Tuesday, December 27, 2016

ARC Review: Insidious (The Marked Mage Chronicles #1) by Victoria Evers

Summary: All Kat Montgomery wanted was a fun night out on the town. What she got was a death warrant. As it turns out, the quaint little hamlet of Mystic Harbor, Maine houses more than sandy beaches and adorable B&B’s. Beneath the New England charm rests a deadly world where shifters, demons, vampires, and angelic hunters all vie for power. 

A world where magic is the greatest weapon. 

Magic that Kat now possesses.

After that one fateful night, she can feel the changes beginning to take hold of her. Only problem, she doesn’t even know what she’s turning into. With threats hiding in plain sight, deciphering the lines between friend and foe is nearly impossible. As if things couldn’t get any worse, Kat learns her only real ally rests in the one person she can’t stand: Reese Blackburn, an insufferably handsome magician whom the town fears most.

Kat’s very soul is at stake, and destiny doesn't seem to be playing out in her favor. Can these two unlikely partners challenge fate itself before it's too late?


Pages: 458

Expected Release Date: January 6th, 2017

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Review:
I received an advanced copy of Insidious from the author, Victoria Evers, in exchange for an honest review. Insidious is the first book in a new YA paranormal romance series that should be added to your wish list. Countless authors have adapted paranormal romance novels from the general idea of Nephilim, but Evers weaved a new classic tale. In her YA debut, she created two witty and lovable characters that will stay with the reader long after the last page.

Recently I have been reading rather tiny books that have left me unsatisfied. The novels have been simply too short for the novel's content. It was refreshing that Insidious' content was given enough pages to grow and develop. The characters and plot are what make a story a certain amount of pages. Many authors cut books off to create a longer series; however, Insidious was the perfect length for its story. While reading Insidious, I could tell that the actual story was dictating the page length, not the author. Although Insidious' story resulted in a rather chunky novel, the plot and characters are so captivating that the reader easily flies through the story. 

The two main characters, who also happen to be the love interests, have undeniable chemistry. I was hesitant toward Reese at the beginning of the novel because I assumed he would fill the clique bad-boy/outcast role, but I ended up absolutely loving his character. Following the prologue, the beginning of the story was rather bumpy. The reader is spontaneously introduced to numerous characters and Reese's character was frankly off- putting and creepy. The biggest complaint I have about the book is the cast of characters. While I began enjoying Reese and Kat's characters around page one hundred, none of the other characters stuck with me. Although most of the other characters did not matter as much as the main two characters, I often found myself confused by the secondary characters. 

Each of the secondary characters had too many similar personalities and names that I was constantly asking myself who was who. I was able to distinguish a few other characters, such as her best friends, Carly and Vanessa, and her ex-boyfriends, Blaine and Adam, none of them shined as much as Reese and Kat did. I found that the most difficult characters to remember were her guy friends. They were mainly basketball players and they really had no function in the story until the end. 

Nonetheless, Reese and Kat were the stars of the novel and I loved them both individually and together. I loved their Star Wars references and their heartwarming interactions. They both constantly made me smile and laugh throughout the course of the novel. I could easily relate to both of them, they were the perfect choice for main characters.

Insidious was a great first novel in a new YA paranormal romance series. I highly recommend reordering your copy of Insidious (you can pre-order a Kindle copy for only $.99 here). Insidious brought to life a new classic YA paranormal romance that featured captivated characters and an intricate plot. I am highly anticipating the sequel of Insidious, I am curious to read more about Reese and Kat's journey. I am also excited to watch Victoria Evers' writing career develop as the series continues and as she creates new content.



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