great debut novel!
Since the story wrapped up quite nicely, but there was a hint of something more, I will definitely be keeping my eye out for the sequel(s)!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thanks to the Author, Netgalley and BookSirens for the opportunity.
Wicked Magic was so, so good and I powered through this is in less than 2 days (while I was
~ The story
Nathan Delacroix is a few weeks away from turning 18. As a descendent of an old line of vampire hunters, it also means the countdown for his initiation as a proper hunter has started. He has spent all his life training for this moment - trying to balance his hunter training, school, and the stellar expectations his family harbour for him. However, on the cusp of graduation, he has more doubts than ever about whether he is ready and, more worryingly, it is his true calling.
Not that his best friend being a witch and his crush a supernatural has anything to do with said doubts. Nor secretly being on (more than) friendly terms with a couple of vampires.
But when a mysterious group of dark witches show up and the lives of those he loves are at stake, well, Nathan will have to stop doubting himself and race against time to solve the mystery.
Hunters thought the noblest goal was to protect humans from supernaturals, but what if there was another, more important goal?
Who protected the supernaturals who couldn’t look out for themselves? Who protected the supernaturals from each other?
Maybe hunters had it all wrong. Maybe the monsters weren’t just the supernaturals. Maybe everybody was capable of being a monster.
~ My thoughts
Wicked Magic had me hooked from page one, thanks to a smooth narration and a very well-developed cast of characters.
Nathan was a great narrator, managing to pull the readers into the story and making them care for its characters. Moreover, hunting training and magical stuff aside, he was an actual teenager acting/thinking as an 18-year-old would do - a quite rare thing in the YA scenario which made the story believable and, hence, stronger. I loved how his character developed throughout the story and how his relationship with his (distant, demanding) parents evolved accordingly.
The other characters were well-rounded - each one utterly relatable in their own unique way. The bonds that connected them to Nathan, their motives and their struggles were tangible - which, again, contributed to making the reader feel them and root for them. Above all, I loved Aunt Anna, the figure closest to a parent Nathan had, and, of course, Adrian - Nathan’s hunter-turned-vampire-hence-banished-from-the-family uncle, with his unwavering sense of humour and mischievous attitude that hid a conflicted yet caring soul.
The plot was gripping, full of action, mystery and suspense. There was also a hint of romance (very sweet, I may add) that did not detract from the story, but rather enhanced it even more.
My only (minor) issue was with the worldbuilding: I would have loved to know more about the relationships among the three main factions (hunters, vampires and witches) and the role played by the other supernaturals
All in all, it was a great debut novel!
Since the story wrapped up quite nicely, but there was a hint of something more, I will definitely be keeping my eye out for the sequel(s)!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thanks to the Author, Netgalley and BookSirens for the opportunity.
October 11, 2021
When I saw this book on BookSirens and read the synopsis I knew I wanted that arc. Vampires, Hunters, Oxford and politics, I was quite convinced that it couldn't go wrong and that this would be totally my thing. So, when I finished my book yesterday and had half an hour of spare time left I gave the book a start. I actually planned on finishing the book only tomorrow, but I decided to power through so I could finish today.
I have to admit that it's not because the book was that good that I couldn't put it down. I was more afraid that if I would put it down, I would lose motivation to pick it up again. Let me say that the book is absolutely not bad. I totally think there are people who will enjoy this story. The writing style is very easy to read, there is loads of action and the plot is interesting enough to want to know what's going on.
However, what I missed in this book were the emotions. I didn't feel anything while reading. I didn't really care about the characters, I didn't even get the idea I knew them that well and I could never really make the connection and I think it has to do with the writing style. The book is very focussed on describing what's going on. It's focussed on what's being said, who does what and who goes where. But it doesn't show much. It tells a lot, but shows very little.
I also had some issues with the world building. Don't get me wrong, it's quite clear that the author put a lot of time in the world building, the mythology and the backstories of the characters, I just think that too much happened off page. I really got the feeling that this was NOT the first book in the series, that I missed something, that a lot of important stuff had happened before the story started and it made me feel like an outsider.
If you like action-packed YA novels with realistic teenage characters and loads of supernaturals and politics and don't mind too much that it's not an emotional read, this is a great book for you. However, if you're more of an emotion reader and really want to feel something while reading, this might not be the book for you.
I have to admit that it's not because the book was that good that I couldn't put it down. I was more afraid that if I would put it down, I would lose motivation to pick it up again. Let me say that the book is absolutely not bad. I totally think there are people who will enjoy this story. The writing style is very easy to read, there is loads of action and the plot is interesting enough to want to know what's going on.
However, what I missed in this book were the emotions. I didn't feel anything while reading. I didn't really care about the characters, I didn't even get the idea I knew them that well and I could never really make the connection and I think it has to do with the writing style. The book is very focussed on describing what's going on. It's focussed on what's being said, who does what and who goes where. But it doesn't show much. It tells a lot, but shows very little.
I also had some issues with the world building. Don't get me wrong, it's quite clear that the author put a lot of time in the world building, the mythology and the backstories of the characters, I just think that too much happened off page. I really got the feeling that this was NOT the first book in the series, that I missed something, that a lot of important stuff had happened before the story started and it made me feel like an outsider.
If you like action-packed YA novels with realistic teenage characters and loads of supernaturals and politics and don't mind too much that it's not an emotional read, this is a great book for you. However, if you're more of an emotion reader and really want to feel something while reading, this might not be the book for you.
September 6, 2021
A few months ago, the author of Wicked Magic reached out to me requesting I read and review her debut novel. I get a few of these requests a year, and after some truly awful reads, I’ve become quite picky about which ones I’ll agree to read and which ones I will not. I did a bit of research, and after a couple of email conversations with Ms. de Klerk, I agreed to read the book. Given my history with debut novelists, I didn’t go into the book with high hopes, to be bluntly honest. However, after tripping over the differences in language/word choices (British vs. American) in the first couple of chapters, I fell into a good groove with it and found myself firmly entrenched in the magic and mystery unfolding between the pages, even though new adult fantasy isn’t at the top of my favorite types of reads list. I found the twists and turns of the suspense engaging, felt the pain and struggle of Nathan’s journey deeply, and had no desire to put the book down when life interrupted my reading time.
Wicked Magic is a very strong debut novel. I don’t say that very often, so I hope that holds some weight with those who follow any of my reviews. It’s well written with a pace that builds momentum as the suspense builds (as it should) and enough bread crumbs to keep you turning the pages until the end. I enjoyed it so much that I’m hoping for a sequel. However, it does NOT contain a cliffhanger. I thought the author did a great job giving just a hint that the story could potentially continue without leaving the reader feeling as if the story didn’t come to a reasonable conclusion. If you’re a fan of young adult fantasy/paranormal romance, I highly recommend giving this author a chance.
NICUnurse’s Rating: I give Wicked Magic by Margot de Klerk 4 out of 5 stars!
Wicked Magic is a very strong debut novel. I don’t say that very often, so I hope that holds some weight with those who follow any of my reviews. It’s well written with a pace that builds momentum as the suspense builds (as it should) and enough bread crumbs to keep you turning the pages until the end. I enjoyed it so much that I’m hoping for a sequel. However, it does NOT contain a cliffhanger. I thought the author did a great job giving just a hint that the story could potentially continue without leaving the reader feeling as if the story didn’t come to a reasonable conclusion. If you’re a fan of young adult fantasy/paranormal romance, I highly recommend giving this author a chance.
NICUnurse’s Rating: I give Wicked Magic by Margot de Klerk 4 out of 5 stars!
April 16, 2022
Nathan Delacroix, a vampire hunter-in-training, is on the brink of his eighteenth birthday, and, in turn, his initiation into being an official hunter. However, despite coming from a long line of vampire hunters, he has reservations about the path chosen for him. This line of work doesn't encourage association with the type of friends he has: a vampire here, a witch there, even his hunter-turned-vampire uncle otherwise ostracized by the Delacroix family. On top of this, after seeking out a bit of normalcy, he discovers his new girlfriend is a shapeshifter.
This story follows Nathan as he fights to preserve the safety of his friends and make sense of the path he wants to take whilst weaving his way through the convoluted and corrupted politics of the triumvirate of the Hunter, Witch, and Vampire Councils.
The magic laws and systems in this novel were a bit hard to follow at first, but questions I had were answered in time (namely the nature of this world's magic, what creatures have it vested in them, and who can use it despite their non-magical essence). The political environment explored is a significant focal point of the story and intriguing.
We see Nathan's internal conflict as he calls into question the morals of the Hunter's Council his family is ever-loyal to, but I would've liked to see it more in-depth so I could really feel for him and his struggle. His best friend, Monica, an impassioned and impulsive figure, has infinite care for Nathan, and whilst she utilizes her agency, it's primarily in context to our protagonist, kind of fixing her up as just a side character rather than a person unto herself. Cynthia, Nathan's love interest, is pretty and sweet, but outside of her role as the girlfriend and occasional damsel-in-distress, I had a harder time connecting to her. The intrigue of her shapeshifting ability is used once to evoke awe, and later to very briefly contribute to the climax, and I would've liked to see it explored a bit more. I did really enjoy Adrian, Nathan's hunter-turned-vampire uncle. Of all of the characters, his history and being are most compelling as we see better-developed conflict in internal and external morals surrounding his nature as recognized by others, and his ability to keep himself aligned to his own principles. Aside from this, he fills the story out as comedic relief and gets away with it because he has enough solid characterization to withstand the archetype.
At times when reading this, I found it a tad difficult to orient myself to the story. Some of the dialogue seemed a bit stilted, and I felt I had to fill in more visual descriptions on my own rather than absorbing something that was provided. Despite this, it's an enjoyable read.
If you're drawn to paranormal stories with witches, vampires, and the like within the intended audience of the YA market, you may enjoy this novel! It was surely a nice way to pass the time, and I'm looking to continue this series.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This story follows Nathan as he fights to preserve the safety of his friends and make sense of the path he wants to take whilst weaving his way through the convoluted and corrupted politics of the triumvirate of the Hunter, Witch, and Vampire Councils.
The magic laws and systems in this novel were a bit hard to follow at first, but questions I had were answered in time (namely the nature of this world's magic, what creatures have it vested in them, and who can use it despite their non-magical essence). The political environment explored is a significant focal point of the story and intriguing.
We see Nathan's internal conflict as he calls into question the morals of the Hunter's Council his family is ever-loyal to, but I would've liked to see it more in-depth so I could really feel for him and his struggle. His best friend, Monica, an impassioned and impulsive figure, has infinite care for Nathan, and whilst she utilizes her agency, it's primarily in context to our protagonist, kind of fixing her up as just a side character rather than a person unto herself. Cynthia, Nathan's love interest, is pretty and sweet, but outside of her role as the girlfriend and occasional damsel-in-distress, I had a harder time connecting to her. The intrigue of her shapeshifting ability is used once to evoke awe, and later to very briefly contribute to the climax, and I would've liked to see it explored a bit more. I did really enjoy Adrian, Nathan's hunter-turned-vampire uncle. Of all of the characters, his history and being are most compelling as we see better-developed conflict in internal and external morals surrounding his nature as recognized by others, and his ability to keep himself aligned to his own principles. Aside from this, he fills the story out as comedic relief and gets away with it because he has enough solid characterization to withstand the archetype.
At times when reading this, I found it a tad difficult to orient myself to the story. Some of the dialogue seemed a bit stilted, and I felt I had to fill in more visual descriptions on my own rather than absorbing something that was provided. Despite this, it's an enjoyable read.
If you're drawn to paranormal stories with witches, vampires, and the like within the intended audience of the YA market, you may enjoy this novel! It was surely a nice way to pass the time, and I'm looking to continue this series.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 8, 2021
"Rule number one about Vampires: Never look in their eyes." Nathan -Wicked Magic.
Nathan is not having a good year; his Initiation as Vampire Hunter is slowly creeping closer. He has trouble talking to girls -Cynthia took off running for the hills on their first date, his parents are not around much, and he is training so hard that he is failing school. What else could go wrong? What about a secret coven of witches practising black magic, his Vampire uncle, whom he should not see and on top of it all, his girlfriend is kidnapped. Did I mention the bit about him visiting both the Vampires and Witches at their headquarters and nearly being killed by a Sahir's black magic knife?
"Maybe hunters had it all wrong. Maybe monsters weren't just the supernatural." Nathan - Wicked Magic.
Nathan Delacroix is a descendent of an old line of hunters, whose reputation became stained when Adrian was turned and never killed by his family. Ironically Adrian is one of Nathan's best friends. Monica is a witch who has been taken in by Jeremiah -leader of the Vampires in Oxford (it takes place in Oxford - hence the subtitle), and she will wreak a vengeance most painful if Nathan is to be hurt in Jeremiah's territory.
"Witches are as the serpent was to Eve. Their slippery magic perverse their morals." Aodhàn"
Nathan tries to figure out who he is and what he wants while protecting those he loves and becoming embroiled in a conspiracy much above his paygrade.
This is a fantastic new YA read, and I will wait for more to come. However, it would be fine as a standalone as well. Nathan is still an actual teenager with teenage problems, which makes the story believable. I like that the author does not bring Christianity into account or misuses the Lord's Name. Neither does she use unnecessary profanity, and the one curse word used is acceptable under the circumstances. I would recommend this book to any lover of great Fantasy reads.
Nathan is not having a good year; his Initiation as Vampire Hunter is slowly creeping closer. He has trouble talking to girls -Cynthia took off running for the hills on their first date, his parents are not around much, and he is training so hard that he is failing school. What else could go wrong? What about a secret coven of witches practising black magic, his Vampire uncle, whom he should not see and on top of it all, his girlfriend is kidnapped. Did I mention the bit about him visiting both the Vampires and Witches at their headquarters and nearly being killed by a Sahir's black magic knife?
"Maybe hunters had it all wrong. Maybe monsters weren't just the supernatural." Nathan - Wicked Magic.
Nathan Delacroix is a descendent of an old line of hunters, whose reputation became stained when Adrian was turned and never killed by his family. Ironically Adrian is one of Nathan's best friends. Monica is a witch who has been taken in by Jeremiah -leader of the Vampires in Oxford (it takes place in Oxford - hence the subtitle), and she will wreak a vengeance most painful if Nathan is to be hurt in Jeremiah's territory.
"Witches are as the serpent was to Eve. Their slippery magic perverse their morals." Aodhàn"
Nathan tries to figure out who he is and what he wants while protecting those he loves and becoming embroiled in a conspiracy much above his paygrade.
This is a fantastic new YA read, and I will wait for more to come. However, it would be fine as a standalone as well. Nathan is still an actual teenager with teenage problems, which makes the story believable. I like that the author does not bring Christianity into account or misuses the Lord's Name. Neither does she use unnecessary profanity, and the one curse word used is acceptable under the circumstances. I would recommend this book to any lover of great Fantasy reads.
July 19, 2022
Actual rating: 2.5/5
With his initiation only months away, Nate decides to risk it all and delve into Oxford's supernatural intrigue in Wicked Magic by Margot de Klerk
Nate was an intriguing main character. At 17, he's trying to juggle going to human school and hunter training, and failing at it, while hiding most of his association with the supernatural from his strict guardians, and even stricter parents. But he's also a teenage boy, with many of the stereotypical straits that implies, though he mainly doesn't understand girls—a fact he doesn't hesitate to remind us of very often throughout the book. Though he truly shines as a character when he starts to uncover the wider conspiracy behind the deaths in Oxford.
Though I wasn't particularly interested by her character, Cynthia is a good pairing for Nick and their budding romance was sweet. De Klerk emphasises the importance of communication and consent that I thought was delightful, and only softened Nick's character further.
However, it's de Klerk's secondary characters that steal the show. As a hunter turned vampire Adrian struggles with his immortality at times, while Monica puts on an excellent façade as a witch on the verge of magical burnout. Even Lily, who doesn't appear as often, grabbed my attention more than the main pair, while I'd have loved to see more of the vampire hierarchical structure.
De Klerk's supernatural world is made up of a three part council that governs its denizens, the witches, the vampires and the hunters, from a historic seat at Oxford, though we come to find out there are other supernatural creatures out there. De Klerk does an overall decent job of worldbuilding, the supernatural blends well into the historic parts of the city, while the powers and limitations of each species are well defined, especially in the latter half of the book.
Where Wicked Magic suffers the most is its pacing. The first half of the book concentrates mainly on Nick, his developing relationship with Cynthia and his dilemma with the initiation, while there is very little of the actual plot that appears in the second half. The book becomes fast paced and much more engaging, with earlier scenes suddenly making sense, and the characters coming together to actually further the story. Unfortunately, it was also over too fast, though I did like how the book ended.
Overall Wicked Magic by Margot de Klerk left me ambivalent. There is so much potential in it but it's dragged down by a need to set up the characters just so, which includes reading about Nick's inability to understand girls often enough that I could see the line coming. De Klerk has the dynamic and engaging writing style needed to get better, so I'll still be keeping an eye out for her books in the future.
With his initiation only months away, Nate decides to risk it all and delve into Oxford's supernatural intrigue in Wicked Magic by Margot de Klerk
Nate was an intriguing main character. At 17, he's trying to juggle going to human school and hunter training, and failing at it, while hiding most of his association with the supernatural from his strict guardians, and even stricter parents. But he's also a teenage boy, with many of the stereotypical straits that implies, though he mainly doesn't understand girls—a fact he doesn't hesitate to remind us of very often throughout the book. Though he truly shines as a character when he starts to uncover the wider conspiracy behind the deaths in Oxford.
Though I wasn't particularly interested by her character, Cynthia is a good pairing for Nick and their budding romance was sweet. De Klerk emphasises the importance of communication and consent that I thought was delightful, and only softened Nick's character further.
However, it's de Klerk's secondary characters that steal the show. As a hunter turned vampire Adrian struggles with his immortality at times, while Monica puts on an excellent façade as a witch on the verge of magical burnout. Even Lily, who doesn't appear as often, grabbed my attention more than the main pair, while I'd have loved to see more of the vampire hierarchical structure.
De Klerk's supernatural world is made up of a three part council that governs its denizens, the witches, the vampires and the hunters, from a historic seat at Oxford, though we come to find out there are other supernatural creatures out there. De Klerk does an overall decent job of worldbuilding, the supernatural blends well into the historic parts of the city, while the powers and limitations of each species are well defined, especially in the latter half of the book.
Where Wicked Magic suffers the most is its pacing. The first half of the book concentrates mainly on Nick, his developing relationship with Cynthia and his dilemma with the initiation, while there is very little of the actual plot that appears in the second half. The book becomes fast paced and much more engaging, with earlier scenes suddenly making sense, and the characters coming together to actually further the story. Unfortunately, it was also over too fast, though I did like how the book ended.
