#TheWriteReadsBlogtour: Venators: Magic Unleashed – Devri Walls

Whew, TheWriteReads blogtours are keeping me on my toes!! And every time I finish a book for one of the tours, I’m thinking to myself – wow, another great read I probably wouldn’t have read otherwise, so once again, Dave, THANK YOU!!! (If you aren’t following him on Twitter yet (which is highly unlikely, but still), make sure you do so you don’t miss out on future tours – and the other stops of this one!)

So what’s this book about? (From Goodreads)

“Six years ago, Grey Malteer was attacked by creatures he thought couldn’t possibly exist. They repeated a word, calling him a name he’d never heard before…Venator. Since then, his life has been a hellhole of secrecy—hiding old pain alongside strange new abilities.
Rune Jenkins has an itch, as she calls it, but it’s more than that. It’s an anger that builds up like the inside of a boiler whenever she’s around anything remotely supernatural. The pressure is growing steadily worse and she can’t understand why. All she knows is—her control is slipping.
By order of an unknown council Grey and Rune are pulled through a portal in the St. Louis arch, landing them in an alternate dimension where creatures of myth and legend exist. A realm that calls them, Venators.
Made up of centuries old fae, vampires, werewolves, elves and succubi the council’s corrupt nature becomes obvious as they seek to wield the newly returned Venators as weapons. Wedged in an impossible position, Grey and Rune must decide their fate—do they go against the council’s wishes and help the innocents of this unforgiving land, or face the possibility of execution by the council.”

My Thoughts

This was an amazing read! I loved the combination of the real world and an otherworldly setting, and that something so mundane – going to college, going to a party – as we are thrown right into the story in the beginning of the book – and the complete opposite (magic, fantastical creatures, another ‘world’) are mixed together in this one.

One of our main characters in this story, Rune, is looking after her twin brother Ryker. It’s Friday night, he wants to get drunk – and she knows she will have to make sure he gets home safely. Instantly, I liked Rune. She is caring, thoughtful, and looks out for her brother, even though she doesn’t agree with everything he does. At the same time, I felt an instant dislike for Ryker. He is a troublemaker, and likes it that way. Then there’s this other important character, Grey. He brought a great aura of mystery into the story right from the start, which I really liked. I felt sorry for Grey, and wanted to smack Ryker when I found out what he did to him. This is what you want from a good book. You want to feel something, want to find out more, see where it goes. This is what happened when I read Venators.

What exactly are ‘Venators’, you may wonder? Well, they are kind of there to keep the mundane and the supernatural worlds apart. So they are basically the police of the magical realm! Ooh, that reminds me – portals!! We get some in this one – I’m a sucker for a good portal-to-other-worlds-book!! What I specifically loved about this other world here is that it has so much to offer! I mean, we get has such a wide array of mythical creatures! From vampires to werewolves over faeries, elves and dragons, to goblins, giants and wizards – you really get the whole spectrum there! I specifically loved how we got such great descriptions of them. In the beginning, when we are still in the college setting and the first creatures appear, I could picture them clearly in my head, and it didn’t feel odd to “see” them there in the dorm at all.

Another thing that I loved in this book is the villain – WHAAT??, you may ask?! Well, this one is female and quite kickass, so I quite liked that! Also, everyone is not as they first seem is a great sentence to use to describe this book. There are more baddies – you just need to pick this up and find out who is who!

Before I finish off my ramblings, I have to come back to my favourite character from this story – Grey. Aww. That comes to my mind when I think of him. He’s so kind, so calm, everything he does happens with such a calmness. And – I felt so bad reading about stupid Ryker and his stupid prank. Lol. Sorry, but I had to say this again!

All in all I can say that this book definitely deserves 4.5 stars from me. I loved Devri’s writing style, all the different points of view, the interesting characters and unique worldbuilding. I loved how quickly I was sucked into the story and that I couldn’t put it down until the very end. I recommend it to all fantasy and sci-fi lovers and everyone who looks for a fast-paced and thrilling read with a unique setting! It ends on such a cliffhanger – I can’t wait to find out more!!

Thank you all for reading!

xoxo
Noly

Thanks again to TheWriteReads and the author for the ecopy of the book in exchange of an honest review!

“THE DARK UNKNOWN BECKONS

Welcome to Eon. An alternate dimension where fantasy and paranormal is reality, and humans sit at the bottom of the food chain. In this world of unadulterated power and ability, the innocent suffer greatly. The ruling council of Eon has selected two humans, born of the Venator bloodline, and brought them through the gate—wishing to manipulate their strength and special abilities for the council’s corrupt purposes. But, Grey and Rune have very different ideas. When their college dorm is infiltrated by creatures from another realm, Rune Jenkins, her twin brother Ryker, and old friend Grey Malteer are thrown into unexpected, twisted chaos. While Rune and Grey are able to escape, Ryker is kidnapped away to Eon, the alternate world from whence these dark beings came. With the help of a supernatural guide, Rune and Gray must now travel to Eon to save Ryker, and discover the illuminating truth about their ancestry. In this new world of fae, vampires, werewolves, and wizards, power is abundant and always in flux. Rune and Grey are being set up as pawns in a very dangerous game and must find their way through – and out of – Eon before it consumes them.”

Rune warily looked to where Tate had pointed. “There
aren’t any strange things out there, right?”
“Strange is in the eye of the beholder.”
Tate stomped his feet, dislodging a sheet of dried mud from his legs
that smashed to pieces when it hit the ground. “You’ll
be safe, if that’s what you’re asking.”

About the author

Devri Walls is a US and international bestselling author. Having released five novels to date, she specializes in all things fantasy and paranormal. She is best known for her uncanny world-building skills and her intricate storylines, and her ability to present
this all in an easy-to-digest voice. Now gearing up for her first national release, Devri is excited to introduce her sixth novel, book one in the Venators series. She loves to engage with her loyal following through social media and online sessions she organizes for her readers. Devri lives in Meridian, Idaho with her husband and two kids. When not writing she can be found teaching voice lessons, reading, cooking or binge watching
whatever show catches her fancy.

Author Website