New world, new rules . . .Alex is screwed. She’s due at the fae Court of Enchantment in less than twenty-four hours, but she’s not even close to being ready. Her job is hanging by a fraying thread. There’s a new vampire master in town. And several of her werewolf friends have been captured by the Paranatural Task Force.She’s their best chance for release before the full moon reveals their secret, … moon reveals their secret, but the Lord of Enchantment is not someone you keep waiting—even when he happens to be your grandfather. All Alex can do is call in a favor, hope to hell she can survive the plots of the fae court, and hightail it home to salvage her life.
One mistake at court could change everything . . . .
“Original and riveting.”—Book Likes Blog on A Drop of Magic, Book One of The Magicsmith series
“Great plot. Lovable characters. Heart-pounding action.”—Lauren Davis, Netgalley Reviewer on A Drop of Magic
About the Author: Born and raised in Colorado, L. R. BRADEN makes her home in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains with her wonderful husband, precocious daughter, and psychotic cat. With degrees in both English literature and metalsmithing, she splits her time between writing and art.
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FAERIE FORGED by L.R. Braden is the third book in The Magicsmith supernatural suspense / urban fantasy series. The female protagonist, Alex Blackwood is a metalsmith creating works of art in Colorado after a fragile peace between the Fae and humans. She’s due at the fae court tomorrow and is not ready. Her mundane life is falling apart with werewolf friends being captured by the Paranatural Task Force, a new vampire master in town, and her job at the bookstore is on rocky ground. Has she prepped enough to make it through the Winter Festival at the fae Court of Enchantment?
Alex is a likeable main character who is loyal to her friends and is definitely someone you want to succeed. Her goals were clear and her motivations were believable. She showed more growth in this novel. The main secondary characters are getting more developed as well. They enhanced the story and added to the story rather than detracting from it. The prose was well-written, engaging, and entertaining. The plot was engrossing, fascinating and action-filled. The world-building was good. This book was a little different in that the majority of it takes place in the fae world and did not have a lot of action in the first half. Despite this, it kept me thoroughly engaged. However, there are still a lot of open threads that aren’t resolved that can be explored in the next book. Additionally, this book is somewhat darker than the previous two and the plot was more complex.
Overall, the book was suspenseful, entertaining and fast-paced. I am looking forward to reading more in this fantasy series. If you enjoy supernatural suspense, then this book is one you may enjoy as much as I did. This series is best if it is read in order.
Many thanks to Belle Books, Inc. and L.R. Braden for a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley and the opportunity to provide an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.
OMGosh from a slow waltz in the Court of Enchantment where nothing is as it seems, to a high octane rabbit-hole of deepening secrets, shocking truths, lost friends and unlikely new allies. A clandestine group with no holds barred when it comes to preparing humanity to destroy the fae, even if they destroy what makes us human in the first place..Whew! I was reading so fast in the last chapters I was panting with the ever evolving characters, as I gobbled up the stream of intense images playing out behind my eyes. I really appreciator the way we are exposed to the magic of this unique world, this twisting, living magic that is both ephemeral and solid according to its own laws of logic and physics. There is a base here. I can tell the author asked herself many hard question and made herself answer them. Excited about the coming Book 4 in the series…and wherever Alex goes in her adventures!
There are some authors I forget how much I really like their writing, and this is one such author. This is the third book in the Magicsmith series, and each book gets better and better. Alex is all set for her debut at her grandfather’s court, but that’s not all. O’Connell is still after her and her friends, and he is determined to prove they are all fae. How will she keep everyone safe, especially when she has to go to another realm? I just loved this book. Alex is such an interesting character, as well as the secondary characters, and so much happens in this one. The fast-paced action really keeps me engrossed, and the great writing keeps me coming back for more. I am glad there is some closure for Alex at the end of this, but there are so many more threads to explore. If you love urban fantasy, you really have to try this series. Highly recommend! I received a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed.
This is a joint review for books 3, 4 and 5 in this series since I had the same response to all three. I read book 1, Drop of Magic, and thought it was ok. I did not read book 2, Courting Darkness. Netgalley gave me copies of 3 (Faerie Forged), 4 (Casting Shadows) and 5 (Of Mettle and Magic) in exchange for my honest review. I read all three in the course of two days.
I’m giving these three all a like rating because I enjoyed them. However, it is not at the top of the list of UF series I’d recommend.
The stories kept me reading, perhaps helped in part that the storylines don’t really stand alone, it’s one long saga so when a book ends, you are left wanting to see what happens. Not a true cliffhanger, but there’s no overall resolution. I also really enjoy UF because of the strong secondary character development that usual takes place since there’s usually time to have lots of character development with 3 or more books. There is some, but not enough and characters just seem to disappear. Sometimes that’s due to the storyline taking Alex elsewhere, but a smoother transition would be nice.
Each book had some slow spots, but Casting Shadows and Of Mettle and Magic kicked up the action.
The author’s latest release, Demon Riding Shotgun, let’s one of the most recent secondary characters take a front seat. I just hope this doesn’t mean we won’t get another book wrapping up Alex’s situation.
The third book about Alex the half Fae half human metalworker sees her in a very tight spot indeed. She’s due at her grandfather’s Court but desperate to help some of her friends who have been taken in for ‘testing’ . The sudden appearance of her uncle only adds to Alex’s troubles but that’s nothing to what she’s about to face because sometimes she trusts the wrong people !
This was a fun read that kept me entertained. I do love a story that involves the Fae but surprisingly it was what actually occurred back in the mortal realm that had the most intensity. Alex is a great character who is bold and brave and I look forward to discovering what happens to her next.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair