Series: Hall of Blood and Mercy

Review: Magic Redeemed by K.M. Shea

Posted May 11, 2022 by Holly in Reviews | 0 Comments

Review: Magic Redeemed by K.M. SheaReviewer: Holly
Magic Redeemed by K.M. Shea
Series: Hall of Blood and Mercy #2
Also in this series: Magic Forged
Publisher: Self-Published
Publication Date: March 20, 2020
Format: eBook
Source: Kindle Unlimited
Point-of-View: First
Genres: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 284
Add It: Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books
three-half-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

I thought life would be easier after I unsealed my magic. Spoiler: it’s not.

I want to free my family from my traitorous cousin, but with all the allies he’s got guarding his back, even my new powers won’t be enough to beat him. My best bet is to use my parents’ signet ring to prove my claim of leadership.

There’s just one problem…

I can’t find it!

Things aren’t looking so good for my vampire housemates, either. As Killian Drake’s conflicts with the fae get worse, it's clear that war will break out soon if something doesn’t change.

Plus, Killian has gotten really weird about smelling me and invading my personal space. Every time he comes near my heart almost pops out of my chest, but I’m sure that’s just terror caused by being so close to the most feared vampire in the region.

At least that’s what I keep telling myself.

So, I’m a wizard searching for a ring while trying to survive living with a bunch of vampires and their deadly and suddenly touchy-feely leader. Yeah, life is definitely not easier.

Hall of Blood and Mercy is an urban fantasy trilogy featuring all your favorite vampires, wizards, fae, and werewolves. It’s packed with humor, adventure, and a sweet, slow burn romance between a vertically challenged wizard and the most lethal vampire in town.

Much has changed for Hazel since she fled her house and sought refuge with the vampires. She has regained the full use of her magic and learned to fight and protect those she loves, but she still hasn’t figured out how to take her house back. The signet ring she needs to prove her identity has gone missing, and the council won’t swear her in as head of her house without it. Her traitorous cousin is still after her and she hates that her family is suffering while she figures out what to do.

To make matters worse, Killian is having trouble with the Fae, and there’s a good chance he’s going to war. As his vassal, Hazel will have to go to war with him, which means further putting her house at risk. If that wasn’t bad enough, Killian has also been really weird around her.

There was a lot of filler in this book that felt unnecessary to me. I wish this book had been better edited. So much could have been left out. I liked the progression of the story. Hazel’s training and her determination to figure out her magic was good. I also like Killian and his vampires.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Hall of Blood and Mercy

three-half-stars


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Review: Magic Forged by K.M. Shea

Posted May 9, 2022 by Holly in Reviews | 1 Comment

Review: Magic Forged by K.M. SheaReviewer: Holly
Magic Forged by K.M. Shea
Series: Hall of Blood and Mercy #1
Also in this series: Magic Redeemed
Publisher: Self-Published
Publication Date: February 28, 2020
Format: eBook
Source: Kindle Unlimited
Point-of-View: First
Genres: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 263
Add It: Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books
three-half-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

I'm one scrappy wizard. As someone with barely a flicker of magic, I've spent my life being mocked and surviving fights with bullies. But when my parents die in an accident, and I find myself responsible for our whole wizard house and family, I know my usual tactics aren't going to cut it.

The situation veers from bad to catastrophic when my backstabbing cousin stages a coup and takes my family hostage. I barely manage to flee, but the only supernatural willing to help me is Killian Drake - the most feared vampire in the region, and a far more deadly villain than the jerk threatening my family.

Is Killian sexy and charismatic? Heck yeah.

He's also so powerful that my flight or fight instincts kick in every time our eyes meet. And he's definitely using me as his personal magic detector in his feud against the local fae.

But Killian is also the first person to believe I might have more than just a scrap of magic. And if I can convince him to train me, I might get strong enough to free my family and get my house back.

I'm not sure what happens when a scrappy wizard is taught how to fight by a hall of deadly vampires, but I'm about to find out.

Magic Forged is the first book in the Hall of Blood and Mercy trilogy, which features vampires, wizards, fae, and werewolves. It's packed with humor, adventure, and a sweet, slow burn romance between a vertically challenged wizard and the most lethal vampire in town.

Magic Formed by K.M. Shea is the first book in the Hall of Blood and Mercy series, which is set in the world of Magiford, a Supernatural City in the Midwest. I read the Crown of Shadows trilogy last year, which is set in this world, but comes later in the timeline. I enjoyed the world enough to go back and start here.

Hazel is a member of one of the oldest Wizard Houses in the Midwest. Her parents were well-respected and loved, but she’s an outcast because she’s a magical dud. When her parents are killed in a car accident she has to become the head of the house as the only bloodline descendant. The fate of her house and her family rest solely on her shoulders. Unfortunately, members of her house don’t think she’s the best choice for the job and stage a coup. She’s forced to flee to save her life and those of the rest of her family members. She ends up the only place she knows she’ll be safe from those who would kill her or force her into marriage….with the Vampires. Killian Drake is the most feared vampire in the region. He keeps all of the other vampires in check, and there’s no way members of her family will attack him to get to her. As a vassal of his house, she’s required to serve in his household and render aid as he requests, but it’s worth it to buy some time to figure out her next steps.

Living with Killian and his vampires isn’t what she thought it would be. They train Hazel to fight and teach her to use her small amount of magic in ways she never anticipated. They also convince her that she may have more magic than she’s aware of. As Hazel tries to figure out how to save her house and navigate vampire politics, it soon becomes apparent there’s more to Killian than meets the eye…and he seems to be focused on her.

I struggled with the pacing a bit. There were times when it seems like nothing was happening and it was a chore to get through a chapter, then things would pick up and I’d read a 1/4 of the book before I realized it. Hazel’s desire to save her house was on the backburner for most of the book, which was strange to me considering that was the whole premise of the series. That aside, I did like the book. Hazel’s training was interesting to read about and I liked the mystery of Killian and what he was up to.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Hall of Blood and Mercy

three-half-stars


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