Overall Wicked Magic by Margot de Klerk left me ambivalent. There is so much potential in it but it's dragged down by a need to set up the characters just so, which includes reading about Nick's inability to understand girls often enough that I could see the line coming. De Klerk has the dynamic and engaging writing style needed to get better, so I'll still be keeping an eye out for her books in the future.
December 28, 2022
I've lost count of the number of requests I receive from authors of slayer-vampire type stories, but from the get go, Wicked Magic by Margot de Klerk won me over. Perhaps it is because I've got a soft spot for Oxford or the fact that she has the same surname as my grandmother, but yeah, sometimes I say yay to reviews based purely on a whim. This was one that I do not regret.
Look, this is stock-standard urban fantasy, so if you're a fan of Supernatural, Buffy, et al, you'll be on familiar turf with our dear Nathan Delacroix, a generational vampire hunter. Just shy of his 18th birthday, he has so many expectations to live up to, and balancing his school work with his nascent career as a hereditary vampire hunter is anything but easy.
Added to this is the wee complication that he's friends with the very creatures he's being trained to hunt – namely his uncle, who was turned into a vampire during a botched hunt. Not only that, but Nathan is having second thoughts about this whole vampire hunter thing, and with both his parents so heavily involved in the family business, it's tricky for Nathan to communicate his complicated feelings surrounding the matter.
While he navigates the typical issues young men his age face, he also finds himself embroiled in a bigger problem that threatens the fragile equilibrium of the supernatural community. In a society where extremists lurk in the shadows, Nathan must navigate a difficult middle path, often facing dangers that would make ordinary folks run for the hills.
If you're looking for a YA urban fantasy read that will effortlessly take you on a trip to an atmospheric UK university town, then I recommend Wicked Magic. The plot is well thought out, the characters are engaging, and the often snarky dialogue between characters a delight. I'll happily read more of De Klerk's writing. This one gets five black bats from me.
Look, this is stock-standard urban fantasy, so if you're a fan of Supernatural, Buffy, et al, you'll be on familiar turf with our dear Nathan Delacroix, a generational vampire hunter. Just shy of his 18th birthday, he has so many expectations to live up to, and balancing his school work with his nascent career as a hereditary vampire hunter is anything but easy.
Added to this is the wee complication that he's friends with the very creatures he's being trained to hunt – namely his uncle, who was turned into a vampire during a botched hunt. Not only that, but Nathan is having second thoughts about this whole vampire hunter thing, and with both his parents so heavily involved in the family business, it's tricky for Nathan to communicate his complicated feelings surrounding the matter.
While he navigates the typical issues young men his age face, he also finds himself embroiled in a bigger problem that threatens the fragile equilibrium of the supernatural community. In a society where extremists lurk in the shadows, Nathan must navigate a difficult middle path, often facing dangers that would make ordinary folks run for the hills.
If you're looking for a YA urban fantasy read that will effortlessly take you on a trip to an atmospheric UK university town, then I recommend Wicked Magic. The plot is well thought out, the characters are engaging, and the often snarky dialogue between characters a delight. I'll happily read more of De Klerk's writing. This one gets five black bats from me.
July 13, 2022
Wicked Magic is a young adult fantasy book set in Oxford, Nathan Delacroix, our protagonist, is training to become a vampire hunter, its a family tradition because the Delacroix family is one of the oldest vampire-hunting families, but he is doubting how moral and ethical what they are doing is, especially because he is best friends with a witch called Monica and has a very strong relationship with his uncle Adrian who was once a vampire hunter but was turned into a vampire, he also has other vampire friends like Lily, also the girl he likes is a shape-shifter so its all very complicated. I found the world the story was set in very interesting because It is controlled by a council containing 3 witches, 3 vampires,s and 3 hunters who make sure everything is fair but they are not doing a very good job at it, I would also have liked more world-building because what I read was captivating and I wished I had seen more. Ad Nathan's 18 birthday approaches so does, his initiation as a hunter but as I mentioned before he is doubting how much he wants to become a hunter, at the same time trouble is starting in Oxford. Wicked magic was a solid read and the characters were very relatable with Nathan being an awkward teenage boy, there was also a clear development in all of the characters, not just the main ones. All in all, I found this book a pretty enjoyable read and very pleasant to read.
August 1, 2022
While I rarely read books mainly focused on a male main character this was refreshing for me to read. The author was able to bring in not only the fantasy of the hunter, vampire, witch, and shift worlds but also real personal problems such as family obligations and school/life balance as a teenager turning 18. The setting of the story is in the UK but as a North American reader it wasn’t full with slang or over the top British-isms that me out of the book sometimes. I appreciated that the story wasn’t just about Nathan trying to be what his family wants but what he wants to do for good in the world while also just being an awkward teenager. This is a good book to show that it’s okay not to believe what your family believes and sometimes your own path is the road you must take. For the first book in the series it really roped me in and I can’t wait for the story to continue and more of the world to unfold. As someone that reads a lot of vampire focused book this one is a unique book that I will think back on. The relationship blooming between Nathan and Cynthia is sweet and innocent as they trying to navigate the supernatural and the real world.
My only thing that I’ll nitpick is for a space between the text messages and the rest of the writing since I think so get lost sometimes but that’s just personal preference.
Can’t wait for the second book!
(ARC provided from NetGalley for honest review.)
My only thing that I’ll nitpick is for a space between the text messages and the rest of the writing since I think so get lost sometimes but that’s just personal preference.
Can’t wait for the second book!
(ARC provided from NetGalley for honest review.)
October 7, 2025
Wicked Magic is a young adult fantasy book set in Oxford, Nathan Delacroix, our protagonist, is training to become a vampire hunter, its a family tradition because the Delacroix family is one of the oldest vampire-hunting families, but he is doubting how moral and ethical what they are doing is, especially because he is best friends with a witch called Monica and has a very strong relationship with his uncle Adrian who was once a vampire hunter but was turned into a vampire, he also has other vampire friends like Lily, also the girl he likes is a shape-shifter so its all very complicated. I found the world the story was set in very interesting because It is controlled by a council containing 3 witches, 3 vampires,s and 3 hunters who make sure everything is fair but they are not doing a very good job at it, I would also have liked more world-building because what I read was captivating and I wished I had seen more. Ad Nathan's 18 birthday approaches so does, his initiation as a hunter but as I mentioned before he is doubting how much he wants to become a hunter, at the same time trouble is starting in Oxford. Wicked magic was a solid read and the characters were very relatable with Nathan being an awkward teenage boy, there was also a clear development in all of the characters, not just the main ones. All in all, I found this book a pretty enjoyable read and very pleasant to read
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July 15, 2022Book Review
Book: Wicked Magic
Author: Margot de Klerk
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 3 stars
My Review:
Thank you Netgally for providing me with the eARC of this book in return of my honest review
I requested Wicked Magic because of its blulb and its beautiful cover. Though I can’t say that I loved this book, it liked it enough. This book revolved around the vampires, vampire hunters, witches, and everything related to supernatural world. You will meet shifters, druids, black mages, and what not. You will also find a lot of teenage high school drama, adult politics, supernatural councils, magical wards, magical prisons and every other cool thing. With all these adventurous things going on, the story will not bore you for more than half of this book.
The story revolves around, Nathan, who belongs to a hunters family and is training for more than half of his life to become a hunter. Everyone around him knows that he would be a great hunter one day, but no one knows that Nathan is fighting with his inner conscious over the hunter codes and ethics. He is having suspicions about their way of living, whether it would be a good life to kill vampires, what if vampires are not as bad as hunters seem to make them. What if he has to kill his vampire friends? During all this drama, he meets a girl, who, he later comes to know that, is not a normal human but a supernatural being. What if a more powerful black mages starts making trouble in the city? And his presence poses a threat to the people Nathan loves? Would the council help him or not?
The things I liked about this book are, firstly it is a fast paced book and you would probably finish it in two days. The writing style of the author is very smooth and easy to comprehend. The author has not provided lengthy descriptions of scenes and surroundings, and included more dialogues than descriptions. Secondly, I also loved the world-building of this story. It actually gave me Shadowhunters vibes with all the vampires and council politics.
The things I did not like about this book: I actually like side characters more than leading characters. Nathan was sometimes too annoying. Half of the time he did not even know what he was doing, and the things he did seemed irrational to me. Cynthia, who was the main female character, was actually the most under-developed character. I felt like author has given more importance to Monica (a side character) than Cynthia. My favorite character was Adrian who was Nathan’s uncle, because he was funny, brave, and a pain in the ass. Also I felf like the ending was not adequate. The ending itself was great, but the actions leading the ending were too confused and muddled that I just wanted to get over with the final characters.
On the whole, it was a nice story. If you are a fan of vampire, witches, and hunters, this book is for you.
Book: Wicked Magic
Author: Margot de Klerk
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 3 stars
My Review:
Thank you Netgally for providing me with the eARC of this book in return of my honest review
I requested Wicked Magic because of its blulb and its beautiful cover. Though I can’t say that I loved this book, it liked it enough. This book revolved around the vampires, vampire hunters, witches, and everything related to supernatural world. You will meet shifters, druids, black mages, and what not. You will also find a lot of teenage high school drama, adult politics, supernatural councils, magical wards, magical prisons and every other cool thing. With all these adventurous things going on, the story will not bore you for more than half of this book.
