Review: Jeffe Kennedy's SHADOW WIZARD

 

Rating: 4.5
Review courtesy of Romance Junkies

Jadren is a scion of House El-Adrel, a powerful wizard family in the Convocation. He is a spy planted by his mother to infiltrate the newly restored House Phel. Jadren cannot help but like the optimists that make up the re-established wizard house, especially Seliah. He tries to ignore his growing fascination with the feral familiar. That proves difficult when they are trapped inside the horrors of Jadren’s birth house. Can Jadren protect Seliah from his mother’s evil intentions? What will he do to ensure she gets back to her brother’s house safely?

Seliah “Selly” Phel is an unbonded and untrained familiar of House Phel. She knows nothing about the Convocation, their laws, or the wizard/familiar hierarchy. Selly has spent most of her adolescence trapped in madness because of her inability to tap into her magic. She is uncertain if she can trust the snarky wizard she is stranded with. However, Selly understands that she must rely on Jadren to survive their current ordeal. Can Seliah breach Jadren’s emotional walls? And what dark secrets will she learn about the enigmatic wizard?

Jadren has been my favorite side character since his introduction in BRIGHT FAMILIAR, book two in the BONDS OF MAGIC series. I am ecstatic he is the main male lead in this new series. I have always had a fondness for snarky, cynically warped characters, and Jadren did not disappoint. I love Jadren’s satirical personality. He wields his sarcasm and sardonic wit as a protection mechanism. No one is exempt from his biting attitude. What I adore the most about Jadren is his protectiveness towards Seliah. He understands her in ways that the others fail to.

It is so great to finally see Seliah’s true personality emerge. She has spent most of the previous series locked in madness brought on by her magic. I adore Seliah’s persistence and tenaciousness. She is bravely learning how to navigate and adapt to this scary new world she belongs to. What I love the most about Seliah is her ability to stand firm against Jadren’s biting cynicism. She senses there is more to the wizard than what he allows others to see. His acerbic guidance helps Selly mature not only as a familiar but a woman too.

SHADOW WIZARD is the first book in Jeffe Kennedy’s new dark fantasy romance series, RENEGADES OF MAGIC, a spinoff from her BONDS OF MAGIC series. It is important to read the previous series before embarking on this story. The BONDS OF MAGIC books set up the intricacies of the author’s world, especially the unbalanced wizard and familiar hierarchy. SHADOW MAGIC picks up where GREY MAGIC, book three, leaves off. Jeffe Kennedy does a brilliant job of touching up on the important parts from the previous books and novella.

I like how the author explores the other houses in the Convocation, allowing readers to glimpse how unfairly familiars are treated. It is great reconnecting with Gabriel, Veronica, Han, Iliana, and Alise again. They all play an important role in the story, some more than the others.

SHADOW WIZARD is a gripping tale of two souls navigating the dark and twisted side of wizards and familiars. This is not a series for anyone squeamish toward abusive situations and implied torture. I cannot wait for more of Jadren and Seliah’s escapades in the next installment.