Interesting PNR book but just did not hold my interest the way that i wanted it to

Thank you for this book. I can't really write a positive review for it and I am not going to post a negative review. I felt that the world building was very lacking. When did people get magical abilities? Was it a new thing or an old thing? It just didn't really make sense. There were a few other things that seemed a bit off to me as well. Perhaps I am just not the best audience for this book. Thank you and good luck with it.

Byron Cole learns that morning commutes can change the course of our whole lives in Kit Brisby’s Rogue Magic. (Amazon | B&N | Kobo) When he’s trapped in a stalled subway car Byron passes the time flirting with hottie Levi Camden. He is stunned when Levi saves his life as they finally exit the car, using forbidden magic to do so. Levi is immediately surrounded by police, beaten and incarcerated. The effect of seeing it all unfold staggers Byron. He begins to question all he has been told about magic users and the so-called threat they present to society. Determined to help Levi, he puts a plan in motion that will either save them both – or cost them everything.

Naturally, they fall in love along the way.

Byron’s heart was already racing from the thrill of Levi’s magic and his pulse picked up even more as Levi squirmed and slowly seemed to realize he was tangled in a messy embrace with Byron.

Levi straightened, his arms around Byron’s waist, his gaze meeting Byron’s –all big brown eyes and wonder-and pushed up onto his toes to kiss him.

“What?” Byron said, the sound lost in the kiss that Levi deepened the moment Byron’s lips parted.

Using the introvert genius/ingénue trope this male/male romance is an intriguing story about finding love in a world full of fear and hate.

This was a really interesting story. I enjoyed seeing magic in the "real" world.. not just another world like Harry potter ya know. I enjoyed the characters and the storyline was very well written. I am glad i got to review this one

In a world strikingly similar to our own, certain people are born with an innate magical ability: some barely noticeable, others imminently powerful, and all are viewed as undeniably dangerous. The government requires every mage to have their powers bound and their rights restricted, but they are still seen as a threat. Byron Cole is the black sheep heir to this magical suppression technology, and is having a normal day when a chance meeting with an attractive stranger named Levi on the subway changes his life. And saves it, when he and his mysterious new crush are caught up in a supposed terrorist attack, and Levi reveals himself to be an extremely powerful mage. What follows is a story that’s more of an examination of social justice than romance, or at least, it tries to be.

The majority of the novel takes place while Levi is isolated and imprisoned, and while I was uncomfortable with the entire set up at least the story addressed its problematic nature, rather than simply ignoring it. I liked that the characters vocalised the consent issues and potential for stockholm syndrome, as while Levi can consent, the power imbalance inherent in their situation means Byron needs to be careful not take advantage. I especially appreciated that Byron demonstrating kindness didn't make him less of an oppressor, and didn’t deserve any cookies for being a decent person.

Levi kept calling Byron ‘weird’, but he didn't seem weird to me at all. This might just be due to the fact we both have anxiety, but I honestly couldn’t understand why Levi was saying it, other than to inform the reader Byron was odd rather than demonstrate it through behaviour. I also didn't feel much of a connection between Levi and Byron, they just didn't have enough time together - certainly not without being under duress - to establish a real relationship. While the initial spark on the subway certainly had chemistry they fell in love way too fast, and I found it difficult to believe they could develop such a strong bond that would last once the forced inclusion of their traumatic circumstances were over.

The creepy antagonist Dr Crane made my skin crawl, and whenever he appeared on the page I shivered and felt a bit sick – which is a testament to the writing (for sure!) if a bit wearying. I was genuinely worried about Levi, and kept wondering what sort of torture he would have to endure next. I actually had to stop reading fairly often, as the storyline was painfully relevant to the current socio-political climate and much too real. There was very little worldbuilding except to let the reader know it's 'our' contemporary New York City (Hamilton and all) but with minor differences, which was a shame as I really wanted to know more about how magic works in this world – especially as that’s part of the plot! - and I expected a story about mages, even ones bound and unable to use their talents, to have more magic in it. The ‘twist’ in the dramatic tale was fairly obvious from the beginning, but the reveal was satisfying; the action-packed finale however felt rushed, which it might not have done if the rest of the novel hadn’t been a slow burn.

Rogue Magic has a lot to recommend it – a timely metaphorical look at the state of the world today and the need to stand up for what is right in the face of unrelenting oppression, a main character with relatable anxiety issues, and two cute boys who clearly want each other but circumstances are trying to force apart – but ultimately falls short of delivering on its promise of an emotionally compelling paranormal romance. As an urban fantasy devotee I expected more from this story, but if you’re just wanting a solid, angsty adventure (with happy ending!) you’ll probably enjoy it very much.

Ooo boy, is this book timely. In a world very much like our own magic is a real thing. Not everyone can use it, and those who can are forced to register with the government and are vilified by the public. (See that? Yup.)

Bryon works for the company that confines mages and believes the party line until he meets Levi, who saves his life with a well placed magical shield. Bryon wrapping his brain around this new information is one of my favorite parts of the book. We watch him struggle with long held beliefs, do his best to open his mind, and become friends with people he formerly would have brushed aside. The process takes time and feels right.

Brisby's New York is delightfully rooted in the reality of our own, and I appreciate that the medical details are (to my knowledge) accurate. The friendships are especially satisfying, maybe even more than the insta-romance that pops up.

The world building is good early on but, like the plot, it loses steam. I would have liked more info about the history of mage suppression or theories on where the magic comes from and why only some people can use it. A lot gets swept under the rug with 'it's outlawed, so we don't know' which works in the beginning but gets frustrating as the story goes on. In a similar vein the ending left me with some unanswered questions as well as doubts that everything could have changed so quickly. And if you like your allegory subtle this is anything but.

Still, I enjoyed Rogue Magic. A diverse, escapist urban fantasy that manages to both address and take my mind off of current events? I'm here for that.

On the surface, Rogue Magic is a paranormal romance between two very different people. You don't have to get very far into the story to figure out that it's so much more.

The story is told by both Levi and Byron's POV, which is good. In the beginning, Byron's POV is frustrating, only because his mind set is jaded. He's not a bad person, but he has to change his total mindset, everything he knows and has been told is wrong. It doesn't take him long to turn his thinking around, but it takes long enough. Levi's POV is heartbreaking. He's labeled, condemned and alone when all he did was try to save people. Byron and Levi live in a world where there is a very definite line between 'good' and 'bad' - 'right' and 'wrong'. All of it's based on how you were born. Something that individuals have absolutely no control over. Sound familiar?
I have to admit, there were parts of Rogue Magic that were hard to read. There's really no hope for Levi. He's condemned... trapped... destined to be used, abused and tortured, when he really should have been hailed as a hero. It was beyond scary for him and those who cared about him. Nothing was quite what it seemed, but change couldn't happen without sacrifice.

This book reminds me of another M/M Paranormal series, but I'm not going to name it. Mainly because I don't want readers to think that I'm accusing one author of copying the other. The real connection is that there are underlying 'lessons' to be learned and I honestly hope that people reading pay attention.

*I received an ecopy of this book via NetGalley. This has not influenced my review.*

This book was a surprisingly realistic look into what it might be like if we had magic in our modern-day world, complete with everything from Twitter stalking hot guys to prejudice and hate crimes against mages, and it was that realism that made the book so good. There were even support groups for bound mages (they had to wear magic-suppressing bands on their wrists) and all sorts of other details that really made the integration of mages into our society seem like a real thing.

But never fear, the book didn’t slack on the plot or the characters either; both of those were believable too. I mean, ok, things may have been a bit on the extreme side on occasion, what with the mad scientists and greedy psychopaths, but just in the way that books are, not in a ridiculous way. Every book’s gotta have a villain! (Well, that’s not quite true, but that’s not the point.) And there was actually some disturbing torture/experimentation/sedation-without-consent stuff throughout the book (it was supposed to be disturbing, so I’m not complaining, just warning anyone who might want to know). Back to what I was saying though, the two main characters in the story were just kind of… normal guys, but in a good way. Even the way they used modern words and colloquialisms in their thoughts gave them realistic but still unique voices as twenty-somethings and brought me deeper into the story and their POVs.

I also loved that the psychological effects of Levi’s treatment (imprisonment, torture) were taken into account and not glossed over. Throughout the book he had emotional trauma and panic attacks, and the author did a good job of helping me understand what he was going through. And I loved the way the other characters were understanding and soothing whenever Levi started panicking, as well as they way they always made it a point to ask his permission before doing anything to him or that involved him, even something as simple as carrying him back to his room when he couldn’t walk or staying in the room as he fell asleep. Really that should just be common human decency, but it was especially important with how out of control of his own life Levi felt, and I loved Byron and Victoria for it.

Oh, there was also romance, and it was nice, but it seemed like more of a secondary thing to the whole saving-Levi-and-starting-a-revolution plot.

So overall, this was a realistic urban fantasy that delved into the possible social and societal implications of magic in our modern world but still had likeable, just-like-you-and-me characters, and I enjoyed it!

Mages are people who can do magic and at this time are a threat to humans because of the way they have been brainwashed against Mages. If you are a Mage you must register with the Department Of The Occult Supervision and must wear a wristband that will suppress the magic. The use of any magic no matter what the reason can result in prison or even death. Bryan believed as everyone else that magic was a bad thing that was how he was raised by his uncle who ran/owned Cole Industries. Bryan had no idea how his uncle's company treated or did to Mages which was his uncle ‘s company experimented on Mages to produce the electricity needed by cities. and Bryan was the PR man for said company as Byran has a way with words. Bryan’s uncle is against all forms of magic. Cole Industries is trying to use Mages to harvest energy as there is an energy shortage.Byran on the subway in a stalled subway car and there is an explosion and Levi uses his magic to save Byran's life as well as many others. Levi had not registered so did not have the wristband. Levi is arrested even though he had saved lives with his magic. Byran starts to rethink his beliefs on Mages and magic. But with the help of friends Byran has a plan to save Levi. then Byran and Levi take up the cause of educating people on Mages and magic and how it is not to be feared and can actually help and even save lives. This was to help the public change their opinion on Mages and it is starting to change.
I really liked this book. First off Levi knowing the consequences of using magic still uses it to save Byran and all the others he did save. It also angered me how Levi was treated after he was captured. This was well written. I liked the plot a lot. But I did get a little confused by some things in the story. I would have liked more information and background on Levi and how the United States came to fear or brainwashed it’s people to feel the fear fro Mages and magic. I did really like the suspense and action in this story. This story does keep you on the edge of your seat and your attention. I also loved the way the romance between Levi and Byran’s romance evolves very slowly I don’t really like the insta/romances. But I do believe there was also too much power given to social media in this story.also. But it was still a great read. So all and all a very good read and enjoyed. I loved the characters and the ins and outs of this story and I recommend.

Byron is trapped underground on the subway as a terrorist group's explosions go off overhead. He's trying to stay calm and wait for rescue, but as he's pulled free of the underground another explosion hits. Instead of dying, Byron and the dozens of people with him are saved by Levi using magic to shield them from the fire. The only problem is that magic is illegal and Levi is immediately arrested for being the terrorist that set off the explosions in the first place. Byron had never thought about the lives those with magic are forced to endure before, but watching the man that just saved his life beaten and carted away in chains for a crime Levi didn't commit is too much for Byron. Hatching a plan to reveal the truth about magic in a world that reviles magic is dangerous, so dangerous that Byron and Levi know they probably aren't going to survive this.

This story really makes a reader think about hate and fear and prejudice. In this case its against those that use magic. Given the current political climate in our real world, I couldn't help feeling particularly pained by how much those with magic are forced to endure. I could see the parallels with the antisemitism of Nazi Germany and even the anti-immigrant/anti-Muslim stance of the current U.S. administration. This book clearly and painfully outlines the worst that could happen if one group of people are systematically maligned in today's modern world. Any book that makes me think so very deeply about such difficult topics is one that I can definitively state is well written and a damned good book.

Of course, I did find this book difficult to read. The build up to the actual plot to try to save those with magic is very slow and a lot of the extra scenes beforehand felt a little pointless. Yet, Byron changing a lifetime's belief that magic is evil isn't something he can come to quickly. The length of time is therefore necessary, but because it reads so slowly I had some trouble getting into this book.

3.75 stars

This is a nifty debut from Kit Brisby, a story set in AU New York where people with magic were treated like pariah and using it could mean death sentence. The hero is not someone with physical power. Byron had a way with words though, and was considered a PR savvy. There's moral dilemma when he struggle what he saw with what he had been raised to believe. Making matter more tricky was his attraction to, Levi, the captive mage.

I enjoyed the author's writing style and how the chemistry played between Byron and Levi. The circumstances in the story somehow mirrored today's state of affairs where repression for minorities happened, where people questioned their own actions and - when their conscience called for it - trying to do the right thing. Told alternately from the MC's POVs in third person, the book conveyed the warring thoughts inside the characters quite well.

There was no mystery of who the bad guy here, the story was very clear on that from the get go. Not to worry though, there's the twist between the pages! ;-) There was also the anticipation of keeping secret and how the risky plan would reveal and the building tension as it neared the end.

Yes, I was a bit disappointed in how the big bad wolf came to their end. But it didn't spoil my overall enjoyment of the story. I'll be on the lookout for Kit Brisby's next book, that's for sure.


Advanced copy of this book is kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Rogue Magic by author Kit Brisby was truly an awesome story. Very light on the romance, which I was a bit bummed about, but the plot, character development and a few key twists and turns kept me reading even without the sexual tension I was hoping for.

This story is set in present day in a slightly altered universe than our own. Earth has magical beings on it, but those mages are strictly controlled. Laws prevent them from raising their own children, they are discriminated against, hated, and have their magic repressed through the use of CALM bands that they have to wear on their arms. They are expected to register with the government and if they don’t (and are discovered) there are severe consequences. As horrible as it sounds, I can sort of see our world spiraling into this type of behavior if magic actually ever was discovered.

Levi is a magical being. One that knows he has magic but refuses to use it and has no clue actually how to, even if he so chooses. He is unregistered and goes about his life quietly but always slightly fearful of discovery.

Byron Cole is the nephew of a very powerful man. Cole Industries is leading the anti-magic fight and developing anti-magic technology. Byron has pretty much been brainwashed like the rest of America about the evils of magic. He has an eye-opening experience when Levi accidentally uses magic to save his life. Unfortunately, Levi’s use of magic means imprisonment. And that is only the least of the atrocities he has to deal with. But Byron has a way to help him. It won’t be easy but he can no longer stand by and watch magical beings suffer due to fear and propaganda.

I don’t want to give away too much of this story because the plot really is engaging and creative and you need to discover the details for yourself. I will say that these two characters have amazing depth and the secondary characters were well thought out and played a major role in the story. The plot was well developed and the story flowed naturally with a great plot twist at the end that I really didn’t see coming. The only thing I really wanted was a bit more romance. You get a kiss midway through the book and one off page scene in the epilog. And there really isn’t even any romance or chemistry at all between Levi and Byron. But, despite the lack of romance, Rogue Magic by author Kit Brisby was an amazing book and I will definitely look for other books by this author!

What a wonderful début from Kit Brisby Rogue Magic is. This is an exciting thought provoking novel and at 328 pages there is time to really get absorbed in the alternate universe and the story.

This is an America that has outlawed magic and oppresses those born with magical powers. Such people are forced to register and wear CALM bracelets from childhood, in order to restrain their abilities. Those who have not registered live in fear of exposure and losing their liberty, or their lives, every day. Although, this tale concerns people born with magical skills it could easily be an analogy for ‘immigrants’, POC, LGBTQ+ people, or anyone deemed fearful through difference.

As well as the law, magic is dealt with and suppressed by a hugely influential company, Cole Industries. This company makes the CALM bands and opposes magic of all kinds. It is also about to go public with the new, secret, Harvest Initiative. They have a permanent PR division that spreads rumours, news and spins stories - hyping the fear amongst the general populace regarding magic users, and maintaining a good public image for themselves.

One such PR spin doctor is Byron Cole, nephew of the current CEO of Cole Industries. He is kept in a fairly lowly position, reports the truth as told to him, and never doubts what the family business stands for and achieves. On his way to yet another press conference, Byron is trapped in a stalled subway train and flirts with a young waiter with adorable curls, Levi. While the commuters are being lead out of the subway to safety, Levi uses his outlawed magic to create a shield, thus saving them and Byron from the effects of a huge explosion.

Levi’s altruistic actions result in abuse from the security forces and imprisonment under sentence of death. What Byron sees that day, and his discoveries about Levi’s treatment, have Byron questioning his whole attitude towards magic and eventually his whole existence.

Byron hatches a plan to save Levi from the mad scientist at Cole Industries. During the time needed to put the plan into action, Byron falls for Levi and his feelings are reciprocated. However, there is no assurance the plan will work and what state they will be in after - if they survive.

Levi and Byron are assisted by Byron’s friend and flatmate, Eleanor and her scientist girlfriend, Victoria Alvarez. I really love the interplay between the characters and the tension is palpable throughout the novel. Levi’s doubts and fears are totally believable, and the changing of hearts and minds doesn’t happen suddenly. The ending is HFN at most and there is no surety throughout the action that all will survive.

The secondary characters are really good even though the bad guys are veering towards pantomime big bad villains. I really enjoyed the story and felt for the principals. The writing is perhaps a little too simplistic at times, but this wasn’t a huge distraction, and the plotline kept me interested all through the novel.

Rogue Magic is a strong début, and I shall look out for more by Kit Brisby in the future.

Kit Brisby (Riptide) ROGUE MAGIC 30/01/17

This is a tale set in USA sometime - it's not specified when, but it could well be the US of today/a few years - where magic has been outlawed and anyone found to have powers has to declare themselves as a mage, ends up stripped of rights and forced to wear electronic tags/bindings that prevent them from using their powers. Others, who haven't declared themselves as mages, have to live a cautious life in case they, their friends, family, etc. end up persecuted and worse.

The Cole family, headed up by the blind Warren Cole, owns a company that's aim is to harness the power of mages - supposedly for public good, but his nephew, Byron, is beginning to suspect the worse and when the innocent mage, Levi, comes into his life and saves him and others from a terrorist attack, Byron really sees the light and all the atrocities that mages are subjected to. He decides to use his position and access to the company to help Levi, but he's also forced to watch the young man be tortured as his powers are stripped from him...This tale does end in the start of a better world, not one where everything is perfect, but where change, the right kind of change, is slowly happening, and where Byron and Levi have their parts to play and have responsibilities.

The tale is excellent and sad in parts and the focus is the mages, their powers, their mistreatment and the evils of the Cole company, so the romance between the leads, though it exists and I could see it developing, take a backseat to the tale. It didn't spoil the tale for me, but it did make me think that the tale needs to be correctly and accurately marketed to avoid customer disappointment and low reviews. I really enjoyed it, to the degree that I hope there'll be more of this world and that I'll get to see the guys living their HEA. And not just that, because there's a side character in this, Sam, who needs a tale of his own. He's one of those protective, loyal types who's lost out in love but remains a steadfast friend, and I really liked him and felt for him.

ARC courtesy of Riptide Publishing for my reading pleasure.

Imagine a dystopian present where magic users are the hated and feared minority. In today's climate it's not so hard to imagine but as with every insane possible future that violates human rights I find it chilling how possible it could be. Coming from a more moderate country than the US, I always scoff at these futures, thinking this could never happen here, but the way certain minorities are treated and the way asylum seekers are demonised makes me think that yes, this could happen very very easily. And it is combated in exactly the same way as it can be here. Through the moral outrage of the citizens. Do not let your governments get away with things just because you are afraid of the unknown.

Our protagonist Byron Cole is young and fresh out of college. He has been employed at his uncle's firm as a PR rep, spinning the way the company produces products that suppress and destroy magic as a good thing for the helpless public. He never thought much about it one way or another until he is saved from an explosion by a mage, Levi. When Levi is imprisoned and demonised as a terrorist when Byron knows that is definitely not true he is galvanised to take action.

While some of this is a little hard to believe, the instalove is reminiscent of a shifter tale, it is also a redemption story, of someone who learns to stand up for themselves and also for a magic user who has suppressed his talent all of his life to finally utilise it in the saving of lives and himself. I enjoyed this immensely and am excited to see what this new author will offer us in the future. Not a lot of heat in this one, which was a disappointment for me, but a sweet romance in the end.

Rogue Magic was a truly amazing read: I had so much fun with it, and cannot wait to see what else Kit Brisby offers us in the future.

The concept of Rogue Magic is such a simple one, and yet it is done in such a way that throughout reading it will fail to reach your notice just how simple the concept is. In truth, it’s something that has been done before – yet Kit Brisby puts a unique spin on the idea and turns it into something truly amazing. We’re given more than a simple tale of magic being banned and the revolution that comes about; what we’re given is a tale of love, the developments and changes of a world, of the way the simplest of acts can change a person’s mind, and how things are never quite the way they are imagined to be. Honestly, the story goes much deeper than being a simple world where magic is hated.

I could go quite in depth when it comes to the storyline, but I’m going to avoid doing such a thing. The story comes together so beautifully that I have no wish to ruin anything through accidental spoilers. Thus, I’m going to address the book in a somewhat abstract way. Hopefully such a thing will convince you the book is wonderful – but if not, know it is my fault and not the story.

First off, the magic system. The magical system in this book is so interesting to read. We never really understand it on a deep level, but such a thing works with this story. We understand the basics, and as the story progresses we find out more and more about the world. Most of the focus, in regards to the magic, is on how people feel towards magic and magic users. Such a thing works perfectly with this story, as the tale focuses upon the changes in views rather than the actual use of magic. We get to see some insight into the magic world, but we’re not held down by details of how each magical scene plays out. In short, we have a book of magic that does not force the magic upon us all that often, and even when it does the magic almost falls into the background.

Second, the development of the characters. The characters are wonderful in general: they’re all such fun, each with their own views and opinions. However, the development we see throughout overshadows how much fun the characters are to begin with. Honestly, we see such change throughout the book. It feels like the tiniest of things, but these things add up. These little things demonstrate a much bigger change, and these changes are linked to the larger revolution that is being attempted throughout the book. Without a doubt, the development is amazing. It is subtle and yet it is constantly there.

Third, the romance. The romance is a slow build, and I really enjoyed it. The romantic elements are constantly there, lingering in the background, and whilst sometimes it felt as if the romance seemed to be taking too much attention, it never overpowered the overall story. It really was a sweet read, and I was quickly in love with our two main characters and hoping for their happily ever after.

Forth, the twist at the end. It was such a great twist. It has been done many times before, and yet I did not see it coming. I should have been annoyed with such a twist, and yet I loved it. The way it came about, the fact I overlooked the suggestions, left me grinning despite it how it was not a twist to smile about. It caught me so off guard, and such a thing really surprised me. I really did enjoy the way things played out with the twist at the end – I could not have asked for a better turn around.

The one thing I found a bit hard to believe was the power handed over to social media. I accept that it is a powerful tool in the modern day world, and yet I feel as though too much power was handed over to it in this story. Of course, this is just a small thing. I appreciate the way social media was used, and yet I find it hard to believe just how much power it seemed to have in this story.

Overall, this was a wonderful read. Whilst I wasn’t pulled in deep at the start of the book, I quickly I found myself unable to put it down. It’s certainly worth a read, and I’ll be looking to read more of the author’s work in the future.

As a final note, I would like to thank NetGalley for allowing me to advance read this great story.

RATING: 4 out of 5

In an alternate universe to our current time, mages are considered threats to human population. They are required to be registered the Department of Occult Supervision and must use a band that suppresses their magic. If not they are considered rogues. Unsanctioned use of magic can result in prison sentence (or even death).

The idea felt familiar to me since I consumed hundreds of Merlin fan-fictions few years back; the ban of magic was one of the recurring theme. In fact I remember one of them had Merlin using a wrist-band like this himself. I didn’t have any problem being immersed with the world-built. The premise wasn’t difficult to understand.

I WOULD love to get some context into it though. Were mages considered threatening since the beginning of time? Or were there a significant event that turned the opinion against them? Like the Salem Witch Hunt? Why would they need to register and use the bands? What happened to mages before the bands were created? Were the laws different between the United States and the rest of the world? And so on…

It also drove me up to the wall when I read about terms that wasn’t explained beforehand. Like CALM bands … what does CALM stand for? My mind kept guessing the meaning (was it “Control and Lessen Magic?” or something?). Or how the character suddenly talked about AMID; only few chapters later, he explained that AMID is “AntiMagic Integrated Defense”. See, I need these things explained, author!

Apart from that I found this book to be appealing. I thought Byron was a great and sympathetic protagonist. He started the journey being unaware about what horrible things his family’s company, Cole Industries, really did to mages. I didn’t think Byron was ignorant, but Byron was “wrapped inside a bubble” by his position as part of the Cole family. Byron didn’t have enough friends who could open his eyes about what the mages were going through

After Byron was saved by Levi, he saw for himself the horrible treatment that Levi received. Only because Levi was an unregistered mage and used magic. Byron realized that everything was not completely black and white. Like I said, I thought Byron was sympathetic character. He had a kind heart. It was easy for me to see why his close friends were willing to fight with him, even if it was dangerous. Heck, even the “enemies”, like Levi’s ex-boyfriend or other mages would help him.

I felt like I didn’t know a lot about Levi, though. While it was also easy to care for Levi — considering that he spent the majority of his time in this book being tortured for his magic, then tried to control his fear and trauma in order to help bring down Cole Industries, so you couldn’t help wanting him to be saved — I still had questions about him. Was he close with his mother? Did all of his family members have magic? Why did he seem to stay away from the mages community? Why did he broke up with Sam? There was still a lot of Levi that I want to know more.

I guess, I couldn’t say that the romance was stellar since I didn’t felt myself rooting for Byron and Levi 110%. Personally, I felt Rogue Magic focuses more on the suspense/action part rather than the romance. But because that part was excellent for me — it kept me on the edge of my seat — this ended up as a satisfying urban fantasy read!!

I will keep eyes on Kit Brisby’s next books for sure!

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Byron was raised to think free magic was a criminal offense. So imagine when he is saved by the cute Levi, how confused he is. The more he thinks about it the more he doesn't think 2hat he's been told is the truth.

Levi has run from his magic since he was a child. He actually scared himself when he automatically saved a bunch of people. He knew he was going to be punished until possibly death.

I think this is a great book that deals with prejudice, granted the public is afraid of magic. The way that the characters deal with all the problems that creep up is genuinely an act of magic. With all the chaos going on they still find a way to fall in love! With the help of their friends they try to show the population that magic is just another sense or ability.

A good book that will entertain you for the length of time it takes you to read it!