So if you love urban fantasy you're going to love this.
I did not get to read the first in the series, so after this I'm going to back peddle and read the first one second.

If it's as good as this one then I'm in for a real treat.

The three main characters team up to solve a mystery. It's weird because I didn't think a vampire, a demon and a wizard could work together. But hey, the author proved me wrong. It works and it works very very well.

It's a great read. My advice give it a go but maybe start at the beginning.

Enjoy!

Luc, Anders, and Curtis have formed an unlikely triad of vampire, demon, and wizard. They are the only mixed group of supernatural beings anyone knows about, and for that they are both feared and disliked. After the men worked together to take down the corrupt former vampire Duke of Ottawa, with Luc taking on the role as his replacement, the group has become even more notorious. But they are a strong triad and the men are bonded emotionally in a way that gives them each enhanced strength and power.

When a demon is suspiciously murdered and more deaths follow, the three men are brought into the case to see if their combined talents can help figure out who or what is behind it. Once again they are caught in the midst of varying supernatural factions, including the wizard Families, the werewolves, and a host of other groups with questionable motives and allegiances. And of course, even those seeking their help in the investigation have reasons that aren’t all altruistic. As the men dig further into the murders, they get deeper into the various supernatural politics of the city. It takes all their combined skill to figure out who is behind the murders, and once they find the killer, they still must find a way for them all to make it out alive.

Triad Soul is the second book in the Triad Blood series and it is one that I am thoroughly enjoying. Once again I think ‘Nathan Burgoine really excels at creating a fascinating and unique supernatural world full of interesting politics. In this story we delve deeper into the lore of the wizards, demons, and vampires. Between Luc, Anders, and Curtis, we get a window into each of these groups and it is all quite well done. We are also introduced to the werewolves here and it was interesting to see this new supernatural group explored. While the first book focused a lot on the vampires, this one goes deeper into the wizarding world and the leadership of the five Families that oversee the community. There are a lot of politics involved as these groups jostle for position and control. Once again Burgoine makes this political maneuvering interesting and accessible, rather than convoluted, and I was really drawn into the world. I particularly enjoyed seeing more of Curtis’ group of fellow young wizards who represent each of the Families and kind of end around the politics of their older generations to work together and learn from one another.

The mystery element here is nicely twisty and well developed. I didn’t guess who was behind it all, and yet it still all makes sense when we get the big reveal. There are a lot of clever elements here as the guys work to uncover what is really going on, bringing us into politics, magic, and an interesting investigation. So I think the suspense intertwines nicely here with the larger supernatural world building.

I continue to really enjoy Curtis, Luc, and Anders together. While they first met as a sexual encounter, the men followed it by binding together into a unique supernatural triad. This bond has made them more than just friends and sexual partners, but connected them intensely in an emotional way that strengthens each of their individual powers and also gives them incredible support. As with the first book, this is not particularly a romance, or at least not a traditional one. While we do get glimpses that more romantic feelings are beginning to grow, at this point these guys are not in a romantic relationship, or at least one we typically find in this genre. I’ll also note that while these guys are sexually active with one another, they are not exclusive, particularly Anders who, as a sex demon, must have sex with others to survive. That said, I quite like their relationship and I am actually very impressed by the way Burgoine pulls it off. It would be easier to make their connection all about romantic love; I think it is much harder to show how these men care so deeply for one another without being in love quite yet. Their bond is so strong, so apparent in everything they do. It is more than just the natural bond that comes of their triad, but a connection that defines them all so deeply and is really enjoyable to experience. So I know not everyone is a fan of stories where the romance isn’t central, but I encourage you to give this series a try anyway as I find their relationship quite rewarding, and it seems to be moving into a more romantic direction.

So I am really quite enjoying this series and very much looking forward to more. If you are a paranormal or a suspense fan, I think there is a lot here that will appeal to you, particularly if you are looking for a unique take on the various supernatural beings. Burgoine has really created something engaging here and I definite recommend the series.

„Luc, Anders, and Curtis—vampire, demon, and wizard—sidestepped tradition by binding themselves together.“
Without this sentence in the book synopsis I would have been completely lost. Even with it I struggled to keep the characters and names straight.

Minimal to no set-up or world building. All the characters felt the same. The magic kept reminding me of other UF or PNR I have read. Same old, same old, read this many, many times over.

Everybody else seems to like this, but it is not for me, DNF at 24%, 2 not very sparkly stars.

In a galaxy far, far away I received this free e-copy from the publisher/author via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review, thank you! Sorry that it took me so long. Too many books, too little time. I will try to do better.

If you’re about to dive into Triad Soul you’ve probably already read Triad Blood, so I doubt you’ll be surprised to learn that this installment doesn’t focus on the romantic bond Luc, Anders and Curtis share. This is not a romance per se. And while I’m not surprised I am a bit sad about it. They have such wonderful chemistry that I ache not having more intimate scenes. You spoiled us with Three! Mr. Burgoine. *sigh*

I thoroughly enjoyed the book nevertheless. The author's brilliant storytelling sucked me right in. I totally dig those guys!!! The dynamics between Curtis, Anders and Luc are fantastic, fun and the only complaint would be: I WANT MORE.

The focus of this book is the mystery surrounding a supernatural serial-killer of sorts. Something is murdering demons with magic, leaving behind no traces whatsoever. The killer literally sucks everything out of the body.

Our guys, Luc, Anders and Curtis find themselves in the middle of the mess and in order to stay on the Family's good side, they're sent on a 'witch hunt', investigating the murders.

This is a great addition to the series, and I hope there'll be more.

Would highly recommend :)

▽
Many, many thanks to the publisher who kindly provided a free copy for an honest and impartial review.

I'll be honest, I picked up this book mostly because of the promise of a queer poly relationship. And to be fair, it didn't disappoint in that aspect, but I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed beyond that aspect.

The relationship is still developing, so although it's a constant fact of the book, it's not the focus, which is honestly nice. The relationship itself felt quite real, and you could see how the characters were still in the process of figuring things out, which made it all the more relatable. Rather than being the focus, it serves as the background and an anchor for the characters as they face everything else in the plot.

Speaking of the plot, I was quite impressed. I didn't have expectations one way or another, but my expectations were exceeded. The mystery was well set up, the plot was fast paced and exciting, and it did keep me guessing until the end. I really how much effort the author put in to developing the lore for all of the different factions (demons, vampires, wizards, werewolves, etc). I thought that Burgoine did a good job using traditional lore while also making it his own (putting his own spin on werewolf pack dynamics, creating the lore of gifts passed down through wizard families, no sparkly vampires, thank goodness). Even though I hadn't read the first book, I caught on very quickly to the characters, the setting, and the plot without too much confusion.

On the whole, I would say that this book was thoroughly enjoyable for what it was. It wasn't mindblowingly profound, but it was a very skillfully constructed mystery with well developed lore, characters, and relationships. I'm really looking forward to the next book in the series, as I really want to see how both the plot and the relationship develops!

OK, so first off, I had NO clue that there was a sequel to Triad Blood, which was one of my favorite reads from last year. (I think I freaked out after reading it haha) Secondly, I loved this one JUST as much, maybe a bit more than the first book!

This book picks up after the first book and we get to see what the sexiest triad in town, Curtis, Luc, and Anders, are up to. They are a bit of an anomaly due to the fact that they made their own triad, rather than finding 2 others of their same species to form that bond with.

As with the first book, the writing in this one is just superb. Smart, witty banter between our three leads, engaging secondary characters, quick-moving plot and intrigue, and some romance, too! I love the quirks and differences that Curtis, Luc, and Anders bring to their relationship, from their love for Firefly (Jayne hat!) to trying to figure out exactly what sort of relationship they have, it just kept me hooked right from the start.

I think that if you've liked things like Kim Harrison, early LKH, stories with that urban paranormal aspect to them, with a hint of m/m/m and m/m, you MUST try this series! Hope there will be another book soon as I want to know what else these three can find out about their triad. HIGHLY recommended!

I received an ARC copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A mystery with three different, bonded supernatural MCs? Sign me up!

Triad Soul was the follow up to Nathan Burgoine’s Triad Blood. In Soul, we see a more firmly established bonded triad between Curtis, the magician, Luc, the vampire, and Liam, the demon. I enjoyed seeing the radically different personalities of the MCs interact and play off one another whilst they worked together to solve a string of murders that threatened the precarious balance of power between the different supernatural communities in the city of Ottowa.

I must confess that I have a crush on Liam, the lust demon. That's why I felt disappointed that I didn't see more of his lusty personality, or behavior in this installment. He's an incubus, show me the goods! True, this book was a thriller that happened to have a trio of gay protagonists, not necessarily a romance novel, but I felt little of that magic that so intrigued me in the first book in the series.

Lack of explicit action aside, the mystery that propelled this story forward held my attention throughout the book. While the first book focused on the vampire coteries, here Burgoine brought us into the make-up and politics of the magical families. Interestingly enough, the insight we glean from Curtis’s POV from interacting with the younger generation of the magical families read like a YA novel. I'm not sure if this was intentional or not, but the writing style decreased the stakes for me in the novel as a whole.

I missed the paranormal connection between the triad. Yes, there were touches of it. Hints of what might happen if Curtis released his full power while renewing their bond at the full moon, but I wanted more.

I wanted more, and I hope that I get it in the next book. That being said, I very much enjoyed this book

**I received a copy of this eBook from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**

I liked the mystery aspect of the book. At the very beginning there was a murder and the main focus of the book was figuring out who the murderer was. Nothing just fell into place for the characters, they had to actually work to figure things out and it actually felt like a real investigation. 

There were a lot of characters in this story and I felt they all worked together to make a great well-rounded story. I think one of my favorite things about his story were the characters. Especially the triad. I love that the three main characters (the triad) are so close and treat each other as equals. I also love that while they are in a romantic relationship with each other, that isn't the focus of the book. I don't know if that is the focus in the first book, but I really like how it took a back seat in this one.

3,5 Stars

I liked the second book even better than the first part.

Our trio is investigating a mysterious murderer, which turns out to be more and more complicated as the story unfolds. I had my suspicious who might be the bad guy, but with so much magic even I was perplexed at some point.

I liked the way their search went- they didn't just miraculously found the answers they were looking for, but put their minds together, it was fun to see them think and work together as one.

There are side character and that's what they are- on the side, I enjoy it when there isn't too much focus on the minor characters and at some point you wonder why you read about those people.
/ although Mann, the poetry teacher has my interest, I hope to see more of him in the next book too/.

The Families still sit on their high and mighty thrones, although I kind of like them.

Speaking of the characters- Luc is still my favorite one.

" I am your Duc, Luc Lanteigne. Ottawa and much of the area around is mine under the terms of the lignage, as ordered by la reine"
Every time he appeared I felt like pouring myself a glass of wine and listening to whatever he had to say.
Like- come on, I can have a conversation about wine. Hell, I will even learn French if I have to for him.
It's very untypical of me to be so excited about a character/ a vampire at that, as I am not fond of vampire stories / , so dear Nathan Burgoine- please give us more Luc. I really want to see him...more emotional and less untouchable? /I know it will happen, it's there, that's not just my wishful thinking, right? :) /

Curtis finally asked the important question at the end of the book, and with that our boys have a long way to go ahead of them.
So I will patiently wait for the next part. With a glass of wine in my hand.

**Copy kindly provided by NetGalley in exchange of an honest review**

An incubus, a vampire, and a wizard... there is a joke there, and fortunately for all of us, the author got there first. It's on the first page of the first book of the series, and it sets the tone for the trilogy. These three have landed in an unlikely trio, after having been Orphans (i.e. not accepted into groups of their own kind) and barely surviving for years. By default, they are lovers and by the end of this book there is a hint of romance amongst the three of them. Almost. Kinda. Sorta.

Anders, the demon, is suitably uncivilized while Duc Luc (and I think of the Dukes of Hazzard every time I see this in print) couldn't be more polished. Curtis, the wizard, the intellect, the cute twink, is in every way the peacemaker between them and, in part because he can draw from their strength at will, and because he is dedicated to being righteous--not in the pompous way, but in the truly believing in free-will sort of way--he is the strongest of the group, the one who keeps them together, housed, and taking care of each other. Even as they unwittingly become the strongest group amongst all of those made exclusively of vampires, werewolves, demons, and wizards.

But so much for the relationship stuff.

There's also magic.
Fighting.
Adventure.
Crime.
Betrayal.
Secret love affairs.
Magic glasses.
Soft moments of helping each other heal
...and hints of kink.

What's interesting--and interestingly done, since it isn't too heavy--is the role in which diversity and the struggle for power plays a role. By having different types of supes, I automatically think of the diverse way in which different cultures and individual traits can both strengthen a community and, for those not willing to...well, there are so many uninformed reasons to push back, aren't there...the point is, with greater strength, there is also greater strife. With all sorts of identities--race, gender, sexual preference, ability levels. I noticed it first within the structure of The Families, which has a fealty system at its heart. There are those who have and those forced to give what they have to those in power. Things are changing, though. The younger generation of wizards has taken up working together in private, which I think is a lovely metaphor for the largely maligned millennials who, by my reckoning, are not only doing the best they can but are an incredibly conscientious as a generation.

All that to say, this is a fun set of books and one I easily recommend.

3.5 stars

I do enjoy this series but I didn't enjoy this one as much as the first two. I think this story gets a bit lost in all the politics and the different characters and it was a bit difficult to follow at times.

The triad are Curtis, Luc and Anders; a wizard, a vampire and a demon who have formed their own coterie of three. In this way they have defeated the families that rule the paranormal world and by joining together as a three they have enough strength to protect themselves.

In fact this is so well recognised that when unexplained murders start happening the triad are asked by one of the families to help solve the mystery.

And so they do and they find themselves uncovering deeply held secrets from within the families and complex politics between families and within. They also come to recognise their own strength as a triad and as a group of men with the potential to deepen their relationships with each other.

It is an interesting story and great to see how the characters have embraced their individual gifts and powers, and their new roles. As the new vampire lord, Luc slowly pulls the vampires together uniting them under his leadership. Curtis continues to meet secretly with other young wizards and in doing so gains strength and an understanding about the wizard families and their fear of him. Anders is just Anders, laid back, unconventional and quite uncaring but he does care about Luc and Curtis.

So this is another good story in the series and worth reading but it feels as if it is somewhat of a turning point because the story focuses on the triad's place in the paranormal community and there was less about the relationship between the three men. It will be good to see what comes next for the triad.

Copy provided by Bold Stroke Books via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

This was the second book in the series, and it was just as much fun as the first.

One of the best things is that—you know how when you read a book with multiple POVs, there’s usually one that’s your favorite, and you spend all the time in other POVs just wanting to get back to them? Well, in this series, I enjoy all three POVs (the three characters in the triad) equally. Probably because each character is so likeable. They’re each fun and unique in their own way.

I also, once again, loved the intricacy of the supernatural world, how the magic/supernatural stuff worked, the dynamic between the different species, the politics/hierarchy among each species, etc. It’s well thought-out but always explained in a way that’s understandable.

The mystery was also good and really used all those supernatural intricacies I just mentioned. And I hadn’t guessed who the murderer was, so it kept me stumped.

I am also SO glad Curtis finally asked Luc and Anders what their relationship is because I literally spent the whole book trying to figure that out since it was clear that Curtis had feelings for Luc and Anders and they for him. So there wasn’t any official romance, but there was one M/M sex scene and definitely some potential romance for the series.

Overall, this was a fun, enjoyable book with likeable characters, and I look forward to seeing more of them (and maybe even some romance) in the next one!

Impressions

The Triad

Fictional authors are increasingly using the ideologies of the sanctity of the three. It stands to reason because the magical essence of the triad speaks to that spiritual center in our cellular being. It fuels the imagination. Its sacrosanct principles are soulful nourishment that predates most religions. So, for me, reading sensual fiction centered in the magic of a triad composed of a wizard, an incubus demon and a vampire is pure enchantment.

The most compelling passages, for this reader, are the “corporate” realities weaved in a world ruled in magic. This collective uses levels of magic to dictate within a political hierarchy. Beautiful demons seduce and use truly righteous skills to marginalize, kill, and mutilate. But they also make for reluctant and excellent crime solving gumshoes.

The storytelling is reminiscent of a glass door with hand-scribed names, Detectives Dewey, Cheatum, and Howe. I envision a scene where a nervous little man bends forward in conversation with a portly Howie Cheatum the detective. In a dusty office, he relates the details of a mysterious and gruesome murder.

The Triad’s mystery startup takes place in an upscale Ottawa coffeehouse. And the conversation is between a beautiful demon detective and a sensual scholarly wizard. This telling is a delightful alternative to a detective film noir at its best.

A fight scene with Loup-garou

Chasing a werewolf through the streets of a winter’s nighttime in the city of Ottawa seemed real. Visions of demons and weres romping along a snowy Rideau or skulking the old stateliness of the Parliament vividly come to life in this book.

The incubus demon Anders Hack shines bright as my favorite character in this telling. His personality defaults to an unapologetic rude and is rich in characterization. His penchant for the art of insult comes as sultry smooth and as sexy as a heated southern summer’s eve.

This good whodunit held this reader with more than one surprise. It ends with a powerful murderous evil that hides in a dark corner – with a bitter spirit weakened by hatred.

Story/Plot/Conflict
Some magic being is killing and mutilating demons and werewolves in the haunted winter streets of Ottawa Ontario. The first murder goes almost unnoticed until an overlooked magical detail is brought to the attention of the wizard Curtis, one of a powerful triad.

Another coven enlists his powers to solve the mystery and identity of a vicious serial killer. But he cannot do this without the help of his reluctant magical bondsmen, his Triad.

Although death and betrayal awaits the young but powerful wizard, his vampire Duc and incubus demon, they set out to find the thief of magic and purveyor of unimaginable death.

Clandestine meetings and chase scenes in the night almost cost them their lives. But like tireless bloodhounds, they become committed to the chase.

Main Characters of the coven of three

Wizard Curtis Baird the boy next door has powers that are yet untapped. He is growing and discovering a love bound between his vampire Duc and incubus Anders. The relationships are complicated and scintillating. The bonds forming within the Triad are strengthening their magic and growing deeper.

Vampire Duc Luc Lanteigne is what all vampires should be, cold, suave, gorgeous, and sensual. But the preternatural love in this vampire’s heart is growing in ways he didn’t expect. He is now part of three men bound by more than magic. Luc is the cool control in this triangle of love and binding enchantment.

Demon Anders Hack is an incubus that enjoys as often as possible the pleasures innate in his kind. But freedom to fulfill his needful lust for survival is taking a turn. Anders is falling in love with the wizard Curtis. But he fears that drawing too much of the lust from Curtis will weaken the control over his magic.

Critique: The few moments of grammar errors, should in no way diminish. This is a good read.

Genre: LGBT M/M Contemporary Romance, Fantasy, Mystery

Another great novel by Nathan Burgoine. Much like the other books within this series, Triad Soul could be read as a stand alone, but is a wonderful addition to the series. I look forward to the continuation of this series because the characters are fully realized and the plot is always intriguing.

I requested this one on netgalley, but I didn't notice it was the second book in a series :/ Tried to read it anyway, but I don't think it's a good idea to keep going. I can understand everything just fine (kinda), but starting a series in the second book is something I really don't want to do. Hopefully I'll come back to this one in the future.

See link below.

Key takeaway: "It has heart, imagination, and skill. Like Triad Blood before it, I suspect this is going to be one of my favourite books of its year."

If you read my review for 'Triad Blood' than you'll remember that I freakin' loved that book, it was awesome and I pretty much devoured it. Well I'm happy to say 'Triad Soul' book #2 in this series is every bit as good.

While the first book focused on the Triad that Anders, Curtis and Luc had formed as well as saw them face their first challenge as they battled Renard the Duc of the Ottawa vampires (it's the title they give to the local head vamp) resulting in this position passing on to Luc, even though it wasn't Luc who actually defeated Renard...well not directly our boys are keeping that a secret so that Luc can assume the title of Duc...that's right he's now Duc Luc or Ducky as Anders calls him...I love Anders, he's pretty awesome in my eyes.

Anyways, Anders, Curtis and Luc are working out as a Triad sure they're still finding their way in this new relationship and sometimes Anders and Luc tend to be a little overly protective of Curtis, there's still a definite bond of friendship and trust forming and maybe something a little stronger and all this is great until...yeah, dead bodies start turning up which wouldn't be as troublesome as it is, if the bodies weren't dying under less than normal circumstances and maybe not quite so grisly would be nice too.

It's when the heads of the families (the local witch's covens) step in and ask for their help that their investigation really kicks into high gear and as the body count grows the evidence seems to get more and more confusing.

It's going to take everything they've got as a Triad for them to solve this one and a bit of help from some friends and even some who are less than friends.

I loved the mystery in this one it. I was kept guessing right up until the end just about the time I thought I had things all figured out the author would throw me just enough of a curve to get me second guessing things and it wasn't until the very end that things were revealed and while I came close I didn't quite get the it all figured out.

I have to admit part of the charm of this series for me it definitely the setting...see those pretty buildings on the cover...those are the parliament buildings in Ottawa the nations capital and on a personal level it makes me happy to not only read a book that is set in such a beautiful Canadian city but to see a piece of Canada's heritage featured so beautifully on the cover...what can I say 'I'm a dork' about stuff like this.

While the sex and steam is still fairly low key in this story, it's definitely there and it's growing. While Curtis may be all in on this Anders and Luc are a little slower in stepping up but I have faith in this group and I'm more than ready to see what the author has in store for them.

3.5 stars

This is the second book in a series, something that is not made clear on NetGalley. I simply saw, vampires, demons, and wizards and said count me in.

I did find myself lost a time or two as there are numerous characters to keep track of - Luc, Anders, Curtis, Louis, Dale, Tracey, Rebekah, Matthew/Matt, Mackenzie/kenzie, Jace, Catharine, Etienne, Dennis, Zack, Malcolm... and so on.

The story is well written and well paced. There's some explicit content (MM) which will appeal to readers who enjoy some heat in their reading.

All in all, it was an enjoyable way to wile away some reading time.

I have not read the first book in this series but I still went ahead and read this book and loved it. I will have to go back and read the first book to see how they meet.