The Magpie Lord (A Charm of Magpies) (Volume 1)

What to say...I have a new auto-buy author (and those are very few these days). Not often a fan historical fiction, this story grabbed my attention and didn't let go. I immediately snatched up the sequel and eagerly await the third installment this fall.

From the very first sentence I was hooked. Great character development, intriguing story line, mystery, and romance all in one. The romance builds slowly, but the tension is there all along, not the steamiest love scenes I've ever read, but still very well done. I don't think you can go wrong with this book. My only caveat, I wish it was longer and now I have another author added to my instant buy list. FYI, this first volume works as a stand alone, but I wouldn't read the second (A Case of Possession) without reading this one. And if you read and love The Magpie Lord, trust me you'll definitely have to read A Case of Possession too.

The writing was some of the best I've encountered in this genre, the setting and time period is one of my favorites, the characters were magnetic, and the plot was gripping. It never seemed to drag, and I thought the balance of the magic and mystery and romance was basically perfect. The tension was fabulous throughout and the payoff was hot and more than worth the wait. Excited to read more of the series!

Great story mixing old London and magic. A little more gothic and dark than most m/m mysteries but this makes the story even better. Loved the main characters, less sex and more mystery, action and building of romance. Perfect. Hope to read more of Stephen and his magpie Lord.

a really good fantasy mystery novel with a super gay subplot. the characters are interesting but not well developed. i felt little empathy for the lord or his justicair. maybe the next novel will get the reader more involved with their loves affair

This was recommended to me as being as good as Captive Prince. It isn't. CP got a 5 star review from me. This book is okay. Good writing, good characters, but it seemed a bit anticlimactic and left me wanting a little more story.

I liked their adventures and the world building. It seem as though what ties the two main characters is lust. It was so action packed I think the relationship development was a little off. I will purchase the next book so we shall see what the author does with it.

I enjoy historical, paranormal and mm fiction. This one has all three combined in one of the most imaginative, detailed and original ways I’ve come across. It winds magic through the Victorian world in a way that makes it the backbone to the story, not a worn plot device, the characters are wholly original and intriguing, and the writer handles language itself brilliantly. A runaway train of a book, start it and you won’t want to put it down. It thoroughly deserves every five star review it has scored.

Such an unexpected and extraordinary period story which weaves it's gripping spell and keeps the reader longing for more, if you like flights of fancy (or Maggie's) you'll love this book. Can't wait to get started on book two!

I really enjoyed reading "The Magpie Lord". This is the first book for me by this author and it won't be the last. As soon as I finish this review I'm buying the next book. So I encourage you to buy it, read it and enjoy!

This book was bought on a whim and what can I say? It exceeded all expectations. At turns scary, horrifying and enthralling. Stephen, Lucien and Merrick are real and flawed and completely believable. This is how I imagined Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell would be before I saw the series. Lol! I devoured this in one session and am so happy I bought book 2 as well. Highly recommended.

I'm a new fan of KJ Charles, and I am loving reading through the available works! The Magpie Lord was a lot of fun for me, the plot and characters are wonderful. :) I'm heading right to the second book!

This book is great! I was initially hesitant because of the era and theme... However, it's written very well, and the story kept me intrigued! The intensity between the two main characters was believable. I highly recommend!

The Magpie Lord is a wonderful read of paranormal suspense and mystery. The characters come alive on the pages and you can't help but to root for the good guys. A must read and a great addition to any library.

The characters were wonderful. How can you not love Merrick? And the interactions between Stephen and Lucien are at times dark and violent, but they spark and it's incredibly sexy. The sexual tension between the two of them was amazing.

The setting was dark and magical. Someplace that you never want to leave.

Exciting and entertaining and utterly satisfying.

This novel and its sequel are both beautifully written, thrilling and held me enraptured from the start. This is a great story that gallops along with interesting characters, remarkable settings, a large dose of magic and intrigue, as well as some horror, and a completely wonderful romance between Lord Crane and Stephen Day, the magic practitioner.

Incredible just incredible. There are so many nuances in this book and the meanings behind things are wonderful. KJ Charles weaves a web so intricate and complex at the same time that it winds around you and just keeps your breath and has you hanging until the end.

Crane comes home after the unusual deaths of his dad and brother to find things aren’t as they seem. He begins to feel as if he’s unraveling unbeknownst to him there is evil and wickedness running amuck. This is when Stephen comes in. Stephen who believes Crane’s family is one he is to hate. But Crane stirs feelings in him. Feelings he doesn’t want to admit to and he also needs to help Crane. their is so much evil in the house that it seeps into the skin and strangles you. As the past, present and possible future comes to a head with the intentions of the evil and those around them it is more imperative that Stephen help Crane. these two help each other in more ways than one. They give each other peace and also power. They protect each other and also support one each other. They exasperate each other but also love one another without even knowing it.

With someone wanting to get revenge on crane’s family and Crane being all that is left he is the one to get all the danger and evil forced upon him. Stephen needs to identify what is going on and help him while keeping Crane from doing anything stupid.

A book that encompasses the history of Crane’s and Stephen’s family, the love lost and found the history of power and magic and the unraveling of the evil surrounding Crane and his home so he can be protected.

the writing is powerful and really draws you in as you learn the meaning of the magies, the power and the evil that is surrounding all that their is to do with Crane. I look forward to seeing the next in the series and learning how Stephen will continue to protect Crane and unravel what is really going on.

This really is incredibly strong in every way. I don't have a single complaint. I was hooked from page one and read it right through in a few highly entertained hours. I loved the mystery plot, loved the magic, adored both leads, admired the secondaries, especially Merrick of course. For the first time that I can remember, I am dying to meet a secondary who was only mentioned in passing--Stephen's partner, Esther--I'd bet money she's a fantastic character, a badass nerd, and I am currently dreaming up a whole history and personality for her.

Admittedly, there was not a huge amount of sex, which is usually a deal-breaker for my smut-loving self, but truly the flirting was so hot, so very, very (fanning self) scorchingly hot, that it was not a problem. Most of the thanks for this go to Crane's bedroom (or train, country path, library) talk. What can I say, the man has a gift. Also tattoos, which I don't usually find all that sexy, but boy did I here, especially those two you couldn't see until... well, you know.

Bottom line: Read it. I really think you will like it.

I really enjoy this writer. I have read both books in this series and have preordered the next book. The late Victorian age setting was a change from most of the books out today. The magical sequences were well done. By the way love the magpies!

The plot grabs you from the opening line and never lets you go. The characters are well developed, and the sex, when it does happen, is hot but not overdone. The writing is excellent.

My only warning would be that the story is somewhat dark; I can't say more without giving things away.

I like that this story is self-contained, although there is already a sequel available for pre-order (which I intend to buy). I'm tired of feeling that I'm getting taken advantage of by overpriced serialized stories where you are forced to buy 'the next one' in order to find out what happens.

I don't have anything against serializations, only that in the end you pay almost two to three times as much as you would for a novel. This book is reasonably priced for 50,000+ words.

I just could not put this down. It was a real page-turner, with absolutely gripping horror/dark magic elements which I just had to know how they would solve. It's pretty brutal at times, but in a way which adds to the atmosphere of the story rather than made me want to put it away.

I'm not that into the couple. I liked them in the beginning, and towards the end, but for the most part of the in-between it just felt like there was... nothing there. No chemistry, just sex written in for the sake of it - and although it was hot in its own way it was also sort of disturbing - it felt so out of place.

That said, since by the end of the book those issues were once again resolved (though the transition between chemistry-no chemistry-suddenly chemistry again was quite mysterious, but I'll roll with it I guess) and the plot had me hooked well enough, I'll be reading the next one in the series too. This author deserves it!

This book was an absolutely incredible thriller. If you're looking for a book where the romance is the main plot and things are sweet and easy going, this is not the book for you. I was on the edge of my seat the entire read and simply could not put it down until four o'clock in the morning. The characters are superb and the couple is adorable and full of tension. Definitely recommended to brave readers ready for a thrill!!

I loved this story. Very exciting from the beginning to the end. Though it is a series, there was nothing left open-ended (though one of the villains escapes). The characters, all of them, are very well fleshed out. The manservant Merrick is amazing. And the villagers are crazy and angry . . . so well written you could FEEL it. And the villains. Ah the villains were very, very crazy and evil.

Crane and Stephen were amazing. This is the first m/m book I have read (and yeah I read a lot) in a long while, where I like both main characters. There is no young, virginal, feminine guy waiting to be rescued or dominated. There is no tall, angry but silent manly guy forcing himself on the other, who submits. These were two men, both comfortable in who they are and experienced in what they do and what they want. In fact, Stephen is the rescuer! I also liked that they did not play around with expressing what they wanted. Stephen, though short, was a huge powerful man, focused on doing justice even when he does not want to.

The ending was AWESOME.

I want to read more because I want to see how Crane and Stephen grow. I also want to visit Merrick.

I was quite satisfied when the book ended. I smiled when I turned to the last page. Not because I was happy it was over, but because I enjoyed it to the last word. I'm keeping it on my list to re-read when I need to get the taste of poorly written and unimaginative other books out of my mind. I can't wait to read the rest. More, please!!!

This book truly is an enjoyable escape. I was instantly captured by the personalities of the protagonists. The concept alone (a seemingly modern world inundated with magic) was enough to make it worth purchasing. However, I caught myself thinking, "Don't tell me what the characters are doing or saying; show me." Again, the book shows tremendous potential, but I would caution any potential readers to be prepared for assisted telling by the author.

The plot, magic system, and setting are the strongest points of The Magpie Lord. The concept of 'stripping' and the revelations about who the Magpie Lord is and the nature of the mansion were unique, and I'm intrigued by the larger world of 'practitioners' in this series. A lot of exposition and dot-connecting happens in dialogue (almost exclusively by Stephen), but since that's par for the course in mystery novels I could forgive that. I do wish Crane was able to do more sleuthing than simply asking Stephen to explain himself over and over.

The Magpie Lord's Victorian setting was also well-realized. There were many lush descriptions of Piper and Crane's outfits.

I liked the two main characters and their dynamics as a team, but I wasn't so engaged by their budding relationship. Crane's sexual advances appeared rather suddenly, and I had trouble seeing Stephen's mutual interest in him. I enjoyed the plot and their journey learning about the Magpie Lord, but the romance itself just didn't work for me.

I'm not sure what to make of the ending scene. At best, I felt that Stephen and Crane had a sexual attraction and friendship with the potential to grow into love. The declaration that they are both the Magpie Lord, thanks to exchanging the Magpie Lord's ring and some body fluids, seemed like an attempt to further cement the romance without truly proving whether they loved each other or not. I hope this is something Charles explores or addresses in the next book.

The very first scene of the novel contains a somewhat graphic suicide attempt. While this content doesn't harm me, it's worth noting for people who are harmed by it.

I really enjoyed this book. The setting was authentic; the characters were interesting and complex and the plot moved at an exactly the right pace. It was the perfect mix of mystery, magic, and genuinely page turning excitement!

What a brilliant book! I started it in the evening, intending to try and get out of a bad mood but not intending to finish it all in one go. Hours later, the bad mood is gone - and so is the book. :)

It's tremendously fun and funny. The characters are quite vivid, the world building is excellent. The language isn't particularly accurate to the time period, if you want to nit-pick, but it's so well written that really, changing it would be a crime.

Going to have to see what else the author has written now...

I honestly am a sucker for a good mystery and in a fit of boredom on day I decided to check this out. It was fantastically written and I was pleasantly surprised by what I got. Anyway I'd give it a shot.

This is beautiful and wonderful and tawdry. Take Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, compress it down to about an eighth of its length, and turn it into slashfic. That's The Magpie Lord. I'm buying the sequel immediately.

Yes, there is an evolving attraction between our two main protagonists . However, it doesn't detract from the plot. The author balances the romance where it's not center stage. I felt I became interested in both characters as individuals, partners and eventually lovers. Also, the secondary character (Merrick) was a hoot.

I did think that the scene of Crane finally taking Steve against the wall and than over the kitchen table was a bit dramatic. Nevertheless, it's not major enough to turn me off. Yeah, I'd recommend reading this. It's light, interesting and has good character
development.

This is my second KJ Charles book and though I loved "Think of England", I cannot say I loved this one. The Fantasy story was good but the ending was abrupt and left me feeling a bit disoriented. The emotional component of the story felt a bit pro forma and definitely took a backseat to the warlocks and such. Finally, there were lots of modern day turns of phrase in the dialogue which really stood out and took me out of the story (e.g. a reference to someone as "not having a clue" and other such expressions...) I won't be reading the next ones in the series.

This book was so unexpected! It is by far my favorite series. It gave so much more than i thought it would and by the end of this book you love the dynamic between the two main heroes. Five stars from me!!

That was seriously hot! I wish we were privy some of the stories (like how he got tattoos) Plus there are other part that are barely touched on. So why I hate how some of the back story was glossed over; this was still an excellent read! 10/10 :)

I enjoyed The Magpie Lord, it was a good story with engaging characters. I like books that involve magic/fantasy and I like gay fiction, so this was a win/win. I look forward to the next in the series.

I’m not a big fan of historicals, because they usually contain too much description for my taste and I find the dialog hard to connect with. But a dear friend gave an emphatic recommendation, and I’m all about paranormal, so I figured I’d give The Magpie Lord a try. (And, I’ll admit, I was partial to the title, too.)

It reeled me in from the first page. With what? The dialog. Not only was it so gorgeously written I could absolutely hear it, but it told me all kinds of things about Crane and his manservent. Their stations and classes. Their humor. And the deep and abiding love and respect they share.

And the description? That too was used in a masterful, purposeful way. Rather than describing mundane details in an attempt to keep reminding me in which era the story was set, the details were lavished on fascinating things, like the workings of magic or the loathsome country neighbors, or Crane’s mysterious stint in the orient.
I’m so tickled this is a series and I get to read more.

Gruesome, humorous, unique, and fantastic! Loved this inventive story of a Shanghai joe ex-pat Earl who returns to England to face evil witches, headless ghosts, and the most disgusting black magic ever. All with the help of a spirited bantam magician who is much tougher than he looks.

I have no idea why this book has so many 5 star reviews. the store recommended this book after I read "The Captive Prince". But it is no where near as good as "The Captive Prince" trilogy. Firstly I would not really consider this a romance novel. It seems more like lust than love to me. There is not really any build up or chemistry between them. There is sex in the novel but no build up to it. It usually just happens randomly. This book did not draw me in and I definitely will not be purchasing any more books from this author.

This is well written, for a m/m sci fi book, witty with much appreciated character depth I found myself laughing out loud to the bantering between characters, I will definitely be re-reading this again.

Wow - got this against my better (and totally wrong) judgement. Never cared for the angsty repression in historical m/m, but have been reading so many duds lately I figured what the hell. Brilliant, intriguing, funny and spooky without making me hesitate to use the bathroom in the middle of the night. Ridiculously good story, amazing tension that doesn't overstay it's welcome and HOT without being gratuitous. Really annoyed I ignored it for so long.

One of the funniest, wittiest, and most believable male/ male romance books I have come across. Mrs KJ Charles has it all; amazing heroes, a good solid plot, lack of cliches, a well structured world with its rules on magic, as well as an accurate historical representation of the era. Hands down one of the most entertaining books I have ever read. I strongly recommended it to anyone who's sick and tired of the usual male/ male dribble with the falling rose petals, long inane love speeches and arbitrary hair combing between the male protagonists. This is NOT one of those books. Grab it and you won't regret it.

Magic and mystery and man love...oh my! I was transported within the first few chapters and immediately bought the other two books of the series. I gobbled up all three books like a fat kid with a piece of birthday cake. This is an amazingly entertaining read and the couple is one that stays with you. Romantic, edgy and pure fun. Worth a reread and that's high praise from a die hard on to the next one fan of the genre. Unforgettable.

I took a chance on this unknown (to me) author and was wonderfully surprised! I loved the characters and dialog. I'm usually wary of a paranormal storyline. If this isn't your usual cup of tea...take a chance. The writing is intelligent and the mystery is good. The only drawback is the long wait for the sequel. ARRRGGGGG! It is already on my pre-order list. Can't wait!

I don't remember what grabbed me about this to make be buy it, but I'm glad I did. There's not a lot of sex; two short scenes, but good ones. There is, however, one hell of a good supernatural story with several twists and mystery. I can't wait for the sequel!

The Magpie Lord is an engaging, tightly written, humorous yet romantic novel. The characters are skillfully developed and immediately engage the reader. You can feel the romantic tension between Stephen and Crane develop as a plot slowly evolves. I found it impossible to put this book down for more than a few minutes. I eagerly await the sequel.

A powerfully written paranormal historical. I loved how the author wove the legends of England's Green Men and tales of ancient civil wars together in a seamless, complex tale.

Exciting paranormal adventure, mixed with tender MM romance

The characters were well thought out and the plot was good. It was a fast read as I couldn't put it down because I had to see what happened next. Definitely buying the next book in this new series. Very unique mystery!

Thanks for a really sensible, believable supernatural story K J ! It's now given me the confidence/courage to read further in this genre that I'd thought I'd never be able to take to. Michael: from Australia.

I really loved this book: It was well-written and it has an original plot. The humor of the dialogues between Crane and Day had me grinning stupidly in public. The sex scènes were too few for my taste, but they were very sexy nonetheless; I do hope there will be more of those in the next installment, which I cannot wait to read!

Absolutely brilliant! If you like paranormal and enjoyed Jordan L. Hawk's Whyborne and Griffin series, you're going to love this. And while this is the first in a series, the end doesn't leave you hanging over a cliff.

The first thing I would like to mention about this book will make me look stingy but I really think that at 2578 kindle locations (the rest is made up of previews) the current Am. price of $3,24 is TOO EXPENSIVE. Sorry to mention this, but it is true. It takes about two hours to read this M/M short novella.

The second thing I have to mention is unfortunately a great classic in my reviews:
"this book as it is is enjoyable but it could have been so much, much better with just a little more effort".
The raving reviews catch part of its merit but fail to remark on the many elements that could be improved.
Here they are in random order:

- While writing and style are good in a general way, they are inconsistent with the alternate Victorian England the story is set in and inconsistent in themselves. By this I mean that if an author chooses to use modern language in a period romance he should do it throughout, not mixing modern and archaic.
- The POV shifts uncertainly for a while until the author seems to settle for an omniscient narrator. It does not disrupt but it is noticeable.
- The author seems to lack the taste for lengthy descriptions and brilliant dialogues that is essential in period romances. It is a question of length, surely, but also of depth of characterization and accuracy of setting.
- The missing dialogue also explains a complaint by other reviewers that this work is lacking in the romance department. The growing attraction between Crane and Day could have used more dialogue. It could also have used a less rigidly codified division of sexual roles -manga style-. It was also probably unnecessary to make Day as small as less than five feet to make him unremarkable in appearance at first sight.
- In a mystery the villains, at least some of them, should not appear so late in the plot.

On the whole this is a pleasant read, but, once again, it feels like a wasted opportunity. I could read its sequel, but not for the price and at this quality level.

I liked this book, however it ends a 91%, the rest is samples of other books by other authors. It is a pet peeve of mine that the page length is not the actual novel. I make my purchases based on length, cost and sometimes ratings. I don't even know if I will purchase an other book by this author, because I don't like to be cheated. The story line is great. The concept interesting. Mild spoiler: if your looking for romance and sex it don't happen until the end. The story ends abruptly, so it easy to tell an other book is continuing on the story. It would have been nice if the relationship was built on more than the magic aspects.

Excellent story, great take on the time period and magic. But...
Why is graphic sex needed to tell a good story? Because it sells books? Well, it doesn't, as I'm not going after the next in the series for that reason. And will avoid anything else by this person.
The book is okay, that's really all.

Warning: This review might contain what some people consider SPOILERS.

Rating: 9/10

PROS:
- The premise is intriguing, which is quite a compliment from someone who reads almost nothing but m/m romances.
- Crane is an unusual aristocrat: he possesses all of the breeding of his class, but suffers few of the hangups typical of his contemporaries. And he doesn't give a hoot about propriety, which lends him a devilish quality. His behavior toward his manservant, Merrick, is particularly fun: they constantly toe the line of propriety regarding how members of the aristocracy and the working class should interact.
- I love reading about characters who aren't physically perfect. Stephen's plainness only highlights his other fine qualities...and those are the ones Crane is attracted to.
- The brief mentions of Shanghai made me want to see more of the city at that time--its culture, its inhabitants, etc.
- The sexual angle was spot-on for me. It's not the focus of the story, nor is it at all detailed. But it complements the story well: the blossoming of plain little Stephen mirrors his simultaneous proving of his worth as a practitioner of magic.

CON:
- Parts of the story could afford to be more fleshed out. Some important scenes are seen only in pieces in brief flashbacks, and others are skipped over almost entirely.

Overall comments: I liked the story very early on, and my interest only grew as the story progressed. The writing is smooth, the characters are likeable, and the fantasy/historical world is well formed. A lovely book throughout.

The richness of language and twisting plot is done beautifully, this book is just the kind of historical I like to read and when it's a KJ Charles book you know it's guaranteed to be amazing! KJ weaves intricate mysteries and unique characters into works of fiction that are just mind blowing. Her Sins of the Cities is one such perfection and this book is a promising start to another series.
The setting is just the right amount of raw and gut punching with the flair and sophistication of the upper class. The magical supernatural elements were fascinating and seemed completely natural in this world. Lucien is probably the wittiest, most charming, rakish, wonderfully horrible man I have had the pleasure of reading about. I absolutely adored him, he is seductive and controlling yet vulnerable at the same time. Stephen is as much a contradiction as Lucien is, and TO Lucian as well. He is such a fiery, compassionate man and I loved his level of control and knowledge in his respective field. He is so competent and never backs down even when all hope is lost.

The way the plot unfolded and slowly revealed more of the sordid history of the Crane household and family was suspenseful and I found myself wishing for more time to keep reading when I inevitably had to put it down and once I was done reading I was anxious to get the next one and keep reading. I am so excited for the next books and how the story will continue for this couple.

***The NARRATION***
Mr Cornell Collins, my oh my, he nailed this book so thoroughly I feel like I cant get it out of my head. I enjoyed his narration of KJ's other book series, Sins of the Cities and the way he managed to infuse every character with life. This book was even better! The richness of the writing is emphasized by Cornell's wonderful voice and talent for accents. He put so much emotion into the performance, using pitch and breath with an artists touch and for me, made this book an exceptional listening experience.

One of the reasons I've grown tired of romances is that even the non-standard ones (m/m, f/f, etc) tend to be awfully formulaic. And I get that, audiences want the comfort of the familiar. But sometimes I want a story that steps a bit outside the boundaries. I got that with The Magpie Lord. I like the way some of the standard material gets turned upside down, as when Stephen, who is small and delicate, and seems to have a bit of the twink about him, turns out to be the tough one, the dangerous one who faces down magic users not just by force of his authority but by force of personality as well.

And Lord Crane? One of the least aristocratic aristos you'd ever want to meet, and not the least bit interested in his social position and definitely at sea when it comes to magic. All he really wants is to be done with all the nonsense about his family's estate, and get back to the working class life he led in China. The two men stumble into each other's hearts while Stephen, who has every reason to hate Crane's family, works to keep Crane alive and well in the face of malevolent magic.

Add to the mix the gruff, no-nonsense Merrick, Crane's friend and man-of-all-work, and it becomes a good ensemble piece of the sort that I enjoy most. Stephen and Crane don't exist in a vacuum, they have friends, associates, ex-lovers, people they depend on and who depend on them, and those relationships enrich the story. I was pleased to find that it's the first of a series, and I will be following it.

I'm normally not one for historical romances, particularly those set in Victorian England, due to the inescapable undercurrent of homophobia that is typically part of the story. K. J. Charles' incredible writing got me past that though, and I'm very glad! We have some memorable characters here, as well as a good bit of dry wit, and some very steamy encounters! This England is very similar to our historical one, except here magic (as used by "practitioners") exists, though it is not particularly common.

In the character of Lord Crane, Charles has created someone who completely breaks the mold of the Victorian upper class. He is a tradesman (gasp!) with an egalitarian outlook and very little patience with the fripperies of the noble class. Crane is aided by his manservant Merrick, who can equally serve a cup of tea or break a man's legs, as needed. Stephen Day is from a different world entirely. His family was of modest means until their fortunes were destroyed by Crane's father. He now earns a meagre living as a justiciar, the small police force charged with keeping practitioners in line. He is a deeply intelligent man and a powerful practitioner, though one would not think so to look upon him. Much of the action takes place at Piper, the Crane family home in the country. It is a bleak and oppressive place, almost a character itself as it provides an absolutely perfect setting for the shadowy doings menacing Crane and Stephen.

What really struck me about this book was the story structure and plotting. Just when it seems all mysteries have been wrapped up we find there are more to be unraveled, and when the final plot is laid out it is stunning in its intricacy. This is great writing, and this is what is keeping me coming back for more (I am working my way through the series and they are all excellent so far!).

The audiobook is by Cornell Collins (a pseudonym of the very talented Matthew Lloyd Davies), whose performance took an excellent story and elevated it further. His British accent alone is a good fit, but the variation of accents by the class of the character (from street urchin to lords and ladies) brings the story to life and make these characters relatable. Collins/Davies' work is one of the best audiobook performances I've heard so far, and I really enjoyed it.

It is notable that the sex scenes in this book have elements of dominance and submission. While that's not usually my thing, they are written with a sensitivity and care that help the reader understand where the motivations are coming from. I was able to sympathize...and also enjoy the scenes because they are damn hot!

If you like intricate plots, complex characters, and paranormal in your romance, this is absolutely the book for you! I would recommend this one highly.

I'm writing this from the point of view of a female who reads a lot of straight romances, usually Regency and Victorian historicals, and who reads a lot of urban fantasy and some steampunk. So those are the genres that will inform my comparisons in this review.

The short version: Fun characters and an engaging plot that moves right along. A carefully constructed world, lots of dialogue, and all the other conventions that we expect from a fantasy "paranormal romance" - hard to decide if this was written mainly as a romance with a paranormal twist, or mainly as a fantasy with a romance twist. It is also a murder mystery, by the way.

The longer version:
Fantasy: an alternate Victorian-era England, with magic practitioners, who come in good and evil varieties. The magpie is the Crane family totem animal, more or less (though it isn't referred to exactly that way) and it does the reader well to remember that magpies are corvids, like crows and ravens. So take a little of what you already know of the mythology of crows and ravens and keep it in the back of your mind. (You can run a sound track of "The Three Ravens" or "Twa Corbies" in your head, too, if you want.) Relevant in particular is that many corvids appear in large flocks - here, we first meet large flocks of magpies in our protagonist Lord Crane's tattoos - he has 7 magpies tattooed on him, which is rather a lot; then we find that his house has so many magpie images and figurines that they constitute a large flock themselves. It remains to be seen whether more of the crow-like aspects of magpies come into play, or whether some of the behavior unique to magpies among the corvids becomes important, but I am looking forward to it - I haven't run across the next ones yet, but I hear they're out there.

In some ways I was reminded of Randall Garrett's Lord Darcy mysteries - also set in an alternate Victorian-ish England; written long enough ago that no one would have dreamed of making the interaction between murder investigator Lord Darcy and his consulting magician Sean O Lochlainn a gay relationship - but the dialog between them, and how things are explained by each person on the investigating team, in those mysteries, is similar to this book. So if you liked those, try this.

Romance: women readers will find that apart from the obvious differences in anatomy, this reads pretty much exactly like a straight romance. Example: eye color. Books written by women for women - romances, cozy mysteries - focus a lot on the eye color of all involved, especially the male hero. Books written by straight men for straight men, which is to say (until relatively recently) most genre fiction except romance and cozies - do not spend any time dwelling on eye color, even when there is romance or sex between the characters. This book dwells on eye color. On the other hand, there isn't that much discussion of clothing style, except as a marker of social and economic class - not a lot of description of it as decoration, neither on the male nor the female characters.

A small flaw - the plans of our villains are sometimes portrayed a bit inconsistently, in that what happens next is sometimes described as if that was their plan all along, other times as if that's what they fell back on only when their first ploy didn't work.

Miscellaneous: (1) good editing and copy-editing. No typos, no word misusages (I mean the who's/whose, they're/their sort of thing). Thank you so much for that, editor! (2) Strictly speaking, novella length rather than novel, but that's OK - better a slightly short book than a grossly long one.

There are probably a bunch of straight guys who won't read this because the gay romance facet scares them, and that's too bad, because this is a fun fantasy with great characters.

I feel so lucky to have read several amazing books lately. The Magpie Lord by K.J. Charles is one of them.

I started to read this for pleasure, not because the author sent me an ARC, but as soon as I opened the file on my Kindle app and went through the first few pages, I knew I wouldn't be able to resist talking about this book with you.

The old-timey feeling that I love is there; the amazing characters are there; the good relationships, the atmosphere... And the humor. Oh, the humor!

I really hadn't expected so many chuckles, and giggles, and loud laughs from this book, but I got them in different quantities from situations only hinted at or mentioned to guffaws over a few paragraphs as a time. I was especially hooked on the conversations between Lucien (Lord Crane) and his servant and more or less babysitter Merrick. The latter of the two not-exactly (actually, not at all) gentlemen absolutely cracks me up.

But you are probably wondering about the chemistry between Lucien and Steven, you know, with them being the main characters.

Don't worry: K.J. Charles has got us covered.

I absolutely loved how the two of them change through interacting with each other. As for their naughty time scenes: no complaints there either, although I'm not sure how one of those scenes worked out due to the difference in their heights. As someone who is a lot shorter than their significant other (actually, Steven and I seem to be the same size), I'm not sure one of the positions was possible, but that aside, the sex scenes were on point.

So, you are probably wondering if there are things I disliked about the book.

Well, it's a bit difficult to explain without spoilers, but I'm dead set on not giving you any, so I'll try. Steven is presented as an astute character throughout the book and yet towards the end, he missed several important details that got him and Lucien in hot water. The author gives the explanation that Steven was distracted by Lucien, but I didn't buy that. Yes, he was distracted, but given how he'd acted up until that point, he shouldn't have been that distracted. It seemed out of character and given that it was the reason for the final showdown to play out the way it did, it felt like a plot device move on K.J. Charles' part.

But this is honestly the only thing I can think of when I try to remember a weak point in The Magpie Lord and given that overall reading that book was a more than satisfactory experience, I can't even bring myself to lower the rating I'm going to give because of this.

The Magpie Lord is perfect for people who love magic and humor and want strong chemistry between the characters.

First, I'll start with the single positive element of this book. The cover. It's stunning. Samhain really knew what they were doing with this artwork. It grabbed me and pulled me in--and left me with a book that I simply... couldn't finish, not really. At 50% through, I skimmed the last portion because I couldn't take it anymore.

As a reader, I expect to be smashed over the head with the hammer of good storytelling, intriguing characters (people, mind you, not cardboard cutouts), and an immersive setting with rich, vivid details. I found none of that here.

The storytelling was limp and yawn-worthy, completely told, not shown (in fact, some of the more important aspects of the story were skipped entirely). The characters themselves were cardboard cutouts instead of fully-formed, living, breathing human beings (toward the end of the book, they did take a few breaths as fully fleshed-out characters, but by that time, I'd grown completely uninterested). They didn't grab my hand and yank me along their exciting journey, like I expect from every book. Instead, I plodded along behind them, tired and exhausted. And as far as the romance component was concerned, in any book, I want to root for the couple, yearn for them to be together. Stephen and Crane--I just didn't care. There was no chemistry between them. No spark. No fire. No sexual tension, no buildup. The sex scenes happened--and that was it. There wasn't a symphony leading to the fireworks. No excitement before the parade. Sex just... happened, and it was frustrating. This was definitely a square-in-a-circle-hole romance for me.

Rich vivid details? Immersive setting? No. I wasn't pulled in by the sprawling time period, lush with societal rules and fanciful clothing, like most historical pieces. I was left there, disembodied, trying to imagine what I thought the author expected me to see.

Did I expect too much? Maybe. Maybe I didn't "get it" like the other five-star reviewers. Or maybe I need more out of my romances than a paint-by-numbers plot and point-a-to-point-b writing. I expected a beautiful ballerina, gliding her way through prose and setting and deep, multifaceted characters. What I got was a stumbling three-year-old, pawning and grabbing (and missing) the basic elements of structure and writing in this book.

Plus, for the amount of story I received, it was terribly expensive (not the author's fault).

All in all, not the book for me. I regret buying it and won't purchase another book from this author.

That cover, though... A+.

WOW! Just WOW! I LOVED IT!!!

This one caught me off guard. I like a good regency book every now and then but to be honest, they are not my favorite genre. Well, let me tell you, I was SURPRISED as hell at how much I enjoyed this book! It was so unexpectedly thrilling! It was fast-paced, action packed, scary/disturbing while simultaneously super cute and sexy!The plot was unpredictable and the characters were absolutely FANTASTIC!

Lucien and Stephen are such a cute and unconventional couple. Their romance was slow-building, but really captivating. They both appreciate each other so much and learn to rely on each other, it is extremely endearing. I also wouldn't say that the plot took a back seat to the romance or vise-versa. It was a pretty even match between plot and romance which is difficult to accomplish and I was thoroughly impressed.

The secondary character's were rounded as well. I loved Merrick and the author even gave the minor characters depth and development.

All in all it was amazing and I absolutely LOVED it! Go READ NOW!

This was awesomesauce! From the great and haunting/eerie setting to the characters and their actions it felt so realistic even as a fantasy. I enjoyed the interaction between the guys - it was just perfect and the tension (of all kinds) was hot. The D/s thread that was being woven at the end was sublime and not at all about "BDSM" but more about what each person wanted - which means it fit the story and was hot. The secondary characters are just as interesting as the primary - and I'm settling in for a long and fab read series!

I would like to thank the person who suggested The Magpie Lord by KJ Charles. I am a sucker for low magic Victorian mysteries involving gentlemen who prefer gentlemen. This one has a rather classic gothic romance premise: disgraced younger son returns from twenty years abroad to a decaying country seat after the death of his father and horrible older brother to find he is cursed and a tangle of mysteries and family secrets to be solved if he is to survive. Only, with a bit of quality m/m romance and erotica instead of a female lead and heterosexual romance and erotica. It is very well written, with likeable characters, and interesting magical system, and surprisingly complex given the slenderness of the volume. I guessed the end, but I nearly always guess the end, and read it with enjoyment in one evening. I am looking forward to reading the sequels.

This was my first introduction to this author and I rapidly inhaled all of her other books, especially this series. Stephen and Crane were each such interesting characters and seemingly so wrong for each other! The romance and sexual tension is palpable all through this book and the sex, when it comes, is explosive. I loved the building tension and suspense of the story. It was one of those ones that I almost couldn't see a way out! It was a story where the littlest thing could have a meaning later one. The historical period is well done (and I usually hate historicals) and it really conveys how dangerous it was to love a man then. The worldbuilding is excellent with a great magic system. I rarely give 5 stars on Goodreads but this one really deserves it. The rest of the series is also wonderful and, while this is not a cliffhanger read, readers will definitely want to know more.

This was my first introduction to this author and I rapidly inhaled all of her other books, especially this series. Stephen and Crane were each such interesting characters and seemingly so wrong for each other! The romance and sexual tension is palpable all through this book and the sex, when it comes, is explosive. I loved the building tension and suspense of the story. It was one of those ones that I almost couldn't see a way out! It was a story where the littlest thing could have a meaning later one. The historical period is well done (and I usually hate historicals) and it really conveys how dangerous it was to love a man then. The worldbuilding is excellent with a great magic system. I rarely give 5 stars on Goodreads but this one really deserves it. The rest of the series is also wonderful and, while this is not a cliffhanger read, readers will definitely want to know more.

A number of people I follow of Goodreads have read and loved this book. I'm always nervous starting such a book, because there is so much more of a chance of going in with high expectations and being doubly disappointed if it doesn't live up to the hype. Luckily for me, The Magpie Lord does. I really quite enjoyed it.

I liked Crane's Devil may care attitude. (I was expecting a stuffy Earl and was relieved to find he wasn't.) I liked that Day held his own, despite his small stature. I adored Merrick. He was, by far, my favourite character. I liked everyone's witty banter and general disregard of social dictates.

Despite what I liked, there were also things that niggled at me. I thought Crane's transition into trash-talking sexual pursuer was sudden and startlingly abrupt. As if from one page to the next he went from having a professional relationship with Day to seeing him as a potential conquest and that required he tell him repeatedly what he would do to him.

I thought that despite being strong in most contexts, anytime the story swerved toward a sexy scene all Day's descriptions felt like those of a woman. To quote another reviewer (because I couldn't say it better), "He is constantly on his knees, gets his red lips moistened and "broken" open by Crane, he is breathy, nearly faints half of the time, reacts like a Harlequin lady to Crane, is snippy, in the end gets f*cked like a girl (tried several times and f*cked in the end like that as well) and it's just not a femme who is described there. It's a "male girl"."
I felt cheated out of the sex too. There were several almosts, but the final actual act was practically glossed over in favour of its consequences. What's more, the suggestion that Day was a natural submissive to Crane's preferred domination came out of nowhere and felt like a gimmick in the end. What it actually probably is is a set up for their relationship in future books, but I can only judge from here for now.

Lastly, though the mystery was interesting for most of the book, the revelation of the villian(s) was a let down. They came out of nowhere, thereby holding no emotional relevance for the reader. Heck, half the time I couldn't even keep the names straight as they'd played so little role in the book that they hadn't cemented in my mind and they were so similar.

So, I had a couple complaints, it's true. But For the most part, despite not being a fan of historical fiction in general, I really enjoyed the book and will be looking to continue the series.

Lucien Vaudrey, Lord Crane, never intended to return to England. He was content in China, despite having been exiled there by his father. When he is forced to return to his family's country home to deal with his inheritance of the earldom after the deaths of his father and brother, Crane finds out he's inherited more than property and a title. Someone wants him dead, by means of dark magic.

When a magician has to be called in to deal with the problem, Stephen Day is the man they get. He has his own reasons for hating the Vaudreys, but his strong professional ethics force him to help solve Crane's problem. While working to save Crane's life, Stephen finds that the man is nothing like his father and brother. An attraction springs up between them.

Can Stephen get to the bottom of the magical riddle before dark magic destroys them both?

The Magpie Lord is a fascinating mix of history and magic that combines to form an intriguing fantasy world. Crane and Stephen live in what seems to be England in the 1800s. Everything in the story is normal and expected--except that magic is real. Magicians, shamans, witches, and warlocks exist, some working for good and some for their own gain. Curses cause real physical harm. Spells can influence people. That one small twist to reality is all it took to make the setting seem like a whole new world. KJ Charles did a very good job with the world-building, and with creating a menacing atmosphere at Crane's ancestral home.

I also really liked the characters. Lucien Vaudrey is a rakish sort of man. He makes no apologies for his past, his business concerns (most of which were definitely not things noblemen ought to be involved in), or his attitude toward society in general. He's also a good man who wants to do the right thing when he can and not be like his cruel, manipulative father and brother. Stephen Day is quite a contrast to Crane. He's short, not of noble birth, and he makes his living helping others with magical problems. He's a very honorable man with a very good reason to have a grudge against the Vaudreys, yet his sense of honor forces him to help Crane. Soon enough he realizes that he's judged the man unfairly. He also realizes he's drawn to the man.

Unfortunately for Crane and Stephen, their interest in each other has to take a backseat to solving the mystery of who wants Crane dead. This aspect of the story is not for the faint of heart, as the mystery is full of twists and turns, terrible family secrets, and horrifying confrontations. A few scenes were pretty gory and disturbing, which didn't bother me but might bother some readers. Personally, I thought the creepiness of those scenes only added to the world Ms. Charles created. Crane and Stephen must travel, navigate the minefield that is English society, and face frightening truths in order to find the culprits. Anyone who's looking for something new and different with a historical flavor should pick up The Magpie Lord. It's a truly unique book, and I can't wait for the next entry in the series.

This book was reviewed by Cassie for Joyfully Reviewed (JR), and was provided by the publisher/author at no cost to JR for the purpose of being reviewed.

My rating reflects the fact that I enjoyed the heck out of this book. Almost immediately

Lord Crane is the titular character, a despised second son who inherited his earldom after the death of both his father and older brother. He is tall, handsome, well dressed, never a hair out of place and has an incredibly colorful and varied background. He is also funny and an all around decent guy. I really dug Crane and want to hear more about his various adventures when he lived in enforced exile before coming back to claim his inheritance.

Stephen, the other major protagonist, is not quite so blindingly awesome (or as tall) as Crane. And yet he manages to create as much of a vivid, memorable impression as Crane. Poor, from a family disgraced by scandal, Stephen is a mage who is called upon to help Crane escape a death curse. He is acerbic and biting and honorable as all heck.

While Crane's character is immediately engaging, Stephen's character is a lot more stealthy. And in the end, when I closed the book, he actually felt more dynamic than Crane. The Stephen we met at the end was not the same Stephen we met in the beginning. I liked how the author peeled his layers away.

The plot was all kinds of fun. There is a magic system in place that governs who practices and how it is administered and controlled. Also how it works. Poor Crane is laboring under a death curse and the ways the author allows it to manifest are inventive and creepy. Even the descriptions of Crane's home and the surroundings and the people all play into the dark, macabre, creepy elements of the magic swirling around Crane.

And yet, the book does not feel that dark at all. The dialogue is great and Crane has such a smart wit and Stephen has a such a dark humor that you find yourself gliding through the pages. The relationship between Crane and his Man-of-All-trades, Merrick is all that that sort of relationship should be. And the relationship that builds between Crane and Stephen is also well conceived and great to experience.

I take half a star off, though, because I was not convinced of the romantic connection between Crane and Stephen. They felt more bromantic than romantic. It almost felt like simply dotting an 'i' or crossing a 't' to have them consummate a sexual relationship that I wasn't completely feeling. In the end they are together and you know they are embarking on a relationship that has some significance given that it also ties into some powerful magic. But yeah, just wasn't feeling them as a couple.

I do plan to continue the series because it was sooo good and I want to hang out with them some more. Maybe the romantic chemistry that I am missing will manifest then.

In this historical paranormal tale, someone or something is trying to kill Lord Lucien Crane, and Stephen Day, a man with every reason to hate Crane for the way his family was treated by Crane's father reluctantly agrees to help find the cause of the supernatural disturbance that is threatening Crane's life. Will he succeed or will all his powers be for naught?

What a fascinating story! It's like a mix of a Sherlock Holmes mystery and Harry Potter fantasy, with an unlikely pair of men who share an attraction to each other that surprises them both. Lucien is every bit a lord in his dress and mannerisms - with the exception being his penchant for men over women, though it's not portrayed effusively in the story by any means. Stephen on the other hand seems to be a drab dull man at the start - yet we soon learn that it's a front he presents of himself so that he can remain unobtrusively in the background, observing and gathering facts. Lucien soon realizes the power that Stephen wields though, and is simultaneously awed by it and attracted to the man underneath. The plot unfolds at a rapid pace and from the first page, the reader is brought into this incredible Victorian world where magic seems part of the day to day normality for the select few aware of it. There is a lot of suspense, action, drama and a bit of male male "bonding" that occurs, keeping the reader on their toes. I loved every bit of it! I'm very much looking forward to continuing their story in the next book of the series. 5 stars!

The Magpie Lord (A Charm of Magpies, #1) by K.J Charles.

Fours stars - solid four star rating for a very good book

This was a pick for me challenge in one of my Goodreads groups, and a very good one. I really enjoyed this book far more than I thought I would based on the cover and the descriptions. If you like historical fantasy and m/m romance you will probably love this book. If you read all of the reviews you might be inclined to think the readers are exaggerating; I thought so and I was sooo wrong.

The story is set in a fantasy version of Victorian England, where magic is real if not well known. Most don't believe in magic but there is a secret group of practitioners who practice their craft and police their own kind. There are some non-practitioners in places of power who are aware of this.

Lucien Vaudrey, having recently inherited the title of Lord Crane, finds himself in need of a magical intervention when he suspects that his near suicidal bouts of melancholy are the result of a curse. Luckily, he is inclined to believe in such things because he has lived in China for 20 years where magic is practiced openly. He was exiled for having perverse proclivities (AKA being gay) and only returned after his father and brother's mysterious deaths left him the title. He is a self-proclaimed inappropriate Earl and plans to leave England as soon as possible.

His savior turns out to be Stephen Day, a man with an unfortunate history with Lucien's unscrupulous family.

It starts out a bit slow, but the dialog is witty and the characters very engaging. The author very slowly reveals Stephen's character and the sexual tension between the two was absolutely delicious. Talk about opposites attract! Stephen is so serious, driven, and very much a product of the Victorian culture he is a part of; he is constantly aware that his attraction to men is at the very least illegal and dangerous and perhaps he has even bought into the idea that it is shameful and wrong.

He goes pretty far to discourage Lord Crane, going so far as casting glamour to make himself seem boring and unattractive and re-writing Lucien's memory of a hot moment when they nearly have sex right there in the garden - something he promises never to do again, but of course he can't resist forever. When they do get together the results are sizzling and magical (literally!). I was rooting for this couple so much more than expected at the beginning.

The story is ostensibly a mystery as the two men work together to find who cast the curse on Lucien and why. They end up uncovering so much more. The story really speeds up toward the end and there is some really creepy (seriously, not for the faint of heart!) nail-biting action. The mystery isn't really the point of the story though the world building is absolutely stellar.
It was a very enjoyable read and I was eager to read the next story (which I did and was even better than the first). I had a few quibbles, but that is more about my personal taste than the writing. Lucien and Stephen's relationship has a bit more of the dom/sub vibe than I like. They were still hot and I adore Stephen.

This review can be found at The Blogger Girls review site.

A few months ago, Heather read this book and told me it was one of the best books she read that year and that I NEEDED to read it. Of course, in my true historical phobia fashion, I said no way! It’s historical, I don’t like those… right? Obviously not because I read it and LOVED IT!

Lucien Vaudrey spent the last twenty years exiled in China. When he received notice that his father and brother both died suddenly and that he needed to come back to deal with the estate, he expects to come into contact with his family’s enemies. What he doesn’t expect is to be cursed. Forced into seeking assistance from a magical practitioner, he meets Stephen Day, a man who holds a grudge against the Crane family. While Stephen wants to hate Crane, he can’t seem to not offer his assistance. In his attempt to free Crane from his curse, he uncovers a much more sinister plot behind the assassination attempts while slowly falling for the very man he doesn’t want to be attracted to.

I really enjoyed this story not just because of the writing and the mystery but also because of the characters. The tension between Stephen and Crane in the beginning is potent and as that angry aggression lessens, a sexual tension takes over instead. The two together are HOT and I loved that there was such a build up to their attraction before anything major happened. As individuals, Crane is almost drowning in the chaos that his father and brother left behind, subjected to constant scorn just for being a Vaudrey. Stephen is guilty of blaming Crane for the sins of his father but learns quickly that Crane is nothing like family. I loved that the story showed the development of Stephen’s feelings towards Crane but also the way he sticks up for Crane to others who still believe that if he’s a Vaudrey he’s trouble. It was interesting to see the changing dynamics in the intimate relationship between Stephen and Crane, as well as, the magical aspects around the two.

I adored this story but there was one big niggle that I had. It seemed like whenever I really wanted to get details on a certain thing, the description around it would be vague or lack details on what happened or what was being said, etc. For instance, there was one part where Crane was being asked for his decision from the villain, he said something and the villain responded but we never ‘see’ that response or the villain’s reaction to it, only a mention that the villain didn’t like Crane’s answer and goes crazy. There was also another memorable part where I wanted to have more explanation on a certain ‘shrine’ (so to speak) but while it was mentioned as gruesome, it was vague in what it actually looked like. There were other parts similar to that vagueness and I found I missed not getting descriptions on those sections.

In the end, though, I still loved this book. The raw connection between Stephen and Crane is fascinating, the writing is phenomenal and the suspense and action interspersed throughout the story had me on the edge of my seat for a good portion of the book. It’s an engaging novel that definitely captured my attention and held it until the last word. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series and seeing what Stephen and Crane get up to next!

Lucien Vaudrey has returned to England after a twenty-year exile to China to take up the title of Lord Crane following the deaths of his father and brother. Not long after his return, however, he started having blackouts in which he's tried to injure himself and is therefore very concerned. When a friend sends him someone who might be able to help, Stephen Day, he has some hope despite Day's own history with the Vaudrey family. Lucien needs Stephen to find out what's going on and help him, but Lucien can't help feeling drawn to Stephen and the attraction seems mutual. And Stephen is left trying to root out the source of the problem while trying not to be distracted by the new Lord Crane.

This was the first book by K.J. Charles that I've read and I can see why she is one of the bigger names in m/m fiction. It was easy to understand and connect with the main characters and she writes them in a way that makes you root for them. Personally, the paranormal and mystery elements in the story are a draw as I do enjoy stories that contain either (and especially both). There is a lot that goes on in this book, though, and a lengthy roster of secondary characters that can be difficult to keep track of. Overall, though, I'd certainly recommend giving this a read - especially if you're someone who appreciates m/m romance historical paranormal mystery.

This book is total awesomeness.

Now, let me qualify that statement with this: I have been critiquing/editing fiction for years, and over that time I have developed a critical eye for searching out flaws—poor writing mechanics, weak plots full of holes, flat or inconsistent characters, crappy dialogue, etc. Unfortunately, I am not able to turn this critical eye off even when just reading for fun. This means authors have a very difficult job meeting my high standards.

Well, KJ Charles was able to meet and exceed those standards in The Magpie Lord. The story starts off with a great mystery which leads to the two protagonists, Lucien Vaudrey and Stephen Day, having to work together. However, Stephen has a dark history with Lucien’s family which understandably causes friction between the two men. I won’t go into detail, but I must say that the realistic development of their relationship from strangers/potential enemies (at least on Stephen’s part) to something more was the strongest draw of the book. KJ Charles knows how to write chemistry without resorting to long passages of one character superficially fawning over some part of the other character’s completely Adonis-like anatomy. These men slowly get to know one another over the course of the first half of the book, experiencing some traumas along the way that they bond over. They also laugh, argue, get pissed, all the while slowly revealing themselves to each other. The development of their relationship is completely wonderful, never boring or drawn out, especially set against the mysterious murder by magic plot.

I must add here too that she created her characters to be real men physically and mentally, not cardboard cutout Greek god stand-ins. I loved especially Stephen’s crooked tooth that gave him “a grin like a fox” and Lucien’s scarred, heavily tattooed body.

The Magpie Lord has a very satisfying ending, both in the relationship department and in solving the mysterious happenings. I would have been happy to leave these two alone after that ending, but I was even happier to find there is a second novel about these two which I will be snatching up as soon as possible!

If you are a fan of MM romance, I would highly recommend this one. If you are a fan of paranormal type mysteries and don’t mind gay protagonists, I think you would also enjoy this book. The mystery plot was not just stage dressing for the romantic one. Instead, they both complemented and completed each other. And let me tell you, that takes some freakin’ awesome mad writing skills.

I really enjoyed this one. Stephen Day helps Lord Crane with the magic that is trying to kill him, against his better judgement because he has bad history with his family. They get to know each other and their relationship builds slowly due to the fact that they don't trust each other, and the time and place where they live makes an intimate relationship between them illegal. The magic in this story was fascinating and I definitely want to read more of Crane and Stephan.

This was a great book, and got me hooked on the full series very quickly! Following the characters on their adventure is entertaining all on its own, with lots of fast-paced action, magic, and humor, but their falling in love adds some sweet and some hot moments in the books as well. I enjoyed the full cast of characters, adding in needed support as well as their own voices, views, and typically adding in humor. Each book ends without a cliffhanger, but they're so good, you'll want to read the next one just to see what other adventures they can run into!

Eeep! This story had some crazy wicked scenes in it that had me flailing to a friend. "I'm like this right now... 0.0" LOL
I loved Merrick from the very beginning. Right off the bat. He is hilarious and just amaze!
Lucien. Gah! Lucien. His character is so sharp and not just his brain. The mouth on him. Jeeezus! Hello sailor! *fans self*
Stephen is such a badass. I mean BAD ASS! I truly adore his character, spunk, and wit.
I can't wait to get into the next book!
Gimme all the magic and crazy!

After all the praises I heard about this author and this series, I expected a lot more.

The characters are interesting and vivid, the story interesting, the romance believable. But the problem is the resolution of the 'detective part' of the story. Or the lack of it, as it all comes down to Stephen naming a few people we never heard about before and ties them in with trivial details, such as what was the name of the the Crane's neighbors' guests - guests that were mentioned several chapters before as a part of the small talk. It felt terribly rushed, as if the author was working on a story and then someone told him 'sorry, you need to end the book in the next twenty pages'. It;s a pity, because it completely ruined the whole plot of the book, changing it from what could have been an interesting mystery and romance novel into a b-class porn.

I liked the concept of this story. I liked the characters and I liked the language, it reminded me of Sherlock Holmes and the time period setting of the book. What I did not like too much was that there were too many villains, and with hardly any reason for them to be there. They were suddenly introduced by Stephen and even Crane was surprised and confused so this reader was definitely ready to put the book down. I did want to see how the relationship between these two very mis-matched people would develop so I continued on but there was very little of that. There was a brief encounter where all of a sudden feelings of forever started to develop between the two but the story ended right there. I am not sure I will read the next one in this series.

Loved this! Lucien and Stephen were both very likable characters; Lucien has a pretty good sense of humor too! The fantasy plot was rather intriguing, definitely engaging, and I loved the romance! It was quite funny to watch Lucien seduce Stephen Day—Lucien does sincerely like (later love) Stephen, though, so it wasn’t just a fling. What I also really enjoyed, was the writing itself. The prose is beautiful in both cadence and style.

Ooooh, Stephen and Lucius. Sexiest couple ever. I love how Stephen is the small, unassuming guy with most of the power while Lucius is the big, sexy, powerful guy who is a match for him -- even sometimes scared of him. It's a unique and fun dynamic. Both characters have a sense of humor, and I found myself compelled by their relationship as well as impressed with the high quality fantasy world that KJC creates.

while of course this was a paranormal romance, the historical setting was so throughout that it read more like a classical historical romance. my only complaint is that Crane previous life in China seemed so interesting it was a pity we read few words about it... for example the story behind the tattoo? just an hint and nothing else. but in the end, this was a book that kept me rapt until I reached the end.

Seriously? Did you think no one read Susanna Clarke's novel? Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell? About an ancient magician, called THE RAVEN KING, who established rules and courts for magical crimes? Then (SPOILERS!) a magician hundreds of years later sent clouds of ravens around, sort of channeling the Raven King? Really, it was extremely popular. They made it into a television series! We even got to see it over here in the states. I'm really afraid of what else you may steal from that novel later on in this series. Oh, wait... people with tattoos that change or move... Yup, you stole Vinculus and his shtick from that novel already. When do the fairies show up? Oh, they've gotta be gay AF, don't they? That's just too easy.

Hey, I checked the publication dates on both of these works. Yup. You've read it. Guilty.

I wanted to like it. But I couldn't get past the potential copyright infringement. That popped up about a quarter of the way through, so you're lucky I kept going at all. I really don't think I can give you any more of my money, like, EVER. Please stick to derivative fanfic if you can't create your own characters and your own universe.

I just have to say that I was hooked and found it to be quite difficult to put down the book. Although I was not sure of their chemistry at the beginning, as the story continued, I began to understand how these two men fit each other. The story was uncommon. The suspense was luring. I enjoyed this book and became a fan of K.J. Charles immediately.

Oh this was fun. A little complicated towards the end but I blame the fact that my head is a bit screwed today and so I didn't follow the new characters as they were introduced. I am sure no one else will have that issue. This is a story with little sex but it didn't matter, it was the story that I loved... I am off to add book 2 to my Kindle.

The main characters shone from the pages of this fabulous paranormal / alternative historical novel. The sexual tension was deliciously worked up throughout the story. The dialogue was vibrant and unexpected, avoiding all those mind numbing cliches that some authors seem unable to give up. The fast paced action involved believable magic with murder, revenge and some nicely blood chilling detail. Gorgeous fun with the added value of magpie tattoos. I have got a new must buy writer.

Really loved this book. The characters were great, and there was a wonderful romantic tension between them. The story was engaging and the pacing generally good. There were one or two scenes in the middle that were under-written, but it was a minor flaw. Four and a half stars.

I frequently read book reviews that say, "I couldn't put the book down." Now I'm going to say that. Although I thought this would be just another regency romance, it turned into something so much more! Lots of action and magic really made this a page-turner. After I finished, I immediately bought the second book and have pre-ordered 2.5.

I'm in love with m/m historical romances. Mostly because I see where society is headed and that people are able to be more open and accepted with whom they love.
This story also includes a fantasy angle that coupled with the real life danger of the relationship makes for a fun read.

I have had great difficulty putting this book down and now that I am finished, I am sad that it's over. I honestly can't think of a book I have read recently that I've enjoyed more. The storyline is gripping from the very beginning. It really is a rare book that holds my attention like this one, the characters are interesting and likeable, the story suspenseful, and the pacing perfect. Looking forward to more from KJ Charles!