Alchemystic - Book Review

Alchemystic (The Spellmason Chronicles #1)
by Anton Strout

What is it about:
AN OLD FRIEND OF THE FAMILY…
Alexandra Belarus is a struggling artist living in New York City, even though her family is rich in real estate, including a towering Gothic Gramercy Park building built by her great-great-grandfather. But the truth of her bloodline is revealed when she is attacked on the street and saved by an inhumanly powerful winged figure. A figure who knows the Belarus name…

Lexi’s great-great-grandfather was a Spellmason—an artisan who could work magic on stone. But in his day, dark forces conspired against him and his, so he left a spell of protection on his family. Now that Lexi is in danger, the spell has awoken her ancestor’s most trusted and fearsome creation: a gargoyle named Stanis.

Lexi and Stanis are equally surprised to find themselves bound to each other. But as they learn to work together, they realize that only united can they save the city they both love…

What did I think of it:
I tried to read this book back in 2012 and wasn't able to finish it. I just really, really disliked Lexi and her friends. A comment by Strout (which showed humor) on my DNF review however, decided to not immediately banish the book to my attic, but to give it a second try eventually.

So I finally picked this book up last month, and this time I read it all the way through.

It is a nice read.

I will confess I still really, really disliked Lexi and her friends. Lexi especially is bratty and obnoxious, and the way she treats her friends and Stanis is often horrible.

But this time I decided to try to keep my calm and read on, even though the urge to punch Lexi was overwhelming at times.

And I discovered that I really liked the story. At my first try to read this book, I was very intrigued by Stanis, and curious to find out more about him. This time was no different. I found myself drawn into the story and rooting for Stanis. I kept getting annoyed by Lexi and her two friends (who all acted like a bunch of loons, instead of their age) but not enough to toss the book again.

At the end of the book I even got the feeling Lexi and her friends might be learning, although maybe I just got used to their obnoxiousness. I will have to say I'm even tempted to try the next book in this series, something I would never have thought would ever happen back in 2012.

Why should you read it:
It's a nice Urban Fantasy read.

Some DNF Books

There have been books I picked up and didn't finish.
(The so called DNF (Did Not Finish) books)
Here's three of them and my thoughts on them.


Raven's Shadow (Raven Set #1)
by Patricia Briggs

What is it about:
Seraph is a Raven mage who left behind her responsibilities for the love of the ex-soldier Tier. But when Tier disappears, Seraph must use her magic?and fulfill her ancestors? oath to protect humanity from destruction.

What did I think of it:
I read this book only for 25% and then put it down.

The story isn't bad, but it's a bit slow and stilted. The lead character Seraph didn't really interest me and neither did any of the others. They didn't feel very real to me. I wasn't invested in either the characters or the story.

A shame because I love most anything else Briggs has written.



Embrace (The Violet Eden Chapters #1)
by Jessica Shirvington

What is it about:
Violet Eden dreads her seventeenth birthday. After all, it’s hard to get too excited about the day that marks the anniversary of your mother’s death. As if that wasn’t enough, disturbing dreams haunt her sleep and leave her with very real injuries. There’s a dark tattoo weaving its way up her arms that wasn’t there before.

Violet is determined to get some answers, but nothing could have prepared her for the truth. The guy she thought she could fall in love with has been keeping his identity a secret: he’s only half-human—oh, and same goes for her.

A centuries-old battle between fallen angels and the protectors of humanity has chosen its new warrior. It’s a fight Violet doesn’t want, but she lives her life by two rules: don’t run and don’t quit. When angels seek vengeance and humans are the warriors, you could do a lot worse than betting on Violet Eden…

What did I think of it:
Sometimes I read other people's reviews about a book and feel like I've read a totally different book than they did.

Embrace is such a book.

I really tried reading it, because most reviews I read were lyrical about the battle between good and evil.

I made it close to the middle of the book and all it was about to me was a girl being thorn between a nice, but dull guy and a typical bad boy. Yup, the ever returning love triangle.

OK: she supposedly was the offspring of angels, but that trope wasn't really used very well in my opinion. Maybe it changed and got really good after the point where I put the book down, but I didn't have the patience and fortitude to stomach anymore of the teen angsty love drama to find out.



Alchemystic (The Spellmason Chronicles #1)
by Anton Strout

What is it about:
Alexandra Belarus is a struggling artist living in New York City, even though her family is rich in real estate, including a towering Gothic Gramercy Park building built by her great-great-grandfather. But the truth of her bloodline is revealed when she is attacked on the street and saved by an inhumanly powerful winged figure. A figure who knows the Belarus name…

Lexi’s great-great-grandfather was a Spellmason—an artisan who could work magic on stone. But in his day, dark forces conspired against him and his, so he left a spell of protection on his family. Now that Lexi is in danger, the spell has awoken her ancestor’s most trusted and fearsome creation: a gargoyle named Stanis.

Lexi and Stanis are equally surprised to find themselves bound to each other. But as they learn to work together, they realize that only united can they save the city they both love…

What did I think of it:
This book is based on a short story Strout wrote in Spells of the City. I picked this book up because I really liked that short story and wanted more.

Yeah...

The gargoyle Stanis is really cool and I kind of liked the story idea, but I seriously disliked Lexi and her friends.

They were bratty and annoying and in Lexi's case even obnoxious at times. I put this book down around page 118 when I realised I really wanted to punch Lexi and her friends.

Although I will confess I'm curious about what happens to Stanis, I really don't feel like reading more about Lexi.



Why should you read these books:
All three of these books do have their moments and my dislikes might not be yours.