The Hunt for Magic by Johnny Miles

Title: Hunt for Magic

Series: Yuletide Knights 03

Author: Johnny Miles

Genre: Paranormal, Holidays

Length: Novel (282pgs)

Publisher: Loose Id LLC (19th December 2016)

Heat Level: Explicit

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥ 3 Hearts

Blurb: Someone is kidnapping Magicals. Kris Kringle and his soulmate, Bucket the Elf, are determined to find out why. Only then can they spend the rest of their lives together. But first they must find a suitable candidate to take over the mantle of Santa Claus. They find Griffin Kloss in the backwoods of North Carolina and realize they must get to him quickly. Someone else is after Griffin and it’s not his former boyfriend, Jackson Frost. Whomever is after Griffin doesn’t want him for his good looks.

Putting themselves at risk, Kris and Bucket, together with Griffin, Old Man Winter, and members of The Wild Hunt, travel to the Ninth Realm. There, in a dark and dismal place, Griffin and Jackson are reunited, the missing Magicals are found, and Krampus, an ancient evil once thought dead, is found alive. Together they must all join forces to battle demons and the menace that threatens their existence, if they are to return to Earth Realm for their happily ever after.

ISBN: 978-1-68252-281-3

Product Link: Loose Id | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Reviewer: Prime

Review: Johnny Miles is an author that I don’t think I’ve ever totally gotten on board with in the past. I have previously enjoyed the earlier installments of the Yuletide Knights series, book 2 is definitely my favorite book in the series. You definitely need to read the first two books, or if you already have a quick refresher would not go amiss. I had to stop and go back because I thought that I was missing way too much because I didn’t remember the first two books very well.

But for a number of reasons, while I enjoyed the story, I can’t say that I loved it.

There is a lot going on. And while that is usually good in a book, I just felt that there was too much going on and so things felt like they were falling along the wayside (e.g. Kris and Bucket’s relationship and what happens at the end). For that reason, even after going back to reread the previous books, I found myself a tad bit confused. The book only seemed to fit into itself by about halfway through. This is certainly not the type of book you can read to unwind or if you are already sleepy. All your attention needs to be available, although that is not necessarily a bad thing.

The story itself picks up with a number of characters we had already met in the previous book. The epilogue itself doesn’t make too much sense until you get at least half way through either. The main plot of the book is that magical beings are being kidnapped and for some reason it is up to the current Santa, Kris Kringle and his lover, an elf called Bucket, to find out what’s going on as well as find and protect the previous Santa’s son. I don’t feel comfortable saying much else because I don’t want to introduce any spoilers into the mix. But the book is filled with action from start to finish. The premise is simple, sure, but it totally complicated probably due to the number of characters present.

Finishing the book left me with mixed feelings: sure, I want to find out what happens next because, well, cliffhanger, but at the same time I think I’d be equally as happy not to find out. This is definitely a book that is for people that love the paranormal and are willing to invest in a new series if they haven’t already.

Yuletide Knights: A Spring Frost by Johnny Miles

jm_aspringfrostTitle: Yuletide Knights: A Spring Frost
Series: Yuletide Knights, #2
Author: Johnny Miles
Genre: Contemporary/Urban Fantasy
Length: Novel (159 pages)
Publisher: Loose-Id (14 April 2015)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4Hearts
Blurb: When Griffin Kloss escapes the hilly Carolinas to lick his wounds in balmy Fort Lauderdale, it’s a welcome relief for the former college football player. But with his mom and childhood home both in shambles. Griffin soon realizes he’s got much more to take care of than just himself. In need of escape, fun, and relief, Griffin meets the mysterious and alluring Jackson Frost.

Sparks fly as ex-frat boy meets smoking-hot spring breaker. Amid the heat of the sun and sandy beaches, Griffin and Jackson take each other by storm and along the way discover their connection is more than just coincidence. Theirs is a magical union that’s practically written in the stars, but will their passion be enough to sustain them through their discoveries or will Griffin’s need to nurse his mother back to health come between him and Jackson?

ISBN: 978-1-62300-610-5

Product Link: http://www.loose-id.com/yuletide-knights-a-spring-frost.html

Reviewer: Prime

Review: This is the sequel to Yuletide Knights. I read this directly after reading book one, so I knew what to expect and was not in the least bit surprised when it came to the magical twist that came up as part of the plot.

The story follows Jackson and Griffin. Although it was never expressly stated, I’m pretty sure that these guys were featured in the back ground of book one. Griffin is facing the harsh reality that his mother may be suffering from Alzheimer’s or Dementia. He doesn’t seem to mind moving back to his old home town from the big city and it doesn’t hurt that he meets a hot guy who happens to be on Spring break.

There is a lot more to Jackson than meets the eye. In fact, getting to know Jackson has Griffin learning a hell of a lot about himself.

This was a lot of fun and really enjoyed the fantasy element in the story as the romance unfolded. However, I would have loved for there to be more explanation of Griffin’s mysterious past. This is a similar downfall to what I had seen in the first book, there just wasn’t enough information to satisfy me and allow me to reconcile the characters as they are in the present with their past.

Likewise, I would have liked a bit more of a HEA, but I suppose in the end those are both simply my personal opinions.

If you liked the first instalment, Yuletide Knights, you’ll probably find this a tad more enjoyable. If you like your characters with a bit of self discovery and romance, all with a dash of magic, this is probably the book for you.

* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *