Finalist for the Colorado Book AwardReading the West Book Award Nominee for Debut Fiction“The complex world-building, well-shaded depictions of poverty, emotional nuance, and thrilling action sequences make this stand out. Slayton is sure to win plenty of fans.”–Publishers Weekly (starred review) on White Trash WarlockNot all magicians go to schools of magic.
Adam Binder has the Sight. It’s a … schools of magic.
Adam Binder has the Sight. It’s a power that runs in his bloodline: the ability to see beyond this world and into another, a realm of magic populated by elves, gnomes, and spirits of every kind. But for much of Adam’s life, that power has been a curse, hindering friendships, worrying his backwoods family, and fueling his abusive father’s rage.
Years after his brother, Bobby, had him committed to a psych ward, Adam is ready to come to grips with who he is, to live his life on his terms, to find love, and maybe even use his magic to do some good. Hoping to track down his missing father, Adam follows a trail of cursed artifacts to Denver, only to discover that an ancient and horrifying spirit has taken possession of Bobby’s wife.
It isn’t long before Adam becomes the spirit’s next target. To survive the confrontation, save his sister-in-law, and learn the truth about his father, Adam will have to risk bargaining with very dangerous beings … including his first love.
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Before I even get into this review, I didn’t realize that this book was queer, and as soon as I found out, I literally squeed! This book is so unapologetically queer and gives a voice to those who grew up not seeing themselves in fantastical stories. For that alone, I commend the author!
So, I’m just going to go ahead and say this…if you are a fan of Supernatural but wanted openly queer characters then White Trash Warlock is the story that you were looking for.
Adam Binder is mortal but has been gifted with the sight to see supernatural beings. He’s also a poor white kid from the trailer park in backwoods Oklahoma, which doesn’t accept anything magical or gay…two strikes against him. His own family couldn’t deal with his magical abilities, so they had him sent away to a psych ward. Talk about your family drama.
Adam’s brother Bobby (well now it’s Robert since he’s an esteemed medical doctor and has shed the trailer park life) desperately seeks Adam’s help when his wife becomes possessed by a spirit. What Adam doesn’t expect is Bobby admitting to seeing the supernatural culprit. So Adam wasn’t the only one with sight?!
This book was a rollercoaster of emotions while also battling some truly fantastical elements. There is so much trauma that Adam unpacks when it comes to both his mother and brother. They’ve always taken the “don’t ask don’t tell” approach to both his magical ability and queerness, which has left him fiending for himself with a his great aunt Sue who is the Black sheep of the family thanks to her openness when it comes to the sight.
I loved Adam and Vic’s relationship throughout the story. First off, Vic is Mexican and bisexual, and due to the open communication that Vic has with his family, he’s never had to hide his sexuality. This was such a stark contrast to Adam’s experiences, and I thought the author did a phenomenal job of showing how someone like Adam (who only experienced abuse and vitriol) could slowly let down his barriers in order to just hold Vic’s hand when others were watching. It was both heartbreaking and super sweet to watch their relationship progress.
The trauma that Adam has faced at the hands of his family members is heart wrenching. Even though he’s suffered so much abuse at the hands of his father, he can’t let go of his dad’s sudden disappearance from his childhood; especially since he grew up thinking he was the only one with the sight. This plotline really took me for a spin. I’m not going to give anything away, but oof, it was painful.
Overall, if you’re looking for a gritty urban fantasy that is unapologetically queer then this one’s for you! I can’t wait to see what else is up this author’s sleeve.
Thank you to Dave from The Write Reads for the blog tour invite. Thank you to Blackstone Publishing for providing a review copy. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.
Such a great series. Can’t wait to read more.
White Trash Warlock is David R. Slayton’s debut novel and the first of his Adam Binder series. I loved it! It’s a unique and sometimes dark combination of paranormal, urban fantasy, mystery, suspense, thriller and romance.
Slayton has created a fantastic world that’s easy to get immersed in. I listened to this in two days and didn’t want to push pause. I couldn’t help but be invested as Adam investigated the magic (good and bad) that is deeply entrenched in himself, his family, and the world. His searching revealed a host of magical beings and traveling between the mortal world and spirit realm. I admit that urban fantasy isn’t a genre I have a lot of experience with, but Slayton gave enough information so that I didn’t feel lost without disrupting the pacing.
