to be completely honest, I was expecting something more if we speak about characters, because they are good, yes, but they could have been something more. I am not really complaining, because they are interesting and well developed. Veir and Elrid are good, but we don't have a lot in the department of secondary characters, and that's what I was speaking about.
The story is interesting and I loved their relationship and its development. I enjoyed myself quite a lot during the reading and I think I would read some other works by this author.

3.5 stars

This was my first time reading this author so I wasn't sure what to expect. It was an interesting set up and an interesting world. I wish there would have been more world building and character development. It was a pretty good book but had the potential to be a great book. I will check out this author another time though.


**ARC provided through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

I had no idea what to expect from Magic Runs Deep, but I was pleasantly surprised. One thing that you need to be aware of before you pick it up is that it's labeled as PNR, but it's not heavy on the romance. There is a romantic thread and a strong connection between Veier and Elrid, but the actual story is more focused on Veier and his journey.

I have to admit that Magic Runs Deep took me a little while to get into, but once I got to know Veier and Elrid, the more wrapped up in it I became. Veier did some things that he wasn't proud of, but he did them to survive. By the time Elrid and his brother found him, he barely recognized himself. He had spent so much time under the King's control that it was hard for him to tell right from wrong. He knew that if he wanted to gain his freedom he had to agree to the terms of the new power and most importantly to trust Elrid. Not an easy task when he had spent years controlled by magic and Elrid was a powerful mage.

Elrid kind, compassionate and patient. He saw beyond the monster that they found when they first overthrew the previous king. Veier hadn't always been a beast who had to fight for his life and somehow Elrid recognized that.

I've only read one other book by Alex Whitehall and that was Second Skin, which I really liked, but it was also one of those books that was cut too short. Not only was Magic Runs Deep about twice as long, the characters were much more developed, which makes me really happy that I didn't pass this one by.

Magic Runs Deep is the story of a bear shifter freed from years of captivity and his recovery.
I'd call it a slow burn, male/male (gay bear shifter, really *wink*), slavery to freedom, and healing


Trigger Warnings: enslavement, violence, PTSD, m/m

I really enjoyed this book. At first, I thought it had been miscategorized as romance because there wasn't any mention of attraction or anything romantic; just simple kindness and major trust issues. As Veier (the bear shifter) heals we start to get hints of interest. I found that to be my favorite part. This author captured, for me, some of the struggles of PTSD and mental health. The fact that Veier was struggling just to exist in this new world, that he didn't immediately lust or love, and that his trust was hard won, really made this story feel real. Elrid (the mage), for all his kindness, makes mistakes and learns with Veier but he listens and respects the other man, giving Veier a chance. I was certainly rooting for them as the story unfolded. I was worried that it would feel as though, Veier was in love with just the first kindness he received but he learned to stand by himself first. I think it was well done.
This story had a certain realness to the characters' struggles, to their mistakes, and their leaps of faith, and the slow building of trust. I enjoyed really that it took time to get where it was going.

I'd check out another of this author's stories.

I voluntarily read a copy of this book through Netgalley. Loved the book. Veier is a shifter who has been abused and imprisoned mostly in his bear form and Elrid is the brother of the invading king who set him free. Veier who has been in bear form for so long has lost a lot of his humanity and considered dangerous. Even though it is a shifter romance, the books deals with a growing trust between Veier and Elrid that leads to a deep everlasting love. The book is a great read and I would highly recommend this book.

This is a paranormal MM story. This is a great fantasy/paranormal story with shifters and magic. The story centers around the mage helping the bear shifter overcomes his demons. They develop a friendship and trust that the shifter did not think possible and it turns into a love of a lifetime. It is more the friendship and healing story than a love story. It was really well written and the characters were so well developed. I could hardly put the book down. This is a new author for me, but I will be reading more.

This is my first read of Alex Whitehall’s books. Bloody deaths aside, Magic Runs Deep was a gentle love story between a Mage and an Ursinai (bear-shifter) he freed and saved from years of magic slavery.

The story was told from Veier’s - the Ursinai - POV in third person. As it was, much of Elrid’s side of the story was lost to me. While I like both characters, and the growing attractions between them, the plot and pace of the tale felt too sedate. In fact, the story felt like part of something longer (although if that’s the case, I’d be interested to find out what that story would bring).

I would say this is a nice introduction to the author’s writing, even if I wish there’d be more oomph to this book.


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

5 BIG stars Owwww I love some sensitive magical stories and this one was like wowww
It was deep emotional, beautiful sentences woven with a sparkling thread of magic.

Veier is chained to the kings throne for over five years and all the time in his bear form.
He is dangerous with blood on his hands and deeply hurt.
When he is freed by invaders, the invaders kings brother Elrid saves his life.
Elrid, a beautiful gentle mage, sees who Veier really is and now he has to earn his trust.
Because Veier is wild he is kept in a sort of dungeon with Elrid at his side.

The story was awesome good written, I read it in one breath, it was tremendously captivating. The way of slowly trust building between the two was very endearing. The attraction and tension was delicate build and delightful to watch. The growing love and romance was beautiful displayed.
The way of writing was wonderful done, beautiful lines and all with a lot of emotions in them.
I just loved the magic in it because it felt close and in reach. With my eyes closed and deep breaths I could feel the flow in my soul.

Kindly received an arc from the publisher through NetGalley

I happened upon this author a couple years ago and was impressed with his writing style and complete, satisfying story arc even in a short story. Since I also enjoy shifter books, Magic Runs Deep was an automatic read for me. I really enjoyed this unique fantasy world full of royalty, bear shifters, wizards, and magic. The writing and dialogue flowed smoothly and drew me in with its interesting descriptions and storyline.

Magic Runs Deep is a SLOW burn romance, with the bulk of the novella spent developing a cautious trust and friendship between Veier and Elrid and following Veier’s recovery after being enslaved in his bear form for 5 years by a ruthless king. While I appreciated the attention to Veier’s personal development and thought the slower relationship made sense given the circumstances, I did expect there to be more romance and time with the two men as a couple. I’m hopeful I’ll get the chance to see these two in a future book though. I think fans of shifter fantasies will enjoy this book, but I’d definitely caution readers to expect more of a story about the unique characters rather than a steamy love story.

I liked this shifter romance, but it’s definitely more focused on the fantasy elements and hurt/comfort themes than the love story.

The plot revolves around bear shifter Veier, who has spent five years magically enslaved by an evil king. When his rule is overthrown by invaders, they aren’t sure what to do with Veier, since he has been abused to the point where he has descended into savagery. The king’s brother Elrid, a mage and healer, asks to have the opportunity to help Veier recover his human side and is given responsibility for his rehabilitation. Although the trauma he has experienced has damaged him, Veier does come to trust Elrid and begins to heal. As the two spend time together, deeper feelings start to grow, but what future is there for a prince and a damaged bear shifter?

Most of the story involves Veier overcoming the demons of his abuse. Veier basically has post-traumatic stress disorder; he reacts with violence when he feels threatened and suffers from night terrors. Elrid finds ways to help him, and Veier eventually returns the favor when Elrid is attacked by men who resent his brother's rule.

Their romantic relationship really doesn’t manifest until the final chapters, so readers who are looking for a book that foregrounds romance and sexy times might not be satisfied. For all the violence of Veier’s actions, this is really more of a sweet story of growing affection between two men.

It probably won’t be to everyone’s taste, but readers who enjoy books featuring shifters and hurt/comfort stories might want to give this book