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popthebutterfly 's review for:
Devils & Thieves
by Jennifer Rush
Rating: 4/5
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 14+ (mature language, underage alcohol consumption, slightly mature scenes, gore, violence, trigger warnings for suicide and cutting)
I received a free copy of this book courtesy of KidLitExchange. All opinions are my own.
Eighteen-year-old Jemmie Carmichael has grown up surrounded by magic in the quiet town of Hawthorne, New York. In her world, magic users are called "kindled," and Jemmie would count herself among them if only she could cast a simple spell without completely falling apart. It doesn't help that she was also recently snubbed by Crowe, the dangerous and enigmatic leader of the Black Devils kindled motorcycle gang and the unofficial head of their turf.
When the entire kindled community rolls into Hawthorne for an annual festival, a rumor begins spreading that someone is practicing forbidden magic. Then people start to go missing. With threats closing in from every side, no one can be trusted. Jemmie and Crowe will have to put aside their tumultuous history to find their loved ones, and the only thing that might save them is the very flaw that keeps Jemmie from fully harnessing her magic. For all her years of feeling useless, Jemmie may just be the most powerful kindled of all. - Amazon.com
Even before Harry Potter there have been numerous tales about magic and those who wield it, so it really takes a special book to make an impact in the overpopulated world of magic stories, and I think I found one that will. This book had me hooked from page 1. It takes the concept of magic and transforms it into something I’ve personally never read before (but if there is a comparison to it, let me know!). It also tells the story with a wide cast of characters I’ve never read about, gangs of biker-esque cliques and the communities they live in and protect. It also introduces a new spin on magic in that there are different types of magic which can either form protective barriers or heal people or can allow you to manipulate people at will. The characters were all very well developed, the pacing of the book was perfect, and the plot development was amazing well-done. There were many twists and turns in this book that I was on the edge of my seat the whole time while reading it. The writing was also very well done and it was very easy to understand and follow.
While I loved the book I did have some minor complaints about it. There is a very wide cast of characters in this book, some only mentioned once or twice. There is also a lot of different types of magic in this book, which might get confusing to some readers. I also thought that some of the magic needed to be explained a little more, BUT by the way the book ended it seems like there will be a sequel. I think this book really needs a sequel. Not only were there many items left unresolved by the end of this book, but the book revealed something very startling in the end and I think that needs to be explored further in another book. I’m not aware of any sequel in the works at the time of writing this review, but please let me know if there is one!
Verdict: Overall, I thought the book was amazingly well done and a fantastic read. While this book was a bit cliché in certain areas, I think it was inspirational in that the main character has very real issues that some young readers face daily, and no I’m not talking about her lack of magic. She has anger and resentment towards her father for leaving her and her mother and feels that it was her fault she left, which is a genuine reaction that a lot of children caught in the middle of a divorce feel like. It’s very inspirational to see her transform from an angry, broken person into someone who has taken control of their life and has made things better for herself. If books about magic are for you then give this book a read! This was definitely a memorable book and this author is one you need to be watching out for in the future.
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 14+ (mature language, underage alcohol consumption, slightly mature scenes, gore, violence, trigger warnings for suicide and cutting)
I received a free copy of this book courtesy of KidLitExchange. All opinions are my own.
Eighteen-year-old Jemmie Carmichael has grown up surrounded by magic in the quiet town of Hawthorne, New York. In her world, magic users are called "kindled," and Jemmie would count herself among them if only she could cast a simple spell without completely falling apart. It doesn't help that she was also recently snubbed by Crowe, the dangerous and enigmatic leader of the Black Devils kindled motorcycle gang and the unofficial head of their turf.
When the entire kindled community rolls into Hawthorne for an annual festival, a rumor begins spreading that someone is practicing forbidden magic. Then people start to go missing. With threats closing in from every side, no one can be trusted. Jemmie and Crowe will have to put aside their tumultuous history to find their loved ones, and the only thing that might save them is the very flaw that keeps Jemmie from fully harnessing her magic. For all her years of feeling useless, Jemmie may just be the most powerful kindled of all. - Amazon.com
Even before Harry Potter there have been numerous tales about magic and those who wield it, so it really takes a special book to make an impact in the overpopulated world of magic stories, and I think I found one that will. This book had me hooked from page 1. It takes the concept of magic and transforms it into something I’ve personally never read before (but if there is a comparison to it, let me know!). It also tells the story with a wide cast of characters I’ve never read about, gangs of biker-esque cliques and the communities they live in and protect. It also introduces a new spin on magic in that there are different types of magic which can either form protective barriers or heal people or can allow you to manipulate people at will. The characters were all very well developed, the pacing of the book was perfect, and the plot development was amazing well-done. There were many twists and turns in this book that I was on the edge of my seat the whole time while reading it. The writing was also very well done and it was very easy to understand and follow.
While I loved the book I did have some minor complaints about it. There is a very wide cast of characters in this book, some only mentioned once or twice. There is also a lot of different types of magic in this book, which might get confusing to some readers. I also thought that some of the magic needed to be explained a little more, BUT by the way the book ended it seems like there will be a sequel. I think this book really needs a sequel. Not only were there many items left unresolved by the end of this book, but the book revealed something very startling in the end and I think that needs to be explored further in another book. I’m not aware of any sequel in the works at the time of writing this review, but please let me know if there is one!
Verdict: Overall, I thought the book was amazingly well done and a fantastic read. While this book was a bit cliché in certain areas, I think it was inspirational in that the main character has very real issues that some young readers face daily, and no I’m not talking about her lack of magic. She has anger and resentment towards her father for leaving her and her mother and feels that it was her fault she left, which is a genuine reaction that a lot of children caught in the middle of a divorce feel like. It’s very inspirational to see her transform from an angry, broken person into someone who has taken control of their life and has made things better for herself. If books about magic are for you then give this book a read! This was definitely a memorable book and this author is one you need to be watching out for in the future.