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The Lillim Callina Chronicles #1
Kill it with Magic
An alternate cover edition can be found here.
Sixteen-year-old Lillim Callina is good at two things: running away and magic.
Now, Lillim's half-demon ex-boyfriend is contacting her for help, she has somehow gotten herself mixed up in a kidnapping, and her long-dead rival has risen from the grave.
So when a dragon plotting to take over the world offers her a choice: Work for him or else.
Lillim Callina is going to choose else.
Sixteen-year-old Lillim Callina is good at two things: running away and magic.
Now, Lillim's half-demon ex-boyfriend is contacting her for help, she has somehow gotten herself mixed up in a kidnapping, and her long-dead rival has risen from the grave.
So when a dragon plotting to take over the world offers her a choice: Work for him or else.
Lillim Callina is going to choose else.
189 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 22, 2014
198 people are currently reading
1327 people want to read
About the author
J.A. Cipriano
91books582followersWhen New York Times Bestselling author, J. A. Cipriano was in second grade, his teacher gave everyone in class a journal to write down whatever they wanted. Their first subject was to write about something they didn’t like. J. A. chose to write about why he didn’t like writing. His reasoning was simple. He had bad handwriting. Even then, he was destined to be an engineer due to his messy scrawl.
Unfortunately, he found through the course of this little adventure that he actually liked writing. That year was sort of the high point for his writing career because he won a writing contest for the state. He got to go to a big dinner and his teacher was all dressed up.
He kept writing little stories, year after year, and in sixth grade, won another contest. In seventh grade, he broke his arm and got the cast signed by both Dean Koontz and Stan Lee. It is, by far, the coolest cast he’s owned. That was about the time he found video games and anime. His writing turned mostly toward fanfiction until about ninth grade when he wrote his first novel, a small book about twenty thousand words called Revelations. In sophomore year, he wrote two more books to complete the trilogy because he saw Star Wars that year and learned trilogies were the cool thing to do.
He rewrote Revelations during his senior year, and his wife swears it is the best thing he’s written. J.A. is not so sure. Every time he reads it, he cringes, but then again, he hates everything he writes, so there is that.
It was about that time, he got heavily involved in a fanfiction writing group, but that isn’t one hundred percent accurate. It was a world based on a popular anime but everything was created especially for this world. It made it so that every story someone wrote was unique.
Imagine writing a Star Wars novel set 1,000 years after A New Hope, where everything that happened was a distant memory and you get the idea. You have the force, some distant memories of the past, and that’s pretty much it.
He wrote about a million words (863K to be exact) for them before he decided to do his own thing. He wrote another novel. He put it in a drawer. He wrote another one that eventually became the basis for The Hatter is Mad. His next novel was Kill It With Magic, his first real novel. It’s not bad, but it’s bumpy. This is unfortunate because the books get loads better as the series progresses.
Since then, he’s written six more novels, four of which are in the Lillim Callina Series, and one in the Abby Banks series. The other is stuck in a drawer for time undetermined. He’s writing his next book now which is about werewolves fighting mummies in Ancient Egypt. After that, he will move onto Abby Banks 2. The Spy Within will come out in June or July.
J.A. also has three chinchillas. Two of them are grey, and because of this, they are named Slate and Cadmium. The third is named Jet because he’s black, and Jet is old English for black. See, creative. He also has a cat named Turtle. This does pose problems for his two-year-old from time to time.
Unfortunately, he found through the course of this little adventure that he actually liked writing. That year was sort of the high point for his writing career because he won a writing contest for the state. He got to go to a big dinner and his teacher was all dressed up.
He kept writing little stories, year after year, and in sixth grade, won another contest. In seventh grade, he broke his arm and got the cast signed by both Dean Koontz and Stan Lee. It is, by far, the coolest cast he’s owned. That was about the time he found video games and anime. His writing turned mostly toward fanfiction until about ninth grade when he wrote his first novel, a small book about twenty thousand words called Revelations. In sophomore year, he wrote two more books to complete the trilogy because he saw Star Wars that year and learned trilogies were the cool thing to do.
He rewrote Revelations during his senior year, and his wife swears it is the best thing he’s written. J.A. is not so sure. Every time he reads it, he cringes, but then again, he hates everything he writes, so there is that.
It was about that time, he got heavily involved in a fanfiction writing group, but that isn’t one hundred percent accurate. It was a world based on a popular anime but everything was created especially for this world. It made it so that every story someone wrote was unique.
Imagine writing a Star Wars novel set 1,000 years after A New Hope, where everything that happened was a distant memory and you get the idea. You have the force, some distant memories of the past, and that’s pretty much it.
He wrote about a million words (863K to be exact) for them before he decided to do his own thing. He wrote another novel. He put it in a drawer. He wrote another one that eventually became the basis for The Hatter is Mad. His next novel was Kill It With Magic, his first real novel. It’s not bad, but it’s bumpy. This is unfortunate because the books get loads better as the series progresses.
Since then, he’s written six more novels, four of which are in the Lillim Callina Series, and one in the Abby Banks series. The other is stuck in a drawer for time undetermined. He’s writing his next book now which is about werewolves fighting mummies in Ancient Egypt. After that, he will move onto Abby Banks 2. The Spy Within will come out in June or July.
J.A. also has three chinchillas. Two of them are grey, and because of this, they are named Slate and Cadmium. The third is named Jet because he’s black, and Jet is old English for black. See, creative. He also has a cat named Turtle. This does pose problems for his two-year-old from time to time.
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June 30, 2015
Kill It With Magic is book one in the Lillim Callina Chronicles by J.A. Cipriano. I read this book as part of the Powers, Spice, and Not So Nice anthology.
Lillim Callina uses magic to fight demons, vampires and all other such creatures that threaten the world. When Lillim receives a message that her ex-boyfriend, Joshua, needs her help, it sets her off on a crazy sequence of adventures where everything that could go wrong, goes wrong.
In searching for Joshua, she is sent to retrieve a jeweled box from the werewolves, which in turn, ends up pitting her against the vampires because she has to retrieve what they stole from within the box. Add in a few demons, a dragon, and a crazy mentor and you have non-stop chaos.
The book starts right out with crazy action and doesn’t stop until the end. There were a lot of characters in this book and I had a bit of trouble keeping them all straight. And poor Lillim, she was beaten and battered every step of the way. With everything that was going on, I never really got a chance to emotionally connect with Lillim until about three-quarters of the way through when Joshua finally finds her. I have to give her credit, though. With everything that happens to her, Lillim never gave up. She just kept getting back up and jumping back in.
Lillim Callina uses magic to fight demons, vampires and all other such creatures that threaten the world. When Lillim receives a message that her ex-boyfriend, Joshua, needs her help, it sets her off on a crazy sequence of adventures where everything that could go wrong, goes wrong.
In searching for Joshua, she is sent to retrieve a jeweled box from the werewolves, which in turn, ends up pitting her against the vampires because she has to retrieve what they stole from within the box. Add in a few demons, a dragon, and a crazy mentor and you have non-stop chaos.
The book starts right out with crazy action and doesn’t stop until the end. There were a lot of characters in this book and I had a bit of trouble keeping them all straight. And poor Lillim, she was beaten and battered every step of the way. With everything that was going on, I never really got a chance to emotionally connect with Lillim until about three-quarters of the way through when Joshua finally finds her. I have to give her credit, though. With everything that happens to her, Lillim never gave up. She just kept getting back up and jumping back in.
July 30, 2020
I received this audiobook free from Audiobook Blast! in exchange for an honest review; thanks. I just wish that I could honestly give it a more positive review, especially since it’s my first book through the program.
However.
It’s a sort of odd young adult-flavored cross between and the Dresden Files. This is not meant as a compliment. It attempts the cocky quippy fast-paced style of Dresden, and also boasts many similar features: it’s in the first person; there are vampires who are succubi, “the nether�(essentially the Never-Never), named and powerful swords, “Ethereal sight�, and main characters who go into battle with a snarky remark and get the ever-loving snot beaten out of them several times and still bounce back up with another snarky remark (or deliver said remark from the ground while still unable to get back up).
What reminded me of Malazan was an irritating refusal to info-dump. Now, info-dump is usually a bad thing; it’s one of the hallmarks of poor writing. But its polar opposite is, I think, in its way just as bad, where the story galumphs along and tosses out fragments of detail without any attempt to weave it together or explain much of anything at all.
The latter is what happens here. Words are tossed out, from Japanese phrases to setting-specific phrases, with no explanation. What on earth is the shield of Kongounoikutai? Why are Japanese phrases used in spells, especially when the girl’s Japanese swords are (bizarrely) named for Egyptian gods, and why is “White Sparrow� in English? The heroine lives in Southern California, we are told (it has zero bearing on the story), and it is mentioned that there’s a sort of glamor that keeps normal people from seeing creatures like demons and such. So, I thought, fairly standard contemporary urban fantasy setting. But then came this: “Now Rome was home to little more than biker gangs and street rats, a stunningly permanent reminder of the horrors of war.� It turns out that Rome, and Jerusalem, have been nuked. What war? When? Long enough ago that Lillim can wander through Rome without hazmat gear. By whom? In what context? Who knows? But there is silver dust in the air, and that is completely unexplained. It is an effective deterrent to weres � but was it done on purpose to keep weres out? Don’t know. Lillim’s story is, eventually, fairly well fleshed out, but it takes a while, and the setting in general is still up in the air by the end of the book.
This is the first book of a series. If there's ever a time and place for infodump, it's in the first book of a series.
And the plot? It starts off with a message calling her on a quest, but then she is sidelined by another mission, and then something else happens, and by an hour in the plot is as tangled as the proverbial bag filled with yarn and kittens.
It's a kind of a kitchen-sink story: Bears and Owls and weres and dragons and vampires (and a vampire “founder� named Bob) � only apparently the bears and owls are vampires? And succubi, who are, as in Harry Dresden, another breed of vampires. A katana and a wakazashi (with Egyptian names) (and introduced almost every time they appear � “my katana, Isis�, “my wakazashi, Set�) (and from what I can tell it ought to be wak-I-zashi) � a twice-kidnapped baby; demons (with souls?) and Deoscuri, ghosts, nuclear war � reincarnation and gargoyles. Talking swords. “Goblin maintenance� on the apartment. A pet hedgehog (with no meteorological awareness). And oh you have got to be kidding me, an asteroid. No � several. Or, you know, meteors; the words are used interchangeably. (They’re not interchangeable.) Wait a minute, wait a minute � a Magic Eight Ball?! Oh. Lord.
I’m sure there’s a way to incorporate this much � stuff � but this isn't it.
I seem to always say this, but there are some good things in here. That’s why I originally gave it two stars instead of one. It’s just so hard to discern the good stuff in the flurry of cliché and excess.
Take the main character, our Heroine Lillim Callina (who is usually referred to by her full name). She’s been reincarnated, sort of. She’s sixteen, but not really, being both much younger and much older. She looks just like her previous incarnation, and spends half the book protesting that she isn't Dirge (yup, Dirge. I was disappointed when I saw it in print). Her mother is terrible (Ivan the Terrible terrible), so she lives on her own � with a ghost (and a hedgehog). (How she pays for her “tiny� apartment is, I think, never explained.) Her appearance? “I had soft lavender hair. It was so pale that it was nearly white. I’d taken to dyeing it black to cut down on the stares from random people. I had to do this pretty often, because, for whatever reason, my hair would start to lighten after a couple days.� Why? To reiterate: “For whatever reason.� She has a scary ex-boyfriend (we are told he’s scary, though not why for a while), and there’s another guy who gives her tingles (no, sorry, the nauseously coy phrase actually used is the “tightening of things low in my body�), and neither can be trusted (unless they can), and frankly I never got them straight. For me they were as interchangeable as asteroids and meteors, but I might not have been paying much attention; I had just noted to myself, happily, that there was no current love interest when abruptly there appeared a rather Biblically named love triangle.
Lillim isn't very big, and says several times she’s not very strong, and she’s sixteen, but she kicks the butt of every opponent she comes across (but still needs rescuing in the end). (Which is why I made sounds of protest when she said “You came to rescue me. …No one’s ever done something like that for me.�) At one point she says “Of all the elements ice was the one I had never quite mastered”� Aside from the fact that ice is not an element, isn't it a bit remarkable that at sixteen she has apparently mastered all of the other elements? Unless she’s including her past life/lives. Basically, she’s sixteen when it is convenient, and whatever else when that is useful.
The writing� I liked the semi-Dresden-esque quality; it was pulled off fairly well, in places. But the majority of sentences follow the same basic structure: "I (verb)", "He (verb)", "I (verb)", "It (verb)"... (see example above, re: hair). And the author leans very, very heavily on simile. I enjoy a good simile, and some of these are good: “The inside of the room felt like wet breath�. Most, though, are not: “The rain was coming down so hard that it was like standing in a monsoon� (the common usage of “monsoon� basically means “heavy rain�, so the heavy rain was like � heavy rain); “eyes surveying me like a prowling lioness� (her eyes were like the lioness? Or the eyes of the lioness?). A search on Google Books brings up 94 uses of the word “like�, but with current books it won’t search the whole text so I’m sure there are many more; simile is used several times per page. “His hand burst from the ground like a zombie� Pain, so intense that it was like rubbing lemon juice soaked sandpaper on my flesh”� Language bloopers include - among several others - the misuse of “impales�, as below, and “grabbed me by the scruff of my collar�. “Return to me when you have gained the respect worthy of your master� � um, what?
And there is a fair larding of cliché, unfortunately, including among the similes: “parting like the Red Sea�, “lit up like a Christmas tree�, “Well look what the cat dragged in�.
And repetition. Now and then it’s as though the author came up with a phrase she enjoyed so much she couldn't resist using it again. The problem with a neat phrase is that it might be memorable, and noticeable when used more than once. “The blade would be no more than a pretty sword� is used twice. The repulsive “blood and thicker things� is used at least twice. Also, repetition of cliché stands out: “not high on my bucket list� “neither of those ranked very highly on my bucket list�. There is also far too much reiteration of fact � yes, I know Maddoc the ghost will not appear in front of others. Yes, I know you’re not Dirge. Yes, I know your swords� names. Overall, there was often a sense of I just want to make sure the reader gets the point: “There was a loud pop, almost like an exploding balloon as the butterflies within him exploded.� But tell me � what did it sound like? In one paragraph you find “She moved� “I couldn't move� “with one exaggerated movement�. Voices are compared with food at least twice: one voice like chocolate and cream; another “voice rolled over me like warm honey�. There are not one but two edifices made of human flesh (and I could have lived without ever coming across one). I did a Google count on two words: not just “like�, but also “so�. The latter came up 89 times. “So cold�, “so suddenly�, “so close�, “so bright�, “so hot�, “so wide�, “so loud”� “so much so� � This might not be an unusual usage of these words, but it stood out.
The profanity bothered me a bit; maybe things have changed, but no one swore this much when I was sixteen, and I found the blasphemies particularly grating. For one thing, in this universe a user of magic ought to be more careful using words of power, and the name of God is a powerful word. But then again the author/main character seems a bit unclear on some aspects of Christianity: "The nails used to impale Christ" may be technically correct, but � isn’t. Also, you’re not really allowed to accompany someone to Hell. That’s kind of part of the point.
There are a number of silly gaffes throughout the book. A door explodes, but it had already been kicked in in the first chapter. Mattoc the ghost goes missing � so Lillim physically searches her apartment. For a ghost. She notes to herself that the hedgehog isn't concerned about the asteroid. (Tell me true, should it be? Really?) She whips out a gun over and over in the many fights she gets into � but not a single one of the things she shoots is discommoded for more than a few minutes. (And where she gets hold of all these firearms, not to mention magical swords and other weapons, isn't really explained � but she always, always has one or more ready to hand.) She mentions having two last special bullets, but as far as I could tell she fires three.
This might not be so much a gaffe, as (to me) evidence of poor taste: “It was like walking through one of those oil paintings that didn't focus on details quite as much as it should have.� I'm sorry, are you referring to (and dissing) Impressionism? Really?
For the most part I enjoyed the narration by Rebecca Roberts � except that, twice, the “c� in “scintillating� was pronounced, which made me twitch. There were the usual missteps in inflection here and there � emphasis on the wrong word in a sentence � but almost all narrators fall victim to that. Character voices were all right, though Lillim was a bit too little girl. I won’t avoid this reader in future, but neither will I seek her out.
Meantime, I think I rather will avoid this author. I’d rather read the actual Dresden Files. Or maybe even Malazan. I was leaving it at two stars because it didn't actually make me want to throw anything, but if I realize I'd rather read Malazan than anything else by this author... Yeah. One star it is.
However.
It’s a sort of odd young adult-flavored cross between and the Dresden Files. This is not meant as a compliment. It attempts the cocky quippy fast-paced style of Dresden, and also boasts many similar features: it’s in the first person; there are vampires who are succubi, “the nether�(essentially the Never-Never), named and powerful swords, “Ethereal sight�, and main characters who go into battle with a snarky remark and get the ever-loving snot beaten out of them several times and still bounce back up with another snarky remark (or deliver said remark from the ground while still unable to get back up).
What reminded me of Malazan was an irritating refusal to info-dump. Now, info-dump is usually a bad thing; it’s one of the hallmarks of poor writing. But its polar opposite is, I think, in its way just as bad, where the story galumphs along and tosses out fragments of detail without any attempt to weave it together or explain much of anything at all.
The latter is what happens here. Words are tossed out, from Japanese phrases to setting-specific phrases, with no explanation. What on earth is the shield of Kongounoikutai? Why are Japanese phrases used in spells, especially when the girl’s Japanese swords are (bizarrely) named for Egyptian gods, and why is “White Sparrow� in English? The heroine lives in Southern California, we are told (it has zero bearing on the story), and it is mentioned that there’s a sort of glamor that keeps normal people from seeing creatures like demons and such. So, I thought, fairly standard contemporary urban fantasy setting. But then came this: “Now Rome was home to little more than biker gangs and street rats, a stunningly permanent reminder of the horrors of war.� It turns out that Rome, and Jerusalem, have been nuked. What war? When? Long enough ago that Lillim can wander through Rome without hazmat gear. By whom? In what context? Who knows? But there is silver dust in the air, and that is completely unexplained. It is an effective deterrent to weres � but was it done on purpose to keep weres out? Don’t know. Lillim’s story is, eventually, fairly well fleshed out, but it takes a while, and the setting in general is still up in the air by the end of the book.
This is the first book of a series. If there's ever a time and place for infodump, it's in the first book of a series.
And the plot? It starts off with a message calling her on a quest, but then she is sidelined by another mission, and then something else happens, and by an hour in the plot is as tangled as the proverbial bag filled with yarn and kittens.
It's a kind of a kitchen-sink story: Bears and Owls and weres and dragons and vampires (and a vampire “founder� named Bob) � only apparently the bears and owls are vampires? And succubi, who are, as in Harry Dresden, another breed of vampires. A katana and a wakazashi (with Egyptian names) (and introduced almost every time they appear � “my katana, Isis�, “my wakazashi, Set�) (and from what I can tell it ought to be wak-I-zashi) � a twice-kidnapped baby; demons (with souls?) and Deoscuri, ghosts, nuclear war � reincarnation and gargoyles. Talking swords. “Goblin maintenance� on the apartment. A pet hedgehog (with no meteorological awareness). And oh you have got to be kidding me, an asteroid. No � several. Or, you know, meteors; the words are used interchangeably. (They’re not interchangeable.) Wait a minute, wait a minute � a Magic Eight Ball?! Oh. Lord.
I’m sure there’s a way to incorporate this much � stuff � but this isn't it.
I seem to always say this, but there are some good things in here. That’s why I originally gave it two stars instead of one. It’s just so hard to discern the good stuff in the flurry of cliché and excess.
Take the main character, our Heroine Lillim Callina (who is usually referred to by her full name). She’s been reincarnated, sort of. She’s sixteen, but not really, being both much younger and much older. She looks just like her previous incarnation, and spends half the book protesting that she isn't Dirge (yup, Dirge. I was disappointed when I saw it in print). Her mother is terrible (Ivan the Terrible terrible), so she lives on her own � with a ghost (and a hedgehog). (How she pays for her “tiny� apartment is, I think, never explained.) Her appearance? “I had soft lavender hair. It was so pale that it was nearly white. I’d taken to dyeing it black to cut down on the stares from random people. I had to do this pretty often, because, for whatever reason, my hair would start to lighten after a couple days.� Why? To reiterate: “For whatever reason.� She has a scary ex-boyfriend (we are told he’s scary, though not why for a while), and there’s another guy who gives her tingles (no, sorry, the nauseously coy phrase actually used is the “tightening of things low in my body�), and neither can be trusted (unless they can), and frankly I never got them straight. For me they were as interchangeable as asteroids and meteors, but I might not have been paying much attention; I had just noted to myself, happily, that there was no current love interest when abruptly there appeared a rather Biblically named love triangle.
Lillim isn't very big, and says several times she’s not very strong, and she’s sixteen, but she kicks the butt of every opponent she comes across (but still needs rescuing in the end). (Which is why I made sounds of protest when she said “You came to rescue me. …No one’s ever done something like that for me.�) At one point she says “Of all the elements ice was the one I had never quite mastered”� Aside from the fact that ice is not an element, isn't it a bit remarkable that at sixteen she has apparently mastered all of the other elements? Unless she’s including her past life/lives. Basically, she’s sixteen when it is convenient, and whatever else when that is useful.
The writing� I liked the semi-Dresden-esque quality; it was pulled off fairly well, in places. But the majority of sentences follow the same basic structure: "I (verb)", "He (verb)", "I (verb)", "It (verb)"... (see example above, re: hair). And the author leans very, very heavily on simile. I enjoy a good simile, and some of these are good: “The inside of the room felt like wet breath�. Most, though, are not: “The rain was coming down so hard that it was like standing in a monsoon� (the common usage of “monsoon� basically means “heavy rain�, so the heavy rain was like � heavy rain); “eyes surveying me like a prowling lioness� (her eyes were like the lioness? Or the eyes of the lioness?). A search on Google Books brings up 94 uses of the word “like�, but with current books it won’t search the whole text so I’m sure there are many more; simile is used several times per page. “His hand burst from the ground like a zombie� Pain, so intense that it was like rubbing lemon juice soaked sandpaper on my flesh”� Language bloopers include - among several others - the misuse of “impales�, as below, and “grabbed me by the scruff of my collar�. “Return to me when you have gained the respect worthy of your master� � um, what?
And there is a fair larding of cliché, unfortunately, including among the similes: “parting like the Red Sea�, “lit up like a Christmas tree�, “Well look what the cat dragged in�.
And repetition. Now and then it’s as though the author came up with a phrase she enjoyed so much she couldn't resist using it again. The problem with a neat phrase is that it might be memorable, and noticeable when used more than once. “The blade would be no more than a pretty sword� is used twice. The repulsive “blood and thicker things� is used at least twice. Also, repetition of cliché stands out: “not high on my bucket list� “neither of those ranked very highly on my bucket list�. There is also far too much reiteration of fact � yes, I know Maddoc the ghost will not appear in front of others. Yes, I know you’re not Dirge. Yes, I know your swords� names. Overall, there was often a sense of I just want to make sure the reader gets the point: “There was a loud pop, almost like an exploding balloon as the butterflies within him exploded.� But tell me � what did it sound like? In one paragraph you find “She moved� “I couldn't move� “with one exaggerated movement�. Voices are compared with food at least twice: one voice like chocolate and cream; another “voice rolled over me like warm honey�. There are not one but two edifices made of human flesh (and I could have lived without ever coming across one). I did a Google count on two words: not just “like�, but also “so�. The latter came up 89 times. “So cold�, “so suddenly�, “so close�, “so bright�, “so hot�, “so wide�, “so loud”� “so much so� � This might not be an unusual usage of these words, but it stood out.
The profanity bothered me a bit; maybe things have changed, but no one swore this much when I was sixteen, and I found the blasphemies particularly grating. For one thing, in this universe a user of magic ought to be more careful using words of power, and the name of God is a powerful word. But then again the author/main character seems a bit unclear on some aspects of Christianity: "The nails used to impale Christ" may be technically correct, but � isn’t. Also, you’re not really allowed to accompany someone to Hell. That’s kind of part of the point.
There are a number of silly gaffes throughout the book. A door explodes, but it had already been kicked in in the first chapter. Mattoc the ghost goes missing � so Lillim physically searches her apartment. For a ghost. She notes to herself that the hedgehog isn't concerned about the asteroid. (Tell me true, should it be? Really?) She whips out a gun over and over in the many fights she gets into � but not a single one of the things she shoots is discommoded for more than a few minutes. (And where she gets hold of all these firearms, not to mention magical swords and other weapons, isn't really explained � but she always, always has one or more ready to hand.) She mentions having two last special bullets, but as far as I could tell she fires three.
This might not be so much a gaffe, as (to me) evidence of poor taste: “It was like walking through one of those oil paintings that didn't focus on details quite as much as it should have.� I'm sorry, are you referring to (and dissing) Impressionism? Really?
For the most part I enjoyed the narration by Rebecca Roberts � except that, twice, the “c� in “scintillating� was pronounced, which made me twitch. There were the usual missteps in inflection here and there � emphasis on the wrong word in a sentence � but almost all narrators fall victim to that. Character voices were all right, though Lillim was a bit too little girl. I won’t avoid this reader in future, but neither will I seek her out.
Meantime, I think I rather will avoid this author. I’d rather read the actual Dresden Files. Or maybe even Malazan. I was leaving it at two stars because it didn't actually make me want to throw anything, but if I realize I'd rather read Malazan than anything else by this author... Yeah. One star it is.
March 14, 2016
Here’s the thing. I don’t normally like “YA� books. Hey, been there, done that, didn’t even want the flipping “I lived through being a teenager� T-shirt. But I was looking for a Whispersync book, I had downloaded this book from a “freebie� email, and though there was no description on the “About this book� on my Kindle, the first couple of paragraphs grabbed my attention and made me laugh.
“What kind of a tip do you give someone you’ve just blown up? That’s the thought that ran through my mind as I frantically rummaged through my pockets for something, anything to give the delivery boy I’d just blasted into the brick wall outside my tiny apartment.
It wasn’t my fault, I swear. It’s not like my day planner reads: brush teeth, shower, get dressed, blow up delivery boys.� � Lillim Callina
You have to admit, that is pretty darn humorous, right? So, I paid my $1.99 for Whispersync, popped on my headphones, and wandered into my studio to work on my art. Let’s face it � that is a LOT less money than paying for a full Audible Edition! And you can simply stop listening and start reading any time you want.
Score.
Come to find out, Lillim Callina is actually sixteen � but you wouldn’t know it from reading her. Well, actually, actually she is something like six years old. Yeah, weird, huh? You see, Lillim is a reincarnation of one ass-kicking, name-taking female with a nasty streak and some deep, dark secrets. Throw in a ton of magic, a spectacularly sped-up growth rate, a mother who thinks that the perfect way to ‘teach� her toddler “Vampires Bad!� is to tie her to a tree outside a cave full of blood-suckers right at sundown (OK, I just thought my egg donor was a raving lunatic!) a dragon turf war, and a truly pissed-off werewolf king (Well, OK. She did accidentally get his son kidnapped as a pawn in the aforementioned dragon turf war. Sigh.) Add to that various and sundry other weird, hideous and downright loco monsters, and this was a riot wrapped in a Dresden-esque ass-kicking on steroids. Lillim appears to be sixteen, but her thought process are wildly skewed by the memories from her eight former lives � especially the previous one � making her a clever mix of teenager and burned-out middle aged woman.
This is non-stop action, with plenty of blood and blades to go around. Lillim is quite interesting, though I had a bit of a problem with just how often, and just how severely, she got herself beaten to a pulp and still walked away. The author goes to great pains to write her as a mortal creature in a world filled with immortal monsters � but it stretches belief when every time she turns around she is being slammed into brick walls by dragons, set on fire, and basically subjected to brutality that should have killed her. Over, and over, and over again. Still, the book was amusing, the story itself is unusual � not as formulaic as is so common these days � and Lilllim is an interesting character with a striking backstory.
Overall, I don’t regret the time I spent with the book. If you are a fan of YA, I recommend it. If you aren’t a fan, you still might enjoy it � I did.
“What kind of a tip do you give someone you’ve just blown up? That’s the thought that ran through my mind as I frantically rummaged through my pockets for something, anything to give the delivery boy I’d just blasted into the brick wall outside my tiny apartment.
It wasn’t my fault, I swear. It’s not like my day planner reads: brush teeth, shower, get dressed, blow up delivery boys.� � Lillim Callina
You have to admit, that is pretty darn humorous, right? So, I paid my $1.99 for Whispersync, popped on my headphones, and wandered into my studio to work on my art. Let’s face it � that is a LOT less money than paying for a full Audible Edition! And you can simply stop listening and start reading any time you want.
Score.
Come to find out, Lillim Callina is actually sixteen � but you wouldn’t know it from reading her. Well, actually, actually she is something like six years old. Yeah, weird, huh? You see, Lillim is a reincarnation of one ass-kicking, name-taking female with a nasty streak and some deep, dark secrets. Throw in a ton of magic, a spectacularly sped-up growth rate, a mother who thinks that the perfect way to ‘teach� her toddler “Vampires Bad!� is to tie her to a tree outside a cave full of blood-suckers right at sundown (OK, I just thought my egg donor was a raving lunatic!) a dragon turf war, and a truly pissed-off werewolf king (Well, OK. She did accidentally get his son kidnapped as a pawn in the aforementioned dragon turf war. Sigh.) Add to that various and sundry other weird, hideous and downright loco monsters, and this was a riot wrapped in a Dresden-esque ass-kicking on steroids. Lillim appears to be sixteen, but her thought process are wildly skewed by the memories from her eight former lives � especially the previous one � making her a clever mix of teenager and burned-out middle aged woman.
This is non-stop action, with plenty of blood and blades to go around. Lillim is quite interesting, though I had a bit of a problem with just how often, and just how severely, she got herself beaten to a pulp and still walked away. The author goes to great pains to write her as a mortal creature in a world filled with immortal monsters � but it stretches belief when every time she turns around she is being slammed into brick walls by dragons, set on fire, and basically subjected to brutality that should have killed her. Over, and over, and over again. Still, the book was amusing, the story itself is unusual � not as formulaic as is so common these days � and Lilllim is an interesting character with a striking backstory.
Overall, I don’t regret the time I spent with the book. If you are a fan of YA, I recommend it. If you aren’t a fan, you still might enjoy it � I did.
June 9, 2015
My actual rating is 3.5 but we don't have half stars here so I'll round it up to 4.
This was a good read though at times a little confusing. I'm going to list my likes and dislikes for this review so let's do the negative first.
What I Disliked:
There are many many characters and some that I still have no idea why they were part of the story, though maybe it will be revealed in future books.
The world building was lacking a little aswell. It had the potential to be explosive but it fell flat.
There wasn't much back story where Lillim is concerned. She was always on about being reincarnated and people knew her from her last life, but who was she? Why was she reincarnated etc? Not enough detail.
What I liked:
Lillim was a solid character. She was easily likable and you can't help but root for her.
The plot was really fast paced. There is plenty of action and adventure that you fly through the book and it's an enjoyable read.
There is a lot to this book which you know will slowly unravel over the series so it keeps your attention.
It has Dragons!! Admittedly not much to do with them, but still Dragons!!
In all an engaging if some what confusing read. Even though I got lost sometimes, it held my attention to the end and I liked the idea of the book enough to continue on with the series.
Rebecca Roberts did a good job reading the book. Even with the amount of characters, I knew when she voiced a new one. I will definitely check out more read by her.
*I received this for review from AudioBookBlast. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*
This was a good read though at times a little confusing. I'm going to list my likes and dislikes for this review so let's do the negative first.
What I Disliked:
There are many many characters and some that I still have no idea why they were part of the story, though maybe it will be revealed in future books.
The world building was lacking a little aswell. It had the potential to be explosive but it fell flat.
There wasn't much back story where Lillim is concerned. She was always on about being reincarnated and people knew her from her last life, but who was she? Why was she reincarnated etc? Not enough detail.
What I liked:
Lillim was a solid character. She was easily likable and you can't help but root for her.
The plot was really fast paced. There is plenty of action and adventure that you fly through the book and it's an enjoyable read.
There is a lot to this book which you know will slowly unravel over the series so it keeps your attention.
It has Dragons!! Admittedly not much to do with them, but still Dragons!!
In all an engaging if some what confusing read. Even though I got lost sometimes, it held my attention to the end and I liked the idea of the book enough to continue on with the series.
Rebecca Roberts did a good job reading the book. Even with the amount of characters, I knew when she voiced a new one. I will definitely check out more read by her.
*I received this for review from AudioBookBlast. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*
January 23, 2017
Kill it with Magic (The Lillim Callina Chronicles #1) by J.A. Cipriano continues the story of Lillim, the kick ass monster killer. Now she has her hands full! Her crazy ex wants her help, she accidentally kidnaps a baby prince of the weres, and she has to ask her psycho mentor for help to try to stay alive against a dragon. There are all kinds of creatures in this book and poor Lillim is bruised and battered but keeps on going. Loved this book but the girl needs a vacation!
August 24, 2015
Attempted to listen to this twice on audible it was too boring to hold my attention.. Embarrassingly I kept falling asleep. DNF
November 26, 2014
From jbgarner58.wordpress.com:
I know I start many of my thoughts on literary consumptions with a question, so bear with me as I do it again.
Have you ever sat down to a grand literary banquet ready to really stuff your face only to have every course crammed at you before you’ve even had a bite of the last one? New flavors, new foods, soups, salads, puddings, meats, cheeses, each one is thrown down in front of your, begging you to consume. Try as you might to enjoy the whole thing, to savor each tempting bit of flavor, in the end you just wind up tired. You know there’s a lot of good bits on that table, things that you are sure you ate, but as you sit back at the end of that bewildering experience, you’re just �. tired. Welcome to my experience with Kill It With Magic!
Before we dive in further, everyone put your hand over your heart as we recite the Starving Review creed:
I attempt to rate every book from the perspective of a fan of the genre.
I attempt to make every review as spoiler-free as possible.
I’ve sampled many literary meals that moved slowly, like the wobble of a dense pile of Jell-O. That is infuriating certainly but Mr. Cipriano’s book is the first time I have literally felt tired at the end of. If previous books have been paced too slowly, this book was paced in overdrive. New events, new conflicts, and new characters are fired at the reader constantly, with old ones coming back in and out of the plot constantly. Explanations of events or the clues to figure them out are few and far between with some minor points getting deep explanations and some major points being brushed over casually. The whole thing almost explodes apart with plot overload. This is one book I would understand a reader wanting a cheat sheet of all the characters so they could keep track of it.
Now to give credit to the chef, much of the time, the constant action serves as a sort of self-sustaining chemical reaction, fueling the reader to keep going and keep their head up. It helps that the action scenes themselves are well-done, if amazingly over the top. That’s another thing: this meal is so rich, so dripping with creme and chocolate and other things to satisfy, it will give you diabetes at twenty paces. To put it in practical terms, this book is so over the top, the only words I can use to describe it is ‘Mary Sue Jumping The Shark With Michael Bay Explosions Going Off EVERYWHERE!�. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as I personally love authors with the guts to go over the top. However, it does contribute to that feeling of exhaustion at the end: You’re overstuffed and nauseous, filled up with rich food and wondering why, oh why did you do that.
All of this extreme action and rapid fire plot detracts mostly from the world-building. There is either a very complex and imaginative alternate Earth hidden somewhere under the explosions and sword fights or the intriguing ravings of a madman. Either one I want to know more about, but there just isn’t room. Major organizations get brief mentions. Heck, MAJOR GODS from mythology show up for a page or two and that’s that. You start off thinking this is a pretty normal ‘supernaturals hiding in the shadows� sort of modern Earth and then find out (very minor spoilers as this really doesn’t effect the plot) that two major religious cities were nuked into radioactive rubble and that’s just the tip of the open changes to this Earth. You literally find yourself stopping and going �. what? Too many moments force you to stop and wonder what just happened and how does that fit into the bigger picture because, if you don’t stop reading to figure it out, it will be overwhelmed by the next big action sequence that’s about to start.
This insane pacing and the myriad problems it causes aside, there is quite a bit of good here. As I mentioned, Mr. Cipriano does whip up delightful action sequences, fluid and fast-paced. There is a lot of imagination put into the world itself and its own variations on classic supernatural creatures without deviating so far that it makes them unrecognizable. The main character herself is actually quite charming and surprisingly deep. Despite causing your average Mary Sue Litmus Test to be engulfed in burning flames just be being put near this character, her role in the plot defies the tests and she has a good character arc, coming to a final epiphany and seeming to make a decision she dances back and forth across over the entire book. The over the over the over the top elements (that repetition is on purpose) have enough ‘that is so cooooool� moments that it decently counterbalances the parts where you just shake your head. The core plot itself is wrapped up nicely. In fact, the ending was the best paced part of the entire book. It was as if Mr. Cipriano realized I was about to throw up all over his nice linens from being over-stuffed and so made sure dessert was only a small cup of coffee and a thin slice of cake.
Right, so where does that leave us in the end? Kill It With Magic is an extremely over-the-top, insanely fast-paced, urban fantasy tale with EXTREME ACTION and there are quite a few things it does right. I certainly appreciate the author’s courage to have a main character that should by every right be a Sue yet isn’t one, just because he wrote the story right. However, the pacing goes way too far and the literally non-stop action crowds out too much of the world-building that is necessary for a world SO alternate from modern Earth. There is a lot of potential here though and it’s certainly possible that Mr. Cipriano will manage to slow down the pace and add that vital world-building to the next book in the series. In the end, there was a tremendous variety of strong flavors, but the fact the servers kept shoving it in my mouth like a Three Stooges movie soured what could have been a great literary meal.
FINAL VERDICT: *** (Intriguing, rich flavors but hard to taste when they are all shoved in your mouth at once)
I know I start many of my thoughts on literary consumptions with a question, so bear with me as I do it again.
Have you ever sat down to a grand literary banquet ready to really stuff your face only to have every course crammed at you before you’ve even had a bite of the last one? New flavors, new foods, soups, salads, puddings, meats, cheeses, each one is thrown down in front of your, begging you to consume. Try as you might to enjoy the whole thing, to savor each tempting bit of flavor, in the end you just wind up tired. You know there’s a lot of good bits on that table, things that you are sure you ate, but as you sit back at the end of that bewildering experience, you’re just �. tired. Welcome to my experience with Kill It With Magic!
Before we dive in further, everyone put your hand over your heart as we recite the Starving Review creed:
I attempt to rate every book from the perspective of a fan of the genre.
I attempt to make every review as spoiler-free as possible.
I’ve sampled many literary meals that moved slowly, like the wobble of a dense pile of Jell-O. That is infuriating certainly but Mr. Cipriano’s book is the first time I have literally felt tired at the end of. If previous books have been paced too slowly, this book was paced in overdrive. New events, new conflicts, and new characters are fired at the reader constantly, with old ones coming back in and out of the plot constantly. Explanations of events or the clues to figure them out are few and far between with some minor points getting deep explanations and some major points being brushed over casually. The whole thing almost explodes apart with plot overload. This is one book I would understand a reader wanting a cheat sheet of all the characters so they could keep track of it.
Now to give credit to the chef, much of the time, the constant action serves as a sort of self-sustaining chemical reaction, fueling the reader to keep going and keep their head up. It helps that the action scenes themselves are well-done, if amazingly over the top. That’s another thing: this meal is so rich, so dripping with creme and chocolate and other things to satisfy, it will give you diabetes at twenty paces. To put it in practical terms, this book is so over the top, the only words I can use to describe it is ‘Mary Sue Jumping The Shark With Michael Bay Explosions Going Off EVERYWHERE!�. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as I personally love authors with the guts to go over the top. However, it does contribute to that feeling of exhaustion at the end: You’re overstuffed and nauseous, filled up with rich food and wondering why, oh why did you do that.
All of this extreme action and rapid fire plot detracts mostly from the world-building. There is either a very complex and imaginative alternate Earth hidden somewhere under the explosions and sword fights or the intriguing ravings of a madman. Either one I want to know more about, but there just isn’t room. Major organizations get brief mentions. Heck, MAJOR GODS from mythology show up for a page or two and that’s that. You start off thinking this is a pretty normal ‘supernaturals hiding in the shadows� sort of modern Earth and then find out (very minor spoilers as this really doesn’t effect the plot) that two major religious cities were nuked into radioactive rubble and that’s just the tip of the open changes to this Earth. You literally find yourself stopping and going �. what? Too many moments force you to stop and wonder what just happened and how does that fit into the bigger picture because, if you don’t stop reading to figure it out, it will be overwhelmed by the next big action sequence that’s about to start.
This insane pacing and the myriad problems it causes aside, there is quite a bit of good here. As I mentioned, Mr. Cipriano does whip up delightful action sequences, fluid and fast-paced. There is a lot of imagination put into the world itself and its own variations on classic supernatural creatures without deviating so far that it makes them unrecognizable. The main character herself is actually quite charming and surprisingly deep. Despite causing your average Mary Sue Litmus Test to be engulfed in burning flames just be being put near this character, her role in the plot defies the tests and she has a good character arc, coming to a final epiphany and seeming to make a decision she dances back and forth across over the entire book. The over the over the over the top elements (that repetition is on purpose) have enough ‘that is so cooooool� moments that it decently counterbalances the parts where you just shake your head. The core plot itself is wrapped up nicely. In fact, the ending was the best paced part of the entire book. It was as if Mr. Cipriano realized I was about to throw up all over his nice linens from being over-stuffed and so made sure dessert was only a small cup of coffee and a thin slice of cake.
Right, so where does that leave us in the end? Kill It With Magic is an extremely over-the-top, insanely fast-paced, urban fantasy tale with EXTREME ACTION and there are quite a few things it does right. I certainly appreciate the author’s courage to have a main character that should by every right be a Sue yet isn’t one, just because he wrote the story right. However, the pacing goes way too far and the literally non-stop action crowds out too much of the world-building that is necessary for a world SO alternate from modern Earth. There is a lot of potential here though and it’s certainly possible that Mr. Cipriano will manage to slow down the pace and add that vital world-building to the next book in the series. In the end, there was a tremendous variety of strong flavors, but the fact the servers kept shoving it in my mouth like a Three Stooges movie soured what could have been a great literary meal.
FINAL VERDICT: *** (Intriguing, rich flavors but hard to taste when they are all shoved in your mouth at once)
October 9, 2015
Kill It With Magic is a paranormal urban fantasy story and book 1 in the Lillim Callina Chronicles written by J.A. Cipriano. I listened to the audio version of this book.
Lillim is a 16-year-old reincarnated girl who draws on magic to fight demons, vampires, werewolves, dragons etc etc.
First person narration coupled with Lillim's sarcasm and sense of humor made it quite easy to like her and root for her.
It became tricky for me with the huge number of characters the author was introducing. While I can see that this may have been necessary with regard to the next books in the series, it made for difficult listening. Having a book to go back and check things would have been easier. What made it even more problematic was the sheer quantity of what was going on. I find this quite difficult to explain. Lillim is initially send on one quest, but then gets sidetracked on another mission and no sooner do you think you are following what is happening, something else happens. Now, I am all for action-packed fast paced adventures, but this was just a wee bit too much for me. It felt crammed. It was non-stop turmoil but sadly lacking the details to help you understand the world Lillim was living in.
I am not criticizing the author's style of writing. That was actually very good. And I enjoyed various aspects of the story. The ghost was a nice little touch. The romance side of the story was quite cute. And there's definitely potential for this to develop into an interesting series with unique characters. But less would have been more here. A slower, more detailed build-up of the action and the entire setting would have left me more satisfied.
The narrator, Rebecca Roberts, did a brilliant job performing the various voices. With so many different characters, that's not an easy task.
I was given a complimentary copy of the audio book in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
Lillim is a 16-year-old reincarnated girl who draws on magic to fight demons, vampires, werewolves, dragons etc etc.
First person narration coupled with Lillim's sarcasm and sense of humor made it quite easy to like her and root for her.
It became tricky for me with the huge number of characters the author was introducing. While I can see that this may have been necessary with regard to the next books in the series, it made for difficult listening. Having a book to go back and check things would have been easier. What made it even more problematic was the sheer quantity of what was going on. I find this quite difficult to explain. Lillim is initially send on one quest, but then gets sidetracked on another mission and no sooner do you think you are following what is happening, something else happens. Now, I am all for action-packed fast paced adventures, but this was just a wee bit too much for me. It felt crammed. It was non-stop turmoil but sadly lacking the details to help you understand the world Lillim was living in.
I am not criticizing the author's style of writing. That was actually very good. And I enjoyed various aspects of the story. The ghost was a nice little touch. The romance side of the story was quite cute. And there's definitely potential for this to develop into an interesting series with unique characters. But less would have been more here. A slower, more detailed build-up of the action and the entire setting would have left me more satisfied.
The narrator, Rebecca Roberts, did a brilliant job performing the various voices. With so many different characters, that's not an easy task.
I was given a complimentary copy of the audio book in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
August 1, 2015
I loved this book
It was fast pace, action packed, and fun; but there was just enough moments, to get the girl feels going.
Lillian is quite the character. She's head strong, and that annoyed me at times, but she is by far one of my favourite female leads of the year. She's strong, determined, and she was not the damsel. There was love interests, but at the same time, they were more deeper then the normal boy meets girl, and falls head over heals. There was preexisting history, and that made the connections more emotional, and believable.
The story does jumps around a lot, and for someone who likes the normal flow of the standard "novel" format, might not like this style of story telling. I on the other hand, love it when there's lost of action, and interruptions to the main story, but it all has to be connected, or then it's just confusing. Kill it Magic, for me wasn't confusion and all it's interruptions are connected, and I feel, are important to the main plot.
For a short read, this book was plush and felt like a full 300 page or more novel. There was no filler, or useless mundane scenes, that we don't need to read about. You all know what I mean, I don't care how long it took to pick out an outfit, or what scent you used for your bubble bath. (The stupid day-in-a-life crap that adds nothing to the plot or story development. )
This book, had everything that I love, and more. So yes, I highly recommend this book. It's razor sharp, with exploding action around every corner. You will not be disappointed.
Happy Reading
-Emily
It was fast pace, action packed, and fun; but there was just enough moments, to get the girl feels going.
Lillian is quite the character. She's head strong, and that annoyed me at times, but she is by far one of my favourite female leads of the year. She's strong, determined, and she was not the damsel. There was love interests, but at the same time, they were more deeper then the normal boy meets girl, and falls head over heals. There was preexisting history, and that made the connections more emotional, and believable.
The story does jumps around a lot, and for someone who likes the normal flow of the standard "novel" format, might not like this style of story telling. I on the other hand, love it when there's lost of action, and interruptions to the main story, but it all has to be connected, or then it's just confusing. Kill it Magic, for me wasn't confusion and all it's interruptions are connected, and I feel, are important to the main plot.
For a short read, this book was plush and felt like a full 300 page or more novel. There was no filler, or useless mundane scenes, that we don't need to read about. You all know what I mean, I don't care how long it took to pick out an outfit, or what scent you used for your bubble bath. (The stupid day-in-a-life crap that adds nothing to the plot or story development. )
This book, had everything that I love, and more. So yes, I highly recommend this book. It's razor sharp, with exploding action around every corner. You will not be disappointed.
Happy Reading
-Emily
February 14, 2023
*Source* Amazon
*Genre* Young Adult Fantasy
*Rating* 3.5-4
*Thoughts*
Kill it with Magic, by author J.A. Cipriano, is the first installment in the authors The Lillim Callina Chronicles. Technically, there's a prequel called Ward Breaker which I read several weeks ago that kind of skims on who the main character really is and what she's capable of. Let's get the who, what, where, when, and why out of the way. Lillim Callina is technically a 16 year old teenager who belongs to a group known as Dioscuri.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
*Genre* Young Adult Fantasy
*Rating* 3.5-4
*Thoughts*
Kill it with Magic, by author J.A. Cipriano, is the first installment in the authors The Lillim Callina Chronicles. Technically, there's a prequel called Ward Breaker which I read several weeks ago that kind of skims on who the main character really is and what she's capable of. Let's get the who, what, where, when, and why out of the way. Lillim Callina is technically a 16 year old teenager who belongs to a group known as Dioscuri.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
April 1, 2017
Dragons, vampires and magic
Lillium seems to attract trouble, regardless of what, how, when and who.
This storytelling is magical. It will keep you glued to this action packed adventure.
Well done.
Lillium seems to attract trouble, regardless of what, how, when and who.
This storytelling is magical. It will keep you glued to this action packed adventure.
Well done.
May 7, 2015
Today, I am reviewing the Paranormal/Urban Fantasy story Kill It With Magic by J.A. Cipriano. The first in the Lillim Callina Chronicles, we’re exposed to a world of magic, vampires, ghosts, and dragons all fighting for control of the world. Our protagonist, Lillim herself, is the reincarnation of a famous monster-hunter and is constantly being judged by her former life.
I give this book a 3.5/5. Here is my breakdown.
Characters: 4/5. Kill It With Magic introduces a rather large cast of characters very quickly, but Cipriano does a good job of helping us keep them all straight. The relationships are interesting, and Lillim’s issues with being judged as Dirge, her former incarnation, seem realistic, even though everyone around her denies that it’s true. My only issue with Lillim is that, in some ways, she doesn’t seem like much of a protagonist. I got to the end of the book and I wasn’t entirely sure what it was she had actually done to resolve anything.
Plot/Storyline: 3.5/5. Classic “save the world,� with a developed world and high stakes. It was solid and enjoyable. There was so much, though, that I lost track of it all. I was never entirely sure of the rules of magic in Cipriano’s world. Was there a limit? Was it elementally-based? Why did using Frost threaten to waken a dragon? Why wouldn’t Bob just die? I don’t know.
Flow: 3/5. I’ve been accused of writing action-filled novels, but Kill It With Magic leaves me in the dust. The characters have no chance to rest, and each and every time it looks like things are improving for Lillim she’s tossed back in. Normally, this would be fine, meriting at least a 4 if done well; my problem with it is the “red-herring� aspect. No spoilers, but suffice to say that there are many times where what you think is happening is not what is happening.
Spelling/Grammar: 5/5. I didn’t notice any typos or grammar issues within this book while I read it.
Overall: 3.5/5. This book is good. It’s solid and the story is interesting. The flow issues, the frenetic pacing, and the red herrings left me scratching my head at times, but don’t let that keep you from checking this book out!
I give this book a 3.5/5. Here is my breakdown.
Characters: 4/5. Kill It With Magic introduces a rather large cast of characters very quickly, but Cipriano does a good job of helping us keep them all straight. The relationships are interesting, and Lillim’s issues with being judged as Dirge, her former incarnation, seem realistic, even though everyone around her denies that it’s true. My only issue with Lillim is that, in some ways, she doesn’t seem like much of a protagonist. I got to the end of the book and I wasn’t entirely sure what it was she had actually done to resolve anything.
Plot/Storyline: 3.5/5. Classic “save the world,� with a developed world and high stakes. It was solid and enjoyable. There was so much, though, that I lost track of it all. I was never entirely sure of the rules of magic in Cipriano’s world. Was there a limit? Was it elementally-based? Why did using Frost threaten to waken a dragon? Why wouldn’t Bob just die? I don’t know.
Flow: 3/5. I’ve been accused of writing action-filled novels, but Kill It With Magic leaves me in the dust. The characters have no chance to rest, and each and every time it looks like things are improving for Lillim she’s tossed back in. Normally, this would be fine, meriting at least a 4 if done well; my problem with it is the “red-herring� aspect. No spoilers, but suffice to say that there are many times where what you think is happening is not what is happening.
Spelling/Grammar: 5/5. I didn’t notice any typos or grammar issues within this book while I read it.
Overall: 3.5/5. This book is good. It’s solid and the story is interesting. The flow issues, the frenetic pacing, and the red herrings left me scratching my head at times, but don’t let that keep you from checking this book out!
March 28, 2016
The author offered this book for free a while back and i finally decided to read it....
This book isn't bad but could have been better.... there are some funny moments, the main character Lillim is one we want to follow, the plot is well thought to keep us out of balance until the end...BUT it's a tad too confusing to be enjoyed fully.
For example suddenly we learn that in that world people can get reincarnated... who, why, under what condition, by who...no answer. Around the end of the book we discover a little how it happened at Lillim the last time yes but is it always like that? i don't think so and why some people get a new life and other no?..for example why Mattoc couldn't?
There are also some special terms which probably impart important meaning but without an glossary to explain them for me it meant nothing. All that bothered me a little too much and i can only hope that we will get explanation later in the series.
If you manage to keep reading despite the confusion like i said the story is good, i quite liked Lillim she was a tad naive, clumsy and even more important she is feeling lost. She doesn't really understand her place since she was often compared to her past incarnation and she isn't trusting easily ( that being said with a mother like her i would trust no one, really) but despite being afraid and in pain she is trying to do what needs to be done.
I really would like to discover more about Mattoc, the ghost soulbound to her, and between Joshua and Caleb, i do think Called would be better for her if she love him for the right reason.
Lillim also has a sharp tongue and a wicked sense of humour , which doesn't always work in her favor. I loved her powers though. She seems natural with Magic and at the same time a newbie i can't really explain but i do like her as a magic user and would be happy to read more.
The story is fast paced, filled with turn and treason and we discover a lot of different kind of supernatural: vampire ( but not those we are used to), shifters, and others (if they don't get blasted before being introduced^^).
This book isn't bad but could have been better.... there are some funny moments, the main character Lillim is one we want to follow, the plot is well thought to keep us out of balance until the end...BUT it's a tad too confusing to be enjoyed fully.
For example suddenly we learn that in that world people can get reincarnated... who, why, under what condition, by who...no answer. Around the end of the book we discover a little how it happened at Lillim the last time yes but is it always like that? i don't think so and why some people get a new life and other no?..for example why Mattoc couldn't?
There are also some special terms which probably impart important meaning but without an glossary to explain them for me it meant nothing. All that bothered me a little too much and i can only hope that we will get explanation later in the series.
If you manage to keep reading despite the confusion like i said the story is good, i quite liked Lillim she was a tad naive, clumsy and even more important she is feeling lost. She doesn't really understand her place since she was often compared to her past incarnation and she isn't trusting easily ( that being said with a mother like her i would trust no one, really) but despite being afraid and in pain she is trying to do what needs to be done.
I really would like to discover more about Mattoc, the ghost soulbound to her, and between Joshua and Caleb, i do think Called would be better for her if she love him for the right reason.
Lillim also has a sharp tongue and a wicked sense of humour , which doesn't always work in her favor. I loved her powers though. She seems natural with Magic and at the same time a newbie i can't really explain but i do like her as a magic user and would be happy to read more.
The story is fast paced, filled with turn and treason and we discover a lot of different kind of supernatural: vampire ( but not those we are used to), shifters, and others (if they don't get blasted before being introduced^^).
July 14, 2015
This book felt a lot like Ilona Andrews' Kate Daniels series. Our heroine is a scrappy ex-magical police officer that is swept into the darker paranormal world of politics and intimidation. She's half simple mercenary and half trying to do the right thing and eliminate the bad guys. Unfortunately, the writing is overwrought with similies and adjectives (a light didn't just flare, it shone like a miniature sun; the dripping ichor of a fire demon reminds the character in the middle of a battle for her life of a marshmallow burn she got when she was six and toasting marshmallows over a campfire, etc.). There are a ton of characters and different factions within species. I found the inter-species politics very involved, which is par for the course in paranormal novels, but I never got a real sense of the world that Lillim was existing in. It felt as though the author was assuming that you had read enough contemporary urban paranormal fiction to know the shorthand of the different races and their strengths and prejudices. TIt was hard ot tell who was really evil and who was "good" - even Lillim herself seemed a bit shady. Lillim's magic was hard to understand as well, somehow wrapped up in her being a reincarnation of her mother (?), which confused the heck out of me.
I tried to finish the book but I could not make enough of an emotional attachment to Lillim to care what happened to her. The writing style irked me and needed a good editing to clean it up and clear out the extraneous wordiness and to focus on a bit more world-building. I ended up leaving the book unfinished after trying five or six times to get into the story.
The narration of the story was well done by Rebecca Roberts. I'd listen to another book performed by her in the future.
NOTE: I recieved a free copy of the audiobook via AudiobookBlast.com in exchange for my unbiased and honest review.
I tried to finish the book but I could not make enough of an emotional attachment to Lillim to care what happened to her. The writing style irked me and needed a good editing to clean it up and clear out the extraneous wordiness and to focus on a bit more world-building. I ended up leaving the book unfinished after trying five or six times to get into the story.
The narration of the story was well done by Rebecca Roberts. I'd listen to another book performed by her in the future.
NOTE: I recieved a free copy of the audiobook via AudiobookBlast.com in exchange for my unbiased and honest review.
January 24, 2016
Vampires, Dragons, Werewolves, Human guards and more in this action packed adventure that pits the species and groups against each other in a new manner. There are different worlds, ways to travel, gross castles, babies to safe, magical abilities, previous lives to avoid and ex's to run from in Lilliam's world.
JAC creates a world where action is the norm and remembering your previous lives is part of the everyday. The writing style is very vivid and well developed. There were quite a few characters introduced, but they all had a distinct personality that I either loved, loathed or was admittedly confused by. haha. When we first were introduced to Lilliam's mentor, I thought wow he must love her, then as the story progressed...jerk, but then by the ending I was conflicted about whether I thought he was a good or bad guy. Now I am left wondering how does a human guard have that much power? Apparently things are not so simple in this quest to keep things in line between the worlds.
Her ghost attachment, and what we learn about him, has me intrigued for more of their adventures. I wonder how she will address what she learned from Rhapsody (fantastic name) in the nether. I thought the vampire Bob was hilarious and hope to see more of him in the future Lilliam books. I didn't like Joshua or Caleb as a romantic interest that much..I know I am horrible, but I did enjoy their characters and want to learn more about this poison inside of Caleb. However, the character I want to see/learn about the most is Trius and him being a dragon.
Last note~ the cover of this book and the weapons used in this story..simply fantastic. I can't wait to learn more about the weapons, how they are used, made, why some are feared, etc.!
I received this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
JAC creates a world where action is the norm and remembering your previous lives is part of the everyday. The writing style is very vivid and well developed. There were quite a few characters introduced, but they all had a distinct personality that I either loved, loathed or was admittedly confused by. haha. When we first were introduced to Lilliam's mentor, I thought wow he must love her, then as the story progressed...jerk, but then by the ending I was conflicted about whether I thought he was a good or bad guy. Now I am left wondering how does a human guard have that much power? Apparently things are not so simple in this quest to keep things in line between the worlds.
Her ghost attachment, and what we learn about him, has me intrigued for more of their adventures. I wonder how she will address what she learned from Rhapsody (fantastic name) in the nether. I thought the vampire Bob was hilarious and hope to see more of him in the future Lilliam books. I didn't like Joshua or Caleb as a romantic interest that much..I know I am horrible, but I did enjoy their characters and want to learn more about this poison inside of Caleb. However, the character I want to see/learn about the most is Trius and him being a dragon.
Last note~ the cover of this book and the weapons used in this story..simply fantastic. I can't wait to learn more about the weapons, how they are used, made, why some are feared, etc.!
I received this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
August 6, 2015
WOW - what a fast paced all action Urban fantasy novel this is! Don’t you dare blink, you might miss out on some of the action! The story is told from the viewpoint of Lillim and she takes readers along on her dramatic magical journey full of twists, turns, weird and wonderful strange characters and unexpected happenings. If you like your reading slow, relaxed and comfortable, sorry but this isn’t for you. If you like it to grab you and drag you along a helter-skelter rollercoaster at a rip-roaring pace get ready to jump on board and hang on tightly!
Lillim Callina was brought up by the Dioscuri, a group of supernatural warriors - led by her Mum - who have the unenviable task of keeping humans safe from monsters. When this powerful, feisty female eats a piece of candy sent to her by her demon ex-boyfriend everything erupts with werewolves, vampires, power hungry dragons, ghosts and demons - amongst other things - all involved in a battle to save a young baby and the world as we know it! Keep your wits about you, you’ll need them as this chaotic supernatural potential catastrophe unfolds!
I really enjoyed this and have no hesitation in recommending it for when you want to read when you’re alert and want something extraordinary and different to read!
P.S. The ebook of this is currently free on amazon and B&N - don't miss it!
Lillim Callina was brought up by the Dioscuri, a group of supernatural warriors - led by her Mum - who have the unenviable task of keeping humans safe from monsters. When this powerful, feisty female eats a piece of candy sent to her by her demon ex-boyfriend everything erupts with werewolves, vampires, power hungry dragons, ghosts and demons - amongst other things - all involved in a battle to save a young baby and the world as we know it! Keep your wits about you, you’ll need them as this chaotic supernatural potential catastrophe unfolds!
I really enjoyed this and have no hesitation in recommending it for when you want to read when you’re alert and want something extraordinary and different to read!
P.S. The ebook of this is currently free on amazon and B&N - don't miss it!
July 30, 2015
Overall 4 Stars
Performance 4 Stars
Story 3 Stars
This book was okay, but it was not my favorite. I am not much for fantasies and that seems to be mostly what this book is.
Lillim is a 16 year old girl who has run away from her abusive mother. She has magic powers that allow her to hunt down and kill just about any creature, be it a demon, a drake or a dragon.
When she gets tricked into kidnapping the prince son of a powerful werewolf all heck breaks lose. Thus begins the adventures of Lillim Callina.
I gave this book story three stars not because it was not good. It was good, but it just was not my cup of tea. I won't be listening to it again and am not likely to listen to any more books in this series. However, if you are a fan of fantasy novels full of magic and demons and wizards and dragons, etc., this this just might be the book for you.
Kudos to Rebecca Roberts who did a wonderful job with the narrations. I very much enjoyed listening to her. Even her male voices were believable.
I received this book from the author via the Goodread Audiobooks Group in exchange for an honest review.
Performance 4 Stars
Story 3 Stars
This book was okay, but it was not my favorite. I am not much for fantasies and that seems to be mostly what this book is.
Lillim is a 16 year old girl who has run away from her abusive mother. She has magic powers that allow her to hunt down and kill just about any creature, be it a demon, a drake or a dragon.
When she gets tricked into kidnapping the prince son of a powerful werewolf all heck breaks lose. Thus begins the adventures of Lillim Callina.
I gave this book story three stars not because it was not good. It was good, but it just was not my cup of tea. I won't be listening to it again and am not likely to listen to any more books in this series. However, if you are a fan of fantasy novels full of magic and demons and wizards and dragons, etc., this this just might be the book for you.
Kudos to Rebecca Roberts who did a wonderful job with the narrations. I very much enjoyed listening to her. Even her male voices were believable.
I received this book from the author via the Goodread Audiobooks Group in exchange for an honest review.
December 11, 2015
This was my second free book, which I have only just realised seems to have been a YA book, who knew?
It definitely didn't come across that way unless I was being particularly dense, this is where you say NO! that's not possible :) Anyway Lillim is a reincarnated run away Dioscuri, (no idea what they are except they fight monsters) with mommy issues.
Its a fast paced book which, yes, as mentioned in other reviews, can get a bit confusing especially since with Lillim, where no good deed goes unpunished especially when you are trying to help everyone and that's where it all gets a bit blurry. But despite this I liked the story warts and all, especially if its for free and still seems to be the last I looked.
Get it while you can and I hoped to get the next one soon.
It definitely didn't come across that way unless I was being particularly dense, this is where you say NO! that's not possible :) Anyway Lillim is a reincarnated run away Dioscuri, (no idea what they are except they fight monsters) with mommy issues.
Its a fast paced book which, yes, as mentioned in other reviews, can get a bit confusing especially since with Lillim, where no good deed goes unpunished especially when you are trying to help everyone and that's where it all gets a bit blurry. But despite this I liked the story warts and all, especially if its for free and still seems to be the last I looked.
Get it while you can and I hoped to get the next one soon.
March 10, 2016
Non Stop Action!
Lillim is a Dioscuri that has left the Dioscuri to live among humans and try to live with her feelings of inadequacy. She gets sucked into one battle after another that begins when she receives a Twizzle candy requesting her aid from her former lover. Through bad vAmpires, werewolves, and dragons, the lavender hair warrior gets beaten up but never beaten down. My only negative comment is that she is always getting thrown into walls and at one point it was just a bit too much. I really like Lillim and am looking forward to seeing what happens next.
Lillim is a Dioscuri that has left the Dioscuri to live among humans and try to live with her feelings of inadequacy. She gets sucked into one battle after another that begins when she receives a Twizzle candy requesting her aid from her former lover. Through bad vAmpires, werewolves, and dragons, the lavender hair warrior gets beaten up but never beaten down. My only negative comment is that she is always getting thrown into walls and at one point it was just a bit too much. I really like Lillim and am looking forward to seeing what happens next.
August 7, 2015
Excellent book
There is so much magic used in this book, I'm surprised my tablet didn't melt. Loved the book. The characters were wonderful and the story was so good, I couldn't put it down until I was finished. I can't wait to read the second one.
There is so much magic used in this book, I'm surprised my tablet didn't melt. Loved the book. The characters were wonderful and the story was so good, I couldn't put it down until I was finished. I can't wait to read the second one.
March 26, 2016
I got this as a free e-book from the author. I enjoyed reading it. It is my first book by this author. It had a good story to it. The author has a good imagination. I hope to read more books by this author.
January 14, 2022
*sigh* � I tried.
I obtained this book from the Kindle store in 2015 for free. I started reading this in Jan 2018 and ever since then, I just couldn’t get into the book. In Jan 2022, I decided to try to finish the book. I was already about 20% into the book and I vaguely remembered what was happening, so I didn’t want to start over. However, when I began again, everything was always happening at once, and I didn't know why, so I had to restart the book. Apparently, that is just how the book is. I got to about 44% when I decided I needed to stop trying.
When I restarted the book, I decided I needed to take notes just to keep up with what was going on. All of the following happened in the first two chapters, which is only like 8 pages:
- Lillim Callina is the main character, who is a Dioscuri. Dioscuri are like magic police for magical creatures. She is 5ft with soft lavender hair that is pale enough to look white. She dyes her hair black to not stick out. She can do magic without charms, blood, or potions. She is the reincarnation of Dirge Meilan, who was apparently a powerful Dioscuri.
- Lillim wields a katana, which when it kills people, it makes their bodies disappear. Killing also charges the weapon. Her weapons are inhabited by Egyptian gods and goddesses.
- Zombies exist as messengers
- Joshua Landers is her ex boyfriend and for some reason she shot him with a gun. Which is why she is surprised to get a message from him via the zombie, when she is in hiding.
- Lillim is hiding out in Southern California
- Apparently this story takes place in our world, but not sure of the year.
- Ghosts exist as companions. Mattoc, is a ghost friend that is soul bound to Lillim
- Dragons exist. Truis is a fire breathing dragon, whose brother that looks like a shark, wants dead. The shark brother tried to kill Lillim when she refused to help him.
So much is happening all the time. She is always fighting. Every chapter has a fight. And for some reason, she is wearing a skirt! She doesn’t have long conversations with anyone. When she meets someone, they either charge at her, or they say one or two sentences before they try to kill her. The fights tend to end with her passing out. There were one or two where the attacker got away. The conversations themselves are very antagonizing; they only exist to start or end a fight. Everything the reader knows is from inner monologues, which tend to go off on tangents, alot. It would be nice to find out what others think and get a sense of their personality from their speech, but you only get that through Lillim’s interpretations.
I just couldn’t keep reading about yet another fight. There isn’t much world building or character building. The main character is overpowered without much explanation as to why. There is just a lack of substance that I need in order to keep reading besides just being a completionist.
I obtained this book from the Kindle store in 2015 for free. I started reading this in Jan 2018 and ever since then, I just couldn’t get into the book. In Jan 2022, I decided to try to finish the book. I was already about 20% into the book and I vaguely remembered what was happening, so I didn’t want to start over. However, when I began again, everything was always happening at once, and I didn't know why, so I had to restart the book. Apparently, that is just how the book is. I got to about 44% when I decided I needed to stop trying.
When I restarted the book, I decided I needed to take notes just to keep up with what was going on. All of the following happened in the first two chapters, which is only like 8 pages:
- Lillim Callina is the main character, who is a Dioscuri. Dioscuri are like magic police for magical creatures. She is 5ft with soft lavender hair that is pale enough to look white. She dyes her hair black to not stick out. She can do magic without charms, blood, or potions. She is the reincarnation of Dirge Meilan, who was apparently a powerful Dioscuri.
- Lillim wields a katana, which when it kills people, it makes their bodies disappear. Killing also charges the weapon. Her weapons are inhabited by Egyptian gods and goddesses.
- Zombies exist as messengers
- Joshua Landers is her ex boyfriend and for some reason she shot him with a gun. Which is why she is surprised to get a message from him via the zombie, when she is in hiding.
- Lillim is hiding out in Southern California
- Apparently this story takes place in our world, but not sure of the year.
- Ghosts exist as companions. Mattoc, is a ghost friend that is soul bound to Lillim
- Dragons exist. Truis is a fire breathing dragon, whose brother that looks like a shark, wants dead. The shark brother tried to kill Lillim when she refused to help him.
So much is happening all the time. She is always fighting. Every chapter has a fight. And for some reason, she is wearing a skirt! She doesn’t have long conversations with anyone. When she meets someone, they either charge at her, or they say one or two sentences before they try to kill her. The fights tend to end with her passing out. There were one or two where the attacker got away. The conversations themselves are very antagonizing; they only exist to start or end a fight. Everything the reader knows is from inner monologues, which tend to go off on tangents, alot. It would be nice to find out what others think and get a sense of their personality from their speech, but you only get that through Lillim’s interpretations.
I just couldn’t keep reading about yet another fight. There isn’t much world building or character building. The main character is overpowered without much explanation as to why. There is just a lack of substance that I need in order to keep reading besides just being a completionist.
March 27, 2019
Lillim has turned her back on her old life, so she's surprised when it comes back, looking for her in the form of a dragon who's plotting to take over the world and wants her to work for him. Lillim refuses, but then she finds herself drawn into a battle between werewolves and vampires, a kidnapping, a contentious meeting with her mother, and on top of that, it seems she must rescue her half-demon ex-boyfriend from whatever scrape he's gotten himself into.
Reading this story was like playing pinball. Lillim careened from one situation into another, getting bashed and beaten along the way, with no clear objective in mind. While the battle scenes were exciting, the book was almost entirely battle scenes. The plot was not cohesive at all, there was very little world-building, far too many characters were introduced to keep track of, and the politics behind it all were horribly confusing. It read like this was a spin-off of another series, which it may be, but if that's the case, don't assume readers are already familiar with the verse. Here's what really annoyed me:
- Lillim was sixteen. Er, she seemed a bit wordly to be such a tender age, and I found that off-putting.
- She fights in a skirt. I don't know why this bothered me. I mean, if I was going to do battle with monsters, my first choice of wardrobe would be a skirt. Good grief.
- So Lillim is charged with retrieving a box in order to gain information on her ex's whereabouts. This is where the kidnapping comes in, because the werewolf king's baby was inside that enchanted box. What the ever-lovin' fuck?! WHO PUTS A BABY IN A BOX?! Where was mama werewolf? I can't imagine she condoned this. Of course, Lillim feels guilty and responsible and spends the rest of the story trying to get the baby back baby back, baby back...
- This girl got the shit beaten out of her so much and so often that I don't know how she survived. There was barely any mention, ex post battle, of her healing or being in much pain or even injured. Seriously?!
- By the time the story ended, Lillim was such a Mary Sue that I didn't know whether to yawn or gag.
On the surface, it was exciting, but the story had no depth. I found it disappointing.
Reading this story was like playing pinball. Lillim careened from one situation into another, getting bashed and beaten along the way, with no clear objective in mind. While the battle scenes were exciting, the book was almost entirely battle scenes. The plot was not cohesive at all, there was very little world-building, far too many characters were introduced to keep track of, and the politics behind it all were horribly confusing. It read like this was a spin-off of another series, which it may be, but if that's the case, don't assume readers are already familiar with the verse. Here's what really annoyed me:
- Lillim was sixteen. Er, she seemed a bit wordly to be such a tender age, and I found that off-putting.
- She fights in a skirt. I don't know why this bothered me. I mean, if I was going to do battle with monsters, my first choice of wardrobe would be a skirt. Good grief.
- So Lillim is charged with retrieving a box in order to gain information on her ex's whereabouts. This is where the kidnapping comes in, because the werewolf king's baby was inside that enchanted box. What the ever-lovin' fuck?! WHO PUTS A BABY IN A BOX?! Where was mama werewolf? I can't imagine she condoned this. Of course, Lillim feels guilty and responsible and spends the rest of the story trying to get the baby back baby back, baby back...
- This girl got the shit beaten out of her so much and so often that I don't know how she survived. There was barely any mention, ex post battle, of her healing or being in much pain or even injured. Seriously?!
- By the time the story ended, Lillim was such a Mary Sue that I didn't know whether to yawn or gag.
On the surface, it was exciting, but the story had no depth. I found it disappointing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 21, 2018
This book is so packed with action that it seems to go from one fight scene to the next with barely a pause in between. Just as well these people have supernatural healing, because they really needed it.
The action is thrilling but for me there was too much of it. The action left little time to get to know the characters or the world where the story is based. When I reached the end I realized I didn't know why any of the story had happened, just that it did. It seemed purposeless and a bit disappointing. There were a lot of characters introduced and I had a tough time keeping track of who everyone was and why they were part of the story, I'm still not clear on some of them.
The world seems really interesting but there wasn't enough information and it came across as a bit flat and, well, not real.
I've come to expect more from J. A. Cipriano, so I can't help but hope that the next book will clarify things.
The narration was good, the overall delivery was engaging but the character voices were a bit disappointing, especially the - very female sounding - male ghost.
I received a free copy of this book from the author and/or narrator and/or publisher and I voluntarily wrote this honest review.
The action is thrilling but for me there was too much of it. The action left little time to get to know the characters or the world where the story is based. When I reached the end I realized I didn't know why any of the story had happened, just that it did. It seemed purposeless and a bit disappointing. There were a lot of characters introduced and I had a tough time keeping track of who everyone was and why they were part of the story, I'm still not clear on some of them.
The world seems really interesting but there wasn't enough information and it came across as a bit flat and, well, not real.
I've come to expect more from J. A. Cipriano, so I can't help but hope that the next book will clarify things.
The narration was good, the overall delivery was engaging but the character voices were a bit disappointing, especially the - very female sounding - male ghost.
I received a free copy of this book from the author and/or narrator and/or publisher and I voluntarily wrote this honest review.
August 25, 2017
Solid, seems to be written in the vein of books like Ilona Andrews/Kate Daniels. The writing is clean, could use some more life breathed into it I feel. Not a regrettable purchase. I think it's worth sticking with to see if the author improves on the story. It did read in parts like it was hastily written. More execution on a rigid plot than letting the characters breathe. But, it wasn't bad again. Just stiff.
I bought it based on the sample, and I think based on what I read throughout it, it held to that. So, check out the sample and base your decisions accordingly. If you don't like it, you won't finish it. If you do, it'll hold to what it shows. It's tricky doing that because some books can start shaky and finish great. This is a case where what you see is what you get. The cover is beautiful, but let the words do the talking and selling.
I bought it based on the sample, and I think based on what I read throughout it, it held to that. So, check out the sample and base your decisions accordingly. If you don't like it, you won't finish it. If you do, it'll hold to what it shows. It's tricky doing that because some books can start shaky and finish great. This is a case where what you see is what you get. The cover is beautiful, but let the words do the talking and selling.
June 10, 2024
Well written faced paced novel.
Fmc is a fire cracker and I love her spirit. She seems a little immature at times, especially when it comes to her mother and that would be normal for a 16 year old girl except she's apparently lived a few lives and remembers one so she should (I'm my opinion) be more mature.
It jumps forward in time a little bit here and there which helps with the fast pace and the lack of "boring bits" and it drops you, more often than not, right into some kind of fight scene.
The characters are well written and the FMC back story makes sense. Good ya novel.
Fmc is a fire cracker and I love her spirit. She seems a little immature at times, especially when it comes to her mother and that would be normal for a 16 year old girl except she's apparently lived a few lives and remembers one so she should (I'm my opinion) be more mature.
It jumps forward in time a little bit here and there which helps with the fast pace and the lack of "boring bits" and it drops you, more often than not, right into some kind of fight scene.
The characters are well written and the FMC back story makes sense. Good ya novel.
June 12, 2019
I just couldn't finish this. I tried, but the story jinks around without enough explanation and I just couldn't take anymore. This needs a prequel to "leisurely" explain her back story. Saying she is reincarnated and throwing in details as she goes along just isn't good enough. She's 16. she's magic. She's got a pair of magic swords but no explanations of why or even practice routines, she's got an ex and a elder supporting her, but not....*sigh*.
March 30, 2018
what a train wreck. so many characters, so many changes of venue, and absolutely no explanation for any of it. there were pieces of a wonderful book, I was interested in the characters but I had no reference for who she was talking to or what their backstory was or why I should care about this person or that experience.
October 21, 2016
Creative urban fantasy
But not worth your time. Aside from the fact that the story was so formulaic that you just expect every fight to start with the protagonist being grabbed by the hair and thrown the crux of the story turned out to be that the girl can't take care of herself so the people closest to her have to abuse her. Not a winning storyline.
But not worth your time. Aside from the fact that the story was so formulaic that you just expect every fight to start with the protagonist being grabbed by the hair and thrown the crux of the story turned out to be that the girl can't take care of herself so the people closest to her have to abuse her. Not a winning storyline.
August 27, 2017
The writing felt a bit rushed and spur of the moment, like the author just wrote whatever popped into their head and didn't bother slowing it down or cutting. It's not bad, it just runs away at times or trips over itself. Still a good read. For the price, you could really end up enjoying it.
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