Feeling Fictional: Leveling Up Series

Magical Midlife Flowers (Novella)

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Magical Midlife Awakening

Visit K.F. Breene's website for more information

Review:
After the battle to save Kingsley's pack Jessie's enemies are still licking their wounds and regrouping for a bigger attack so that should give the Ivy House crew the chance of a little downtime before things ramp up again. Unfortunately for Jessie the holidays are fast approaching and that comes with an invitation to her ex-in-laws huge Christmas party. As much as Jessie is keen to show off Austin she's less keen on having to spend any time around her ex and his parents.

Magical Midlife Awakening is a little slower paced than the last book but that didn't make it any less enjoyable to read. Jessie is really forced to look back at her marriage and see exactly how her ex managed to twist her emotions to get her to do what he wanted. It makes for quite uncomfortable reading at times but seeing Austin and her friends rally round helped on that front. It was really easy for Jessie to fall back into old patterns around her ex but with the others there she was able to push through that and start to deal with him on her own terms using her newfound confidence. It showed just how much she has grown and changed now she's free to live life on her own terms and I loved seeing her stand up for herself.

While their enemies seem to have taken a step back for now that doesn't mean the Ivy House crew are resting, they're working harder than ever to build relationships with potential new allies and to continue their training as a team so they're ready for whatever is thrown at them in the next battle. Sebastian and Nessa still have their own plans that they're working to put in place and I think we're going to see a lot more of their plans come to fruition in the next book. There is a lot going on in this world but with Jessie's newfound confidence added to her determination to protect the people she cares about I think her enemies are going to have a bigger fight on their hands than they could ever have anticipated!

Source: Received from the author in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

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Review: Magical Midlife Flowers - K.F. Breene

Previously part of the Magical Midlife Kickstarter.

This is a bonus story that plays into elements in Magical Midlife Battle. It should be read after Magical Midlife Alliance. It isn't necessary to the overall series ARC, but rather a fun little aside into the lives of the Ivy House Crew.

Edgar does not cheat in flower shows. He might use a magically enhanced serum, but anyone could do that. It's not his fault the other competitors don’t know magic exists!

But when the Ivy House crew goes to the pre-show to support him, it becomes clear that someone should've been watching Edgar much more carefully. What he's done is way worse than overgrown flora.

While Jessie is dealing with that, she gets a shock as she discovers photos of her ex with his girlfriend…turned fiancée. And while the flood of emotions can be ignored, the desire to show off Austin on social media is not.

After putting Mr. Tom in charge of the flower fiasco, she decides to take Austin on his perfect date. Her goal: to have one thing go right in her life. Just one thing!

Leveling Up Series:

Magical Midlife Flowers (Novella)

Visit K.F. Breene's website for more information

Review:
I remember seeing the Kickstarter that included this novella but I somehow completely missed it being published as a separate kindle ebook so I'm a bit late to the party with this novella. Technically it fits into the series after Magical Midlife Alliance so I wouldn't recommend reading it before that point but it won't be a problem if you read it later. It was fun to see more background information of the magical flowers Edgar used in the big battle scene though so I'm glad I picked up this story.

I love the entire crazy Ivy House crew and the banter between them all is just fab. Edgar has always been one to go his own way and he really goes off the rail in this story so it's up to the others to try and reign him back in again. This may only be a short novella but it packs a lot of fun into those pages so while it's not an essential part of the series it's definitely a recommended one!

Source: Purchased

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Kindle:

https://amzn.to/48R4hMu

Tuesday, 19 September 2023

Review: Magical Midlife Battle - K.F. Breene

It has all come down to this.

The battle to save Kingsley's pack, and Austin's place of birth, is upon them. They have their team, they have their supplies, and they have a very nerve-wracking secret weapon that Edgar devised.

They aren't even close to ready.

If they lose this battle, every shifter in the world will be in jeopardy. But to fight means danger they might not all walk away from.

If only the battle was their sole worry.

