Mind Magic: The Triad of Magic Book 1, Macy Blake

So if I hadn't read anything else by Macy Blake I'd have been blown away by this story.  I loved it!  I thought the characters progressed individually and together in a way that was great for the story and believable as a relationship.  The kids were sweet and wonderfully strong and intelligent.  They'll be stars as they grow older, I just know it.  (Maybe a spin-off series for when a certain alpha wolf grows up...?)  An interesting world was created that wasn't so far outside the realm of belief that I couldn't follow or envision it.  Certain mysteries in this story lent themselves well to the furthering of the plot toward a bit of a resolution, but also for whetting my appetite for more from the series.  As you can see, I found a ton of things to enjoy.

So why wasn't this a 5-star story?  A couple reasons.  There were an incredible number of similarities to the Hellhounds series and a slight lack of deeper thinking on the part of the MC's.  It felt a little too much like a slightly re-worked, re-vamped version of Sweet Nothings for me.  Adding that to the kids giving all the foresight and insight and Simon not thinking critically about the rules, procedures, restrictions, and practices he's given and I'm struggling to see when the adults are going to use their brains to save the kids and get to the truth of things by the end of the series.

Now don't get me wrong here, Simon was pretty much everything for me in this story.  His heart, his determination to do the right thing, his unidentified yet clearly incredible powers, his yearning for family, his inner strength, his admirable and intelligent decision to grow a relationship rather than jump into the deep end with a mating bond before a foundation is built...he just has a ton of things going for him.  I just think there could have been a bit more deliberate thought from him about all the weird things that don't add up before he gets into trouble at the end.

Simon and Gray have a lot of chemistry and I really liked the respect they had for one another as well.  I do wish there were more from them as they got their romantic feet under them, but I'm hoping that we'll get more of them on more than just the periphery of other characters' stories.  They needed something more romantically solid between them before the story ended.

I cannot wait for more from the series!  This kind of story is absolutely one of my go-to types of stories and it's even better when they're well-written and memorable to the point that I think about the characters days after finishing the book.  Mind Magic is definitely one of them for me.  So I'm totally in for the long haul!

*$4.99 on Amazon

Magical species must never mix.

According to the rules, Simon Osborne should ignore the children’s cries for help. After all, they’re werewolf cubs, and he’s an apprentice mage. But for once in his life, Simon breaks the rules and rescues the cubs, saving them from a demon intent on draining them of their magic.

Of course, all actions have consequences, and Simon’s bold move earns him the displeasure of his peers and the attention of the cubs’ alpha, a man named Gray Townsend.

The last thing Gray needs is a mage in his life, but Simon did save his son. Since Simon is now a friend of the pack, Gray doesn’t have much choice about it—or the forbidden attraction that goes along with it. Unfortunately for the alpha, he needs Simon’s help to track down the demon behind the kidnappings—before it strikes again. Simon and Gray must join forces to protect the pack, even as they struggle to resist the temptation that threatens to destroy them both.