While there was a bit of a romantic element, it was discussions of previous relationships and the very beginning of a new one. The “steamy” didn’t go past a few kisses. Poor Adam was hurt by his first boyfriend and has always had a hard time balancing love with the drawbacks to having magical gifts so it was nice to see him get a bit of an HEA. I don’t want to say with who because how that unfolded was a part of what I really enjoyed about this story and I don’t want to ruin it for anyone.
I felt that all the characters were dynamic and while mostly from Adam’s point-of-view – there’s definitely a group that has formed. Each brings individual talents, information, perspectives, and sometimes baggage. The banter is at times sharp, sad, and witty. Long-held secrets are revealed in ways that change all of them.
I wouldn’t consider this a cliffhanger per se as there is definitely resolution to many mysteries introduced at the beginning of the book. However, even more are uncovered so I’m looking forward to spending time in this series. Book 2, Trailer Park Trickster, will be released in October. I’ll definitely be listening to this again before then.
Narration:
Michael David Axtell did a wonderful job narrating this. There is a huge cast of characters to work with – men, women, old, young, various accents, and lots of emotions. Axtell’s performance was terrific and helped me feel fully immersed in Slayton’s world.
Such a great read! A fantastical story of characters who despite having some unreal powers feel real- their tragedies, their triumphs, and their personalities. It’s a little bit fantasy, a lot of adventure, a little romance. It’s got mythical creatures, mysteries to solve and plenty of mayhem to keep you interested. You can’t help but fall in love with Adam and root for him as he overcomes obstacles.
White trash warlock is the first book from the series and it is written by David R. Slayton. The story follow Adam and his relationship with his brother and even through they may have their issue with each other family is family and you do anything to help family.
Adam relationship with his family was very much strained and I can’t wait to dive more into their story. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series and see what Adam is up to and his family.
The other person that I couldn’t get enough of throughout the whole book was Vic. I am on team Vic all the way. I enjoyed their watching their relationship blossom to what is was by the end of the book.
Wow. This book has a lot going on. Filled with love, magical creatures, hurt feelings, forgiveness, and so many more emotions, this was an intense but GOOD read. There was so much going on in this book. A few times I found myself getting a little lost. It was definitely worth taking my time to read and figure things out. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and cannot wait to read the next in series.
White Trash Warlock was a wild Urban fantasy ride that had me intrigued from the very first couple of paragraphs! There’s truly no guessing what will happen next, but I had fun trying. Adam’s world is vastly interesting and how he sees the world was fascinating to try to imagine. There’s also a compelling family story in between all the action and mystery. Adam and Bobby’s relationship is so complicated, but I’m hopeful they’ll figure it out. I’m also in love with Vic and his family. There’s so much more I could say, but I can’t give away spoilers. I’m ready for book two in October 2021!
I loved this world! The story and characters were interesting, and had me flying through the pages. The world-building was excellent, which I always appreciate, especially in the first book of a series. Count me in for the next book.
Wow – this book took me by surprise. I honestly did not expect to really like it. I read it for a reading challenge for the next year’s Coastal Magic Conference and probably would not have read it otherwise. That would have been a big loss. Normally I am all about the romance and read urban fantasy as long as there is a healthy dose of romance involved. I did not think this book would have any romance. For the romance lovers out there – there is a budding romance involved. It is definitely not the focus of the book but was enough to keep my romantic heart happy.
I absolutely loved the main character Adam and was drawn into his story from the beginning. Adam’s relationship with his brother, Bobby/Robert, was just as engrossing as any potential romantic relationship. There are really several story lines in the book: the mysterious disappearance of Adam and Bobby’s father and the problem with Bobby’s wife Annie. The fallout from Adam’s past in a psychiatric institution was also woven into the book. The resolution of each of these story lines was unexpected, especially the mystery surrounding Adam’s father.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough and have already pre-ordered book 2.
Audiobook Review:
Overall – 5
Performance – 5
Story – 5
I didn’t expect to like this nearly as much as I did.
Wow, did this book pack a punch. I’m not really that much of a fantasy reader but David R. Slayton will be an attending author at Coastal Magic Convention in Daytona Beach in February 2022 and I will be going so I wanted to read a book by him before the event.
I listened to the audiobook performed by Michael David Axtell and what a great job he did! As far as I know, I’ve not listened to any other books he’s performed but he sounds remarkably similar to another favorite of mine. I think the audio performance really helped to draw me into the story and kept me captivated throughout.
This book has a little bit of everything supernatural; magic, elves, witches, and monsters as well as family drama. Adam and Robert are brothers who have been estranged from each other for years. When Robert asks Adam for help, he feels compelled to help him even though he really doesn’t want to.
I never could have imagined all of the twists and turns in this very compelling book. I’m hooked enough that I plan to listen to the next one in the series when it is released in October 2021.
Wonderful Debut Novel
The narrator did a wonderful job with all the voices. The book was slow at times but gained momentum as the story progressed. It was the same with the characters. The more I read, the more engaged I became with them and the story. By the end of the book, I was in love, with the story, the characters, and the awesome worldbuilding.
I am not so patiently waiting for the next book to come out.
I had not heard of David R Slayton but after reading White Trash Warlock, I guarantee I will not forget his name. WOW! Just Wow! The magic, the world building are just amazing. Adam Binder has a magical secret and his brother and mother had him sent away and broke ties. It is not until Bobby’s wife needs Adam’s magical gift/curse to help her from some unseen danger. A true battle between good and evil in this town. In this page turner you will see that not all things are as you think. Past secrets shed light on choices that had to be made, events that I did not see coming. But Slayton puts all pieces into place and layers the story perfectly. I am excited to read more in this series!
White Trash Warlock by David R. Slayton was an enjoyable read. The characters and the plot kept the pages turning. The world building is intriguing and I want to know more.
I have received this review copy for free. My opinions are my own.
I am not gonna lie when I say that White Trash Warlock has been the best urban fantasy I have read in a long time. It’s an adult fantasy, but in some aspects it isn’t too far off from a lot of upper-YA with adult characters the age of teenagers. But this actually had adult aspects, as the main character is in his early twenties and his brother is about 30 years old. A lot of people talk about wanting to make New Adult a proper age range, and I think this book would fit right in, perfect for anyone who feels too old for YA, but don’t quite want to go for actual ”grown-up” books.
This book resonated so much with me. Adam Binder is a gay guy in his early twenties, living a live where he struggled all the time and had to fend for himself because everyone shoved him aside. I rarely read about people around my own age and if I do, it’s often about people either having (or on their way to getting) their life together according to societies standards or finding the love of their lives, or something like that. But Adam Binder is nothing like that. He is both healing from past struggles, but also living his life as he wants, not how others want him to live. On top of that he is also a clueless queer that is pretty much the master of gay panic, and you know, same. Wer really need more books about people in their twenties that fall outside of societies norms and expectations.
Something I really appreciate in this book is how Adam’s scars from the past carried over into who he is today, and the author didn’t just write him like a regular guy ”with a tragic past”. The fact that people treated Adam’s struggles as something broken, something to be fixed and the loneliness that comes forth out of that really shapes a person, no matter how much time has passed and to see that actually properly written and represented just made me really happy. It shows that the author actually cares about that kind of stuff and not just adds it to apply some flavour to a character or story, about which I am appalled by that it even happens in the first place.
One of the reasons I liked this book so much is that the main character is really driving the story. There is a very strong plot in the book, but Adam Binder (the main character) really makes the book what it is. His look on life, his relationships with his family, his general personality, everything is well established and the dynamic between him and all the events of the book, this book would absolutely not the same if any other character was the main character. Obviously, this goes for any book, but Adam Binder has such a unique character and he really is the core of this book.
As for the writing style, it read really nicely. It both kept you in the story and made it easier to just keep reading for longer periods of time, and it was generally really fun and not too complicated. The writing also flowed really nicely and ebbed back and forth between slower pacing and a faster one to suit what was happening. I really want to compliment David R. Slayton for doing it so seamlessly, as authors that play with pacing often end up with a ragged back and forth that and that has brought me personally into my worst reading slumps.
Overall, there is very little I can fault about this book. I really loved it and it made me feel so happy and reminded me exactly what I love about reading and the fantasy genre, and I am so glad I was asked to read and review this book. I can highly recommend this book to anyone who likes contemporary/urban fantasy, a disaster gay, magic and just general gay panic and I personally cannot wait until the second book, Trailer Park Trickster, which is coming October 12th, 2021 according to the author and I am so excited to read more about Adam Binder and co.
Content warnings: Animal torture/murder (mentioned), attempted murder of a child, child abuse (physical, detailed flashbacks), child neglect, death, depression, homophobia (including F-slur), loss of a loved one, mental institution (mentioned, flashbacks), miscarriages (multiple, mentioned), murder of parent.
Book source ~ Tour
Adam Binder has freaky powers that freak out his mother and brother so they have him committed to an asylum which makes Adam freakishly angry. Ok, not so freakish there. When Adam is released at age 18 he ignores them and goes to live with his great-aunt Sue who is like him. Only more freakish. In their eyes anyway. So they studiously ignore each other until the day Adam’s brother Bobby needs him. And that’s when the fun begins. And by fun, I don’t really mean fun. You know that, right?
What a great story! Told from mostly from Adam’s POV we do get some chapters from Bobby’s (Robert). Adam is 20, gay, and can see across the veil. It’s caused him some serious problems in life. Unfortunately, instead of his family believing him and getting him some mojo tutoring, he gets tossed into the nuthouse. Yeah, that doesn’t go over so well with Adam. I was prepared to totally hate his mom and brother, but families are never so simple. Be ready for a complicated interpersonal story as well as a gigantic threat from outside the family unit. Holy fuck. That is one scary ass mofo.
I love this world that David Slayton has conjured. I love the characters, the conflicts, and the danger. While I think it drags a bit in spots and is a bit unclear how the other side works I am looking forward to seeing where Adam’s story is going. I’m totally here for the journey. With snacks.
WHITE TRASH WARLOCK is sharp, punchy, interesting, and enjoyable. It isn’t easy to put the reader into the thick of things in chapter one and not leave them feeling disoriented, but Slayton does it masterfully. From then, the tension and pace does not let up, with every chapter begging you to read ‘just one more’. I love adventure stories where the MC is not an overpowered cure all, and the magic system dances a fine line between soft and hard that is exciting and fascinating. The writing is smart and exciting, the editing is tight and clean, and the story unravels in a way that takes you deeper and deeper into the world created. Somewhere between Grossman’s THE MAGICIANS and Gaiman’s AMERICAN GODS this is a great book that is a satisfying read, as well as a fantastic introduction to this author and series. I can’t wait to read more!
This book was a surprise of the very best kind and I’m in absolute awe of the world-building. It’s hands down the most original story I’ve read in a long time. It’s gritty and harsh, but at the same time it’s all magic and limitless possibilities.
It’s not often I get the feeling of stepping into a whole new universe when immersing myself in a story. Sure, each book is a small world of its own, but the imperative word there is small. And there’s nothing small about White Trash Warlock.
White Trash Warlock is hard to describe. Maybe because it’s such an original story within such an original world. There are all these parallel worlds/planes inhabited by different (magical) beings. And Adam, with his limited ability, can pass through to one of them. This setting pretty much makes anything possible which is awesome. There’s simply no way of knowing what will happen next and I love it.
The story is very plot-driven. Even though there’s this angst-filled backdrop with Adam having been betrayed by both his family and his lover, the emotional drama is mostly pushed aside by back-to-back action. Usually, I prefer character-driven stories, but I still fell completely in love with this read.
This isn’t a romance set in a supernatural universe (unfortunately since I’m all about the love). This is a fantasy with a small side order of romance. I would have liked more focus on Adam’s romantic relationship(s) – past and present. But I’ll take what I can get and I’ll be more than happy with it. But the fact that nothing was really concluded in this book left me a bit itchy. It’s not a cliff-hanger per se, the direct plot with the possession was resolved, but all the good stuff, the relationship between the brothers, the former lover and the present prospect, it was all left hanging in the air.
Buuut… This is the start of a series so I guess it’s par for the course. And I can tell from this first installment that this series will be an epic one.
So, I can’t recommend this book highly enough. It’s just brilliant.
https://reflectionsofaswedishgirl.blog.se/white-trash-warlock-by-david-r-slayton/
Absolutely loved this book! Such an original urban fantasy setting and magic, incredible characters with depth and complexity, and sly humor mixed with gut-punch feels. Can’t recommend this one highly enough!
This is a new to me author, but I will definitely be back for more. This book was interesting from the beginning, and I really liked the main character Adam. He’s lived through so much, and he still has a ways to go to catch up. I was not as happy with his brother and his mother, because they should have a little more nurturing when he was growing up, but that’s how relationship are. The magic of this universe is a tad confusing, but I think that’ll clear up in future books. The plot was very interesting, although I wish we had learned a little more about what was going on. However, the writing was excellent, and I was left with wanting to know more at the end of this book, which is a very good thing. I really waffled between a four and a five-star rating. I eventually went with a five because this is a series starter, and those can be a little rockier than the succeeding ones. I’ll be a little harder on the next one. Highly recommend.
I started the book but was turned off by the first few pages and didn’t finish. It would have been nice if the blurb mentioned that the book had gay characters. It just wasn’t something I was interested in reading about.