Austin has come home for the first time in fifteen years. He left the pack in tatters and a great many people haven't forgotten, his family included. He must finally face his past.

Get ready for a thrilling and emotionally charged next installment in the Leveling Up saga.

Leveling Up Series:

Magical Midlife Flowers (Novella)

Magical Midlife Battle

Visit K.F. Breene's website for more information

Review:
Well it's the moment we've all been waiting for, a battle that the series has been building towards since the first book, it's time to fight for their lives in defence of Kingsley's territory. I feel like I've been waiting so long for this book and it really didn't disappoint.

It was so fun to see Jesse and her motley crew away from Ivy House and trying to fit in with Kingsley's pack mates. Kingsley has already made his peace with Austin and Jesse but the rest of their family, and the pack, have no idea what kind of madness is heading into town and they're not particularly happy to have Austin back - even though he is there to help them.

There were some really interesting dynamics in this instalment of the series and it was interesting to see Austin trying to tread carefully and build bridges, I felt really sorry for him with the way some people treated him but it was good to see Jesse and the others come to his defence.

I honestly don't want to say much more about this book, if you're a fan of the series you'll know the kind of antics to expect from the regular characters and you'll already be prepared for an action packed ride. If you've stumbled across this review by accident don't start reading at this book but do grab yourself a copy of Magical Midlife Madness and be ready for a fun adventure as you end up binge reading the rest of the series though!

Wednesday, 22 March 2023

Review: Magical Midlife Alliance - K.F. Breene

After a disappointing return from the basajaunak lands, it's clear that Jessie and her crew need to form an alliance and fast! A massive battle is materializing, targeting Kingsley. Without more help, they'll never be enough to save Austin's brother from total annihilation.

The good news is, gargoyle cairns are interested in meeting her. She's the only living female gargoyle and a connection with her has the opportunity to improve their status. They'd just have to change their way of life to accommodate her, not an easy ask for a gruff, stubborn sort of creature.

She has her back against the wall. She must try and wrangle her crew into some semblance of "normal" to entice even just one major cairn to her side. Something not totally impossible…except for the interference of a cairn's Lead Enforcer.

He isn't just a gargoyle. Couldn’t be, not with his unnatural size, strength and glowing eyes. His origins are a mystery and his entire person is cloaked in danger. He might just hold their fate in his hands.

Making an alliance was always going to be difficult, but now it might be nearly impossible, and not just because the crew has no idea what "normal" might look like.

The clock is ticking.

Leveling Up Series:

Magical Midlife Alliance

Magical Midlife Flowers (Novella)

Visit K.F. Breene's website for more information

Review:
Jessie, Austin and their crew know they still need to gather as many allies as they can before the big showdown with Momar and they need to do it fast if they want to have a chance of helping save Kingsley and his pack.

The last book saw them focused on getting to know more of the basajaunak but this time around we get to see more of the gargoyles when Jessie invites 4 of the largest cairns to meet. Things don't always go to plan though and a lot of the gargoyles are very set in their ways and have no idea what to make of Jessie and the rest of her crew.

I'm not going to go into any more details because I want to avoid spoilers but it was really fun to see Jessie once again boggling people's minds because she doesn't think or act the way they expect her to. She definitely has her own way of doing things but she is also extremely loyal and protective of the people she considers hers so she's the kind of person you want on your side when you're going into a fight.

I love the whole Ivy House team but I am getting a little annoyed with Sebastian and Nessa for the way they go behind Jessie's back and start plotting without anyone else's input. I'm sure they have Jessie's best interests at heart but it really is about time for them to start acting like the team members that they've become. I really hope that is something that changes as the series continues but either way I'm fully invested and can't wait to see what happens next.

Wednesday, 14 December 2022

Review: Magical Midlife Challenge - K.F. Breene

The signs are unmistakable, Momar isn't just targeting Austin's brother.

When one of Momar's grunts breaks into Austin's territory looking to grab Jessie for questioning, Jessie and her crew realize they are under fire. In order to protect themselves, it becomes obvious they need backup.

Thankfully, the basajaun's people have invited Jessie and her crew into the basajaunak lands. This is their golden opportunity to seek their help.

The problem is, a host of mages and mercenaries are following them. Once they take Jessie this time it won't be just for questioning, and she won't be coming back.

To omit this detail to the basajaunak would result in punishment. And everyone knows "punishment" with basajaunak is synonymous with an unmarked grave. But to tell them would get their visit canceled and force them to face the threat alone. Either way could mean certain death.

Decisions, decisions.

Welcome back to O'Briens, where the only certainty is that nothing is normal.

Leveling Up Series:

Magical Midlife Challenge

Magical Midlife Flowers (Novella)

Visit K.F. Breene's website for more information

Review:
There was quite a long gap between the release of the previous book in the series (Magical Midlife Meeting) and this one so I took the time to indulge in a series reread before picking up this book and I found myself falling in love with this world and the characters all over again. This is just such a fun series to read and I love that the characters are older than you often see.

Jesse may be fairly new to the magical world but she's got plenty of life experience to draw from so she's able to hold her own. Her relationship with Austin was a real slow burn but things have reached well over boiling point now so we're getting more of the heat that I'm customary to in K.F. Breene's writing.

The side characters shine with all their crazy antics and this instalment lets us get to know so much more about the basajaunak which was fun. I did think we might get a little further information about Momar but it makes sense that Jesse and Austin are taking the time to build their power base and get as many allies as possible before the big showdown and I'm already excited for the next book so it's great that we only have a couple of months to wait!

Paperback / Kindle:

Tuesday, 27 April 2021

Review: Magical Midlife Meeting - K.F. Breene

It's time for a magical battle Jessie isn't sure she's prepared for.

Elliot Graves has been a thorn in Jessie's side since before she agreed to take the house magic. He has constantly brought the fight to her doorstep.

Not this time.

With the help of Austin's shifters, the Ivy house crew will meet Elliot Graves in one of the most dangerous places imaginable - his home turf. But not before another creature joins the circle.

Leveling Up Series:

Magical Midlife Meeting

Magical Midlife Flowers (Novella)

Visit K.F. Breene's website for more information

Review:
This series really has been getting better and better with every book and Magical Midlife Meeting is the culmination we've been waiting for in so many ways. Elliot Graves has been a thorn in Jessie's side from very early on and now she is finally getting the chance to face off against her nemesis. Things aren't quite what they seem though so Jessie is going to have to think fast before she does something she might later come to regret.

I really enjoyed this book, as much as it's been fun meeting various family members of both Jessie and Austin in the last couple of books this story things are pulled right back to the core members of Jessie's team and the protectors of Ivy House. It's time to meet Elliot Graves face to face and it's being done on his territory so the whole crew is on edge just waiting to see how things play out. They come face to face with multiple mages and soon find themselves in a fight for their lives.

I really don't want to say too much about this book because I don't want to accidentally spoiler anyone but there is a lot of action and some really interesting revelations for you to look forward to when you pick up this book. By the end Jessie is forced to rethink a lot of her old assumptions and question who the real enemies are and we've definitely been set up for an even more dangerous next book in the series. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing what happens next.

Paperback / Kindle:

Review: Magical Midlife Love - K.F. Breene

The Ivy House team is shaping up, but there are still holes to be filled, and a magical summons outstanding. Jessie needs a teacher. Someone who can fit in with the whacky Ivy House crew. And that was going just fine...until she gets a request to host a powerful, neighbouring mage.

A teacher isn't going to be enough. She needs more power in her crew. She needs some might.

This time, Austin Steele might not be able to dominate what she calls in, creatures no shifter has ever dominated before.

But that isn't all Austin has to worry about. After a skirmish in the bar, suddenly his whole world is turned upside down. He can no longer ignore the feelings that have been growing for Jess.

He also can't ignore the town's complete lack of readiness for the neighboring mage's visit. He must call in his brother to help lock down the town. And when his brother arrives, he must finally hash out the past that has split them apart so that he can claim his future.

Leveling Up Series:
Magical Midlife Madness
Magical Midlife Dating

Magical Midlife Love

Magical Midlife Flowers (Novella)

Visit K.F. Breene's website for more information

Review:
Magical Midlife Love is the fourth book in K.F. Breene's Leveling Up series so I'm going to jump straight into this review assuming you've already read the first three (if you haven't, stop reading this review right now and go grab a copy of Magical Midlife Madness, this is a series that definitely needs to be read in order to be fully appreciated!)

The last book introduced us to Jessie's parents but this one brings her son home for a visit. He's in for quite a surprise when he realises how much his mother has changed but I loved how accepting he was about everything and especially the way he encouraged Jessie and Austin to take the next step. I think it was important for Jessie to have his approval and it was just another barrier coming down helping their relationship take another step in the right direction. Romance fans are definitely going to love some of the latest developments in this book. We also get to find out a lot more about Austin's past as his brother comes to town to help Austin prepare for potential war against the mages and I'm never going to complain about the introduction of more shifters into the series.

I've grown really attached to Jessie's crew now and they're always making me laugh with their silly antics but we've had some great additions to the cast over the last few books. I'm enjoying getting to know the gargoyles better and I really liked the mage Sebastian who has been helping Jessie with her magic. He's obviously hiding secrets though so it's going to be very interesting to see how that plays out as the series continues. These books are always great when I want something fun to take my mind off of real life and I hope K.F. Breene continues writing in this world for a long time to come.

Source: Purchased

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback / Kindle:

Review: Magical Midlife Invasion - K.F. Breene

Jessie is well on her way to learning her new life and settling in. The tough alpha, Austin, has joined her team, and she has painstakingly learned to fly. At the moment, life couldn’t get any better.

But it can get a whole lot…more irritating.

Her parents have decided to visit. They don’t know anything about magic, about Jessie’s new digs, or about the crazy crew living in and around Jessie’s house. She must do everything in her power to keep the truth away from them.

Which would be much easier without the unfelt presence lurking within Ivy House’s borders. It seems an enemy has figured out a way to magically bypass Ivy House’s defenses. Jessie is completely exposed.

The real battle, however, won’t be with the incoming force. It will be between Mr. Tom and Jessie’s mom, each intent on being the most helpful. Mr. Tom might have met his match, and he is not pleased.

Just when things were finally settling down, Jessie is in the thick of it again, and this time, the turmoil is all around her.

Leveling Up Series:
Magical Midlife Madness
Magical Midlife Dating

Magical Midlife Invasion

Magical Midlife Flowers (Novella)

Visit K.F. Breene's website for more information

Review:

Magical Midlife Invasion is the third book in K.F. Breene's fun urban fantasy series starring gargoyle Jessie, the magical house she inherited and all the weird and wonderful supernatural characters that came with it. Jessie is still very new to the magical world, she didn't even know magic was real until fairly recently and she had no idea or her own abilities either but she is working hard to get to grips with everything and is slowly getting control over her power. Now that the wider magical world is aware of her existence though she has a big target painted on her back and she's going to have to level up fast if she wants to survive.

As if dealing with her new situation wasn't enough Jessie now has a surprise visit from her parents to contend with. They are also completely ignorant of the magical community and Jessie wants to keep them that way so it's hard to explain a house that keeps changing and her rather strange butler Mr Tom. I really enjoyed seeing the way Jessie handled everything in this instalment, I also really love that Ivy House is becoming a character in it's own right with separate needs and wants to Jessie. I find magical houses fascinating and thought it was hilarious that Ivy House kept playing tricks on Jessie's father.

The only slightly frustrating thing is the ongoing will they / won't they between Jessie and Austin. It's so obvious that they're perfect for each other, it's also obvious that they both have the hots for each other but they're both gun-shy and scared to make the first move. I can understand why they feel like that but you know those books where you're mentally grabbing both of the characters by the back of the necks and pushing their heads together yelling "now kiss you fools"? Well that was definitely me as I read this book! I do have high hopes for them getting their act together soon though so fingers crossed for the next instalment.

Paperback / Kindle:

Thursday, 13 August 2020

Review: Magical Midlife Dating - K.F. Breene

The second book in the Leveling Up series by USA Today and Wallstreet Journal Bestselling author K.F. Breene.

She must learn to fly, but can she withstand the allure of the handsome new teacher?

Book two in the Top 10 Kindle Store and internationally bestselling series by USA Today Bestselling Author, K.F. Breene!

The decision has been made. Jessie has taken the magic, and all the weird that goes with it. Including wings.

There's only one problem - she can't figure out how to access them.

Through a series of terrible decisions, Jessie realizes she must ask for help. Gargoyle help.

But she could've never predicted who answers her call - he's an excellent flier, incredibly patient, and a good trainer. He's also incredibly handsome. And interested.

Maybe flying isn't the only thing she needs help with. Maybe she needs help getting back on that saddle, too, emerging into the dating pool.

Except, the new gargoyle is also an alpha, just like Austin, and the town isn't big enough for two.

Turns out, flying is the least of her problems.

Leveling Up Series:
Magical Midlife Madness
Magical Midlife Dating

Magical Midlife Flowers (Novella)

Visit K.F. Breene's website for more information

Review:
Magical Midlife Dating is the second book in K.F. Breene's Levelling Up series (if you haven't already read Magical Midlife Madness I'd highly recommend reading that book first) and it was another fun instalment.

I really love main character Jessie, at 40 she's older than a lot heroines and because of that she's confident in her own skin and knows what she wants from life. She spent her whole life not knowing that supernatural creatures were real so she's been really thrown in at the deep end by her move to a small town full of shapeshifters, vampires, gargoyles and more. Since taking over running Ivy House and inheriting her own magical powers Jessie has had a steep learning curve and knowing that she has dangerous enemies closing in means she needs to level up her abilities fast if she wants to be able to protect herself and the people she's coming to care about.

This series has been so much fun to read so far. The characters living in and around Ivy House are totally bonkers in the best kind of ways and I really enjoy the group banter and watching Jessie figure out how to reign in everyone's crazy impulses. I also really love the friendship between her and the town alpha, polar bear shifter Austin, I have high hopes for those two if Austin is ever willing to admit his feelings. This story sees an influx of gargoyles who arrive ready and willing to help Jessie learn to harness her magic, some I like more than others but it was definitely fun seeing them try to sort out their places in the hierarchy.

These books are really fun and easy reads and I can't wait to continue the series.

Source: Received from the author in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback / Kindle:

Tuesday, 18 February 2020

Review: Magical Midlife Madness - K.F. Breene

A Paranormal Women's Fiction novel with a bit of class, and a lot of sass, for anyone who feels like age is just a number!

"Happily Ever After" wasn't supposed to come with a do-over option. But when my husband of twenty years packs up and heads for greener pastures and my son leaves for college, that's exactly what my life becomes.

Do-over.

This time, though, I plan to do things differently. Age is just a number, after all, and at forty I'm ready to carve my own path.

Eager for a fresh start, I make a somewhat unorthodox decision and move to a tiny town in the Sierra foothills. I'll be taking care of a centuries old house that called to me when I was a kid. It's just temporary, I tell myself. It'll just be for a while.

That is, until I learn what the house really is, something I never could've imagined.

Thankfully forty isn't too old to start an adventure, because that's exactly what I do. A very dangerous adventure that will change my life forever. I have a chance to start again, and this time, I make the rules.

Leveling Up Series:
Magical Midlife Madness
Magical Midlife Dating

Magical Midlife Flowers (Novella)