The story revolves around, Nathan, who belongs to a hunters family and is training for more than half of his life to become a hunter. Everyone around him knows that he would be a great hunter one day, but no one knows that Nathan is fighting with his inner conscious over the hunter codes and ethics. He is having suspicions about their way of living, whether it would be a good life to kill vampires, what if vampires are not as bad as hunters seem to make them. What if he has to kill his vampire friends? During all this drama, he meets a girl, who, he later comes to know that, is not a normal human but a supernatural being. What if a more powerful black mages starts making trouble in the city? And his presence poses a threat to the people Nathan loves? Would the council help him or not?
The things I liked about this book are, firstly it is a fast paced book and you would probably finish it in two days. The writing style of the author is very smooth and easy to comprehend. The author has not provided lengthy descriptions of scenes and surroundings, and included more dialogues than descriptions. Secondly, I also loved the world-building of this story. It actually gave me Shadowhunters vibes with all the vampires and council politics.
The things I did not like about this book: I actually like side characters more than leading characters. Nathan was sometimes too annoying. Half of the time he did not even know what he was doing, and the things he did seemed irrational to me. Cynthia, who was the main female character, was actually the most under-developed character. I felt like author has given more importance to Monica (a side character) than Cynthia. My favorite character was Adrian who was Nathan’s uncle, because he was funny, brave, and a pain in the ass. Also I felf like the ending was not adequate. The ending itself was great, but the actions leading the ending were too confused and muddled that I just wanted to get over with the final characters.
On the whole, it was a nice story. If you are a fan of vampire, witches, and hunters, this book is for you.
July 16, 2022
I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
A surprisingly refreshing ya paranormal novel, Wicked Magic follows the life of vampire hunter-in-training Nathan as he prepares for his initiation and navigates life in Oxford as a teenage hunter. There was a lot I enjoyed about this book and the number one thing was that Nathan already knew that supernatural creatures aren't evil. We didn't have to watch Nathan go through the realization that vampires aren't monsters etc. etc. The book did deal with him reckoning with the fact that hunters can be monsters too, but he was already questioning whether he wanted to be a hunter from before the books events, so we got to skip the cliche parts of a paranormal/vampire book. And there was no hunter/vampire romance either! de Klerk manages to skip these tired tropes/cliches and has created a book that is solidly rooted in the relationships between the characters. A really solid debut from de Klerk, which I think will be an excellent YA series.
A surprisingly refreshing ya paranormal novel, Wicked Magic follows the life of vampire hunter-in-training Nathan as he prepares for his initiation and navigates life in Oxford as a teenage hunter. There was a lot I enjoyed about this book and the number one thing was that Nathan already knew that supernatural creatures aren't evil. We didn't have to watch Nathan go through the realization that vampires aren't monsters etc. etc. The book did deal with him reckoning with the fact that hunters can be monsters too, but he was already questioning whether he wanted to be a hunter from before the books events, so we got to skip the cliche parts of a paranormal/vampire book. And there was no hunter/vampire romance either! de Klerk manages to skip these tired tropes/cliches and has created a book that is solidly rooted in the relationships between the characters. A really solid debut from de Klerk, which I think will be an excellent YA series.
March 17, 2022
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I really enjoyed this book! It is the perfect combination of YA, supernatural/paranormal, entertainment and mystery. I really enjoyed that the main character is male and it doesn't have the love story angst that is so common place in this genre as well. It sets it apart, but also has all the pieces of a good YA story to keep you engaged. The main character is a normal teenage guy, aside from coming from a famous vampire hunter family, but he views the world differently than his parents. Other creatures in the world include vampires, witches, shifters and druids. This story is a great one about friendship and acceptance of others, going against the pressure of parents or society, and also includes a good mystery that unfolds and resolves itself without ending on a cliffhanger. All in all, I highly recommend this book if you enjoy YA and look forward to other books by this author.
I really enjoyed this book! It is the perfect combination of YA, supernatural/paranormal, entertainment and mystery. I really enjoyed that the main character is male and it doesn't have the love story angst that is so common place in this genre as well. It sets it apart, but also has all the pieces of a good YA story to keep you engaged. The main character is a normal teenage guy, aside from coming from a famous vampire hunter family, but he views the world differently than his parents. Other creatures in the world include vampires, witches, shifters and druids. This story is a great one about friendship and acceptance of others, going against the pressure of parents or society, and also includes a good mystery that unfolds and resolves itself without ending on a cliffhanger. All in all, I highly recommend this book if you enjoy YA and look forward to other books by this author.
July 1, 2022
I received an arc in exchange for an honest review ***
I enjoyed how easy this book was to follow, the world building was very straightforward and the characters were memorable. I got the feeling as it progressed however that this wasn't the first book in the series, but it is! It referenced past events, so that was confusing to follow at first, but it did get better. There could have been more character development, but that can be hard to do without overwhelming the audience, which the author managed to avoid in their world building.
I liked how the main character had two sides to his personality, the teenage boy and the hunter who is just trying to get by. There was a mix of action and character development, especially for the characters close to Nathan. Overall, a worth while read to be sure.
I enjoyed how easy this book was to follow, the world building was very straightforward and the characters were memorable. I got the feeling as it progressed however that this wasn't the first book in the series, but it is! It referenced past events, so that was confusing to follow at first, but it did get better. There could have been more character development, but that can be hard to do without overwhelming the audience, which the author managed to avoid in their world building.
I liked how the main character had two sides to his personality, the teenage boy and the hunter who is just trying to get by. There was a mix of action and character development, especially for the characters close to Nathan. Overall, a worth while read to be sure.
July 20, 2022
Being in high school and in the middle of training to be a Hunter is not all its cracked up to be. Nathan has a lot to juggle, and unfortunately he is not managing so well. With the help of some witch friends and his vampire uncle, Nathan sets out to find out what is going on in Oxford. His parents, however, are unhappy with the company that he is keeping.
Opinion
To sum my opinion up in one word, I'd say "epic." This book has all of the promise that the first HP book had: a young hero, action, a magical word and good friends. I think my students who find themselves consumed by books will fly through this one. I have high hopes for this series and cannot wait to get my hands on the next book.
Many thanks to Net Galley and Margot de Klerk for providing me with an ARC of this book.
Opinion
To sum my opinion up in one word, I'd say "epic." This book has all of the promise that the first HP book had: a young hero, action, a magical word and good friends. I think my students who find themselves consumed by books will fly through this one. I have high hopes for this series and cannot wait to get my hands on the next book.
Many thanks to Net Galley and Margot de Klerk for providing me with an ARC of this book.
July 20, 2021
CAPTIVATING!
I have been hooked from page one. This book drew me in right from the beginning, keeping my attention throughout. A very well developed cast of characters really zeroing in on how teenagers think. The plot kept me guessing with all the twists and turns and I never anticipated the ending, which is unusual for me. Monica, Adrians and Cynthia’s characters really intrigued me, I’m looking forward to Cynthia’s story and more! It was easy to empathize and root for Nathan, I thought his character development was extremely well done.
If you want a book that keeps you up all night because you just can’t put it down, this is it!
I have been hooked from page one. This book drew me in right from the beginning, keeping my attention throughout. A very well developed cast of characters really zeroing in on how teenagers think. The plot kept me guessing with all the twists and turns and I never anticipated the ending, which is unusual for me. Monica, Adrians and Cynthia’s characters really intrigued me, I’m looking forward to Cynthia’s story and more! It was easy to empathize and root for Nathan, I thought his character development was extremely well done.
If you want a book that keeps you up all night because you just can’t put it down, this is it!
September 26, 2021
One of the best ya I have read in a long while! Yes there are vampires, and witches, and shifters , oh my! However they are not the end all and be all. I think this is a wonderful book about friendships and loyalties, family and traditions. Fast paced and action packed this book starts out tame enough but before you know it you are fully immersed in first love and a paranormal world where intrigue is the name of the game.
I highly recommend this book. I am looking forward to more by this author and I am happy to leave this reveiw . I was given this book by BookSirens for free.
I highly recommend this book. I am looking forward to more by this author and I am happy to leave this reveiw . I was given this book by BookSirens for free.
October 6, 2021
This is not my typical kind of book, however, it drew me in and held my attention throughout. This is a debut novel for the author and she did not disappoint! I loved the characters and the world building was great. The plot is pretty fast paced and had me reading well into the night. Although there is no cliffhanger I am truly hoping for a sequel! I look forward to reading more from this author.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 9, 2021
Yet another book about a person who doesn't know they are magic. This one has a little twist so the book is not prosaic. This is a good read with believable characters and a really good story. It might keep you up late.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 28, 2022
I really enjoyed this book, I liked all of the twists and turns and it kept me guessing! I love mystery, I love ya, and I love paranormal and this was a good blend of them all! Well developed characters that I really enjoyed! Great book about friendship! If you enjoy YA, paranormal mysteries then this book is for you!
December 3, 2024
I rather enjoyed this book. The world building and setting was well done, as was the character development. The main character is both relatable and intriguingly different. He also displayed an amusing and age appropriate combination of teenage dumbness and emerging adult responsibility.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 14, 2021
I picked this book up to read on a long flight and could not put it down. I was totally engaged in the characters. Margot does a great job of drawing you into the book. The dialogue is very snappy and true to life. Can't wait to read more from her.
December 21, 2021
I greatly enjoyed this! I liked the formation of the different paranormal groups within societies, and the "rebellion" of Nathan interacting with all of them, and standing up for what he felt was right. Excellent storytelling and excellent characters.
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