Blog Tour Review & Giveaway - Insidious (The Marked Mage Chronicles #1) by Victoria Evers

Insidious
Series: The Marked Mage Chronicles #1
Author: Victoria Evers
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: January 6, 2017

Book Description:
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?

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Buy Links:

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MY REVIEW

Kat Montgomery has her life planned out nicely but one eventful night out turns her world upside down. Fate sets her on a course she couldn't forsee, and this dark and deadly new world has her head spinning in all directions. Just who is she supposed to trust? Mystic Harbor holds many secrets and Kat is on the verge of unraveling all, including the mystery that is herself. Just what is she morphing into? With the help of resident outsider Reese Blackburn, who too has a few skeletons in his closet, she sets out to unveil the truth about the night of her accident, the night that changed her life. To make matters worse, Kat and Reese aren't the only ones who have noticed the change she is going through. Someone is sending her a message, toying with her mind, and if she doesn't figure out who the culprit is, she might encounter a fate worse than death.

Insidious is a blend of the paranormal, mythology, fantasy, magic, romance and suspense. It's full of action and many tantalising twists that will keep you glued to the page. There were two things in particular that stood out for me and those were the relationship between Kat and Reese and the mystery surrounding the supernatural forces at hand. Here you have two characters from different walks of life - who initially couldn't stand each other - forced together by commonality, having to overcome their differences and learn to trust each other in order to survive. I loved the banter between them. I also loved the way their relationship developed. There was an obvious chemistry from the get-go but I appreciated the fact that they didn't just fall in love right off the bat, but through a curiosity that wove deeper than lust and sexual tension, they form an unlikely bond that could very much determine their fates.

One thing I wasn't particularly fond of when it came to characterisation was how alike most of the secondary characters were. Aside from Blaine and Carly, I found the other characters to be very similar and hard to tell apart. I actually couldn't recall many of Kat's friends, so when tragedy struck and one of her close friend's went on a rampage, I didn't have any reactions. There were moments where Kat's at school with her friends and I would find myself blanking out a few scenes as they lost my interest. Some scenes I also found weren't necessary in terms of story or character development, and I thought they could either have been left out or altered to have more relevance. The scene where Kat discovers the truth about her stalker - nearing the end of the book, after a certain friend went ballistic - went on for longer than was necessary. The scene was being dragged out for too long and could have been sized down. It went on for a few chapters, and as my excitement started to wane, it lost my attention. I know it was a buildup to revealing who Sitri was, which, by the way, was a great surprise, but the progress was just a little too slow with the fight/escape scene seeming to be moving in circles. For me, being told that a certain someone was going to make an appearance and having  the scene pan out for so long killed the suspense. It would have worked better if there hadn't been a constant reminder throughout this scene that the identity of Kat's maker was going to be revealed. Just reveal it without telling me you're going to reveal it. Other than that and a few other scenes, the pacing was good and the transitions were smooth.

The milieu of Mystic Harbor very much reminded me of the town of Mystic Falls (The Vampire Diaires) and all its oddities. With all the demonic forces at play, it's a dangerous place to live but also one of excitement and adventure. Throughout the entire book, I couldn't get the television show Supernatural out of my head. I love that show, and this story is very reminiscent of it. Kat and Reese where like Sam and Dean, out to save the world from a demonic takeover. While the various creatures were somewhat of an overload at times, their antics did make for good entertainment.

Insidious was a thoroughly enjoyable read. I would recommend it to all. There's something in there for everyone. I wasn't sure what to expect when I got wind of this story, but it was a lovely surprise. The series should be an exciting one, and I look forward to seeing how it pans out. A wonderful debut by Evers.

VERDICT:

GOLD

Award: Gold

Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Source: Review copy via author

EXCERPT

Curiosity got the better of me as I looked over my shoulder, only to find the last human being I ever wanted to see heading towards the back of the store. That familiar knot formed in my stomach, as it always did anytime Reese Blackburn was near. I rocked back and forth on my heels, trying my best to keep my patience in check as the old guy in front of me continued buying virtually every lottery ticket available.

Come on, come on, come on. I needed to get out of here. PRONTO.

Footsteps started making their way to the counter from the back of the store, and I immediately deflated, knowing a confrontation was now inevitable.

“Montgomery,” spoke a silvery voice directly behind me.

I regrettably turned to face the ass-hat in question, giving him my best artificial, Pan Am smile. “Blackburn.”

The guy always looked like he’d just waltzed off the set of a Tim Burton movie, and tonight was no different. He was dressed in his typically peculiar attire, sporting a gothic knee-length horseman’s jacket laced in chains, a pair of black slacks, a silk tapestry vest, and dark brogue boots adorned with skulls on the metallic buckles.

“Never thought I’d see you south of Providence Street,” he remarked in the sarcastic fashion he always saved for me. “Get lost on your way to the country club?”

“No, I was actually out looking for your heart. Should’ve known better that it’s long gone,” I retorted. “And what about you? Never thought I’d see you out in public on a full moon. Get lost on your way to your cult meeting in the woods?”

“That’s later in the evening,” he chuckled, flashing me that dimpled smile and perfect set of pearly whites. Such infectious, boyish charm seemed misplaced, considering he was stab-worthy. It really was a shame, because Reese wasn’t half bad looking.

And by ‘half’, I mean not entirely.

Sure, he had cheekbones that could cut glass, not to mention bedroom eyes so amber they looked to be stowing flames inside them, but still… Okay, okay. Even I had to admit, Blackburn was hardly an eyesore.

Even with my heeled boots, I still stood a good half foot shorter than him, but his lean frame thankfully made him less imposing.

The old guy in front of me started ordering cigarettes as well, causing my fisted fingernails to start biting into my palms. Knowing how quickly our conversations always descended into verbal smack downs, I grasped at anything I could think of to divert us back to small talk until I could move to the register.

“Did you go to the game earlier?”

Reese shrugged. “I considered it, but then I started thinking of other excruciating things I’d rather do, like have a root canal, and I decided to pass.”

“You heading to the bonfire?” I tried again. He merely cocked a brow, and I realized how ridiculous I sounded. “Oh, that’s right. You don’t do anything fun. How could I forget?”

“If you call watching a bunch of drunken idiots gyrate around and trash a field while you suffocate from smoke inhalation ‘fun,’ then yes—I don’t like fun.”

“It wouldn’t kill you to be normal, ya’ know.”

“Maybe, maybe not. Haven’t tried it.”

“So, Mr. High and Mighty, what superior plans do you have this evening?”

“Test my alcohol limits, take off my clothes, and harass innocent bystanders.” He thumped the side of his head. “Oh, wait a minute. No, that’s your friends.”

“At least I have some.”

He stole a look outside and leered. “With friends like that, I consider myself grateful that I don’t.”

“Bite me.”

“I probably shouldn’t. Wouldn’t want to get rabies.”

“I beg to differ. Foaming at the mouth would probably be an improvement for you. Anything to get you to stop talking.”

He smirked. “Touché, Princess.”

About the Author

VICTORIA EVERS is a debut paranormal fiction writer who feels really awkward referring to herself in the third person.... When she's not vacationing in Narnia, you’ll probably find her reading, watching horror movies, spending time with her AMAZING family, or daydreaming about the newest story in her head.

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