( I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to authors Alesha Escobar and Devorah fox for making sure the copy was made available to me on NetGalley.)

BLURB

Either the wondrous or the perilous awaits us when we play a hand at magic.

A hard boiled detective chases the supernatural, unveiling a frightening world right alongside modern man’s. A mother, able to grant wishes, shows us we must be careful what we wish for. An African Orisha might just pass you in downtown Los Angeles, eager to siphon some of your energy so that he will not fade out of existence.

From heart wrenching, ghostly goodbyes to relatives, to discovering sparks of otherworldly magic permeating contemporary society, these nine tales of magical realism and paranormal fantasy come together to form this enchanting and gripping anthology.

OVERALL REVIEW OF THE BOOK

Magic Unveiled is a well put together anthology of, well, magical stories. The stories deal with wishes to witches, all of them crafted beautifully. My favourites were The Black Dagger Gods by Alesha Escobar, Journey to a new home by Jayme Beddingfield , and Gypsum Jane’s Inkscapes by H.M.Jones.

Each story is unique and deals with various topics but the one thing almost all the stories have in common are human emotions. The stories deal with loss, happiness, fear, hope among other emotions. Despite their fantastical character, the stories are highly relatable because of the emotions prevailing in them. The language and writing style of all the stories were beautiful and uncluttered enabling me to read the entire book in one sitting.

GYPSUM JANE’S INKSCAPES by H.M. Jones (5/5)

A beautiful story to start off the anthology. This story deals with loss, love and hope. The author crafts a story that teaches the reader the tragedy of loss and the need for hope. The descriptions are beautiful and the places described by the author in the story are etched in my mind. I connected with the protagonist and was able to see the story through his eyes.

THE BLACK DAGGER GODS by Alesha Escobar (5/5)

Oh my Gods! I want a sequel to this story! Maybe a whole series would satisfy my appetite for this story. The plot was unique and refreshing. The story starts off with a whole lot of suspense and I loved how the whole thing played out. The writing style was very descriptive and the characters very realistic. Reading about Gods being so human-like was highly enjoyable.

THE ISIS ENIGMA by Samantha LaFantasie (4.5/5)

Once again, I want a whole series!! The author leaves a huge part of the story to the readers imagination. While I liked the end, I don’t just want to have to imagine. I want to know! This story is a different take on witches and is interlaced with emotions. The emotions of the protagonist adds a three dimensional character to the plot that keeps the reader hooked.

UNUSUAL SUSPECT by Ronovan Hester (4.5/5)

The whole premise is different and intriguing. The story left me asking for more. This story deals with hell and evil souls. It was highly interesting and I personally liked Max! I love Kick-ass female characters and Max fits the description to the T.

JOURNEY TO A NEW HOME by Jayme Beddingfield (5/5)

If you thought only long novels about lost love can bring tears to your eyes,..think again. This short and sweet story pulled at my heartstrings and I teared up so much I had to take deep breaths every five sentences or so. Loved the innocence and beauty of the story so much.

THE DARK ONES by Samantha LaFantasie and Keith Goodno (4/5)

Once again,I want a whole series! The premise is exciting. The protagonist’s fear seeps into us and I found myself drawn into the story. The end of the story made me feel all bold and fearless. I felt feminist power surge into me at the end of the story.

THREE WISHES by Alice Marks (4/5)

It is a story about wishes as the title denotes. Being a person who always wishes at 11:11 I totally understand the need to make wishes every chance one gets because who knows! The wish might just come true. It is a light take on wishes with a deeper moral.

BLACKWING by Devorah Fox (4.5/5)

It is a short and sweet story that makes the reader feel good at the end of it. It is the kind of story that puts a smile on readers’ faces. It is a story of lighthearted magic that reaches out to us during the most unexpected of times.

MIRROR ME by Raven Oak (4.5/5)

It is so different from all fantasy stories I’ve read so far. It is an intriguing plot that touches on father-son relationships and human emotions. The protagonist is well rounded and carries the plot forward with ease. For some reason, I really loved the quote below from the story.-

“You try and shut out the world, and the world will swallow you.”

CONCLUSION

It is an amazing collection of magical stories that are unique and different from each other. A must read!

RATING

Its a full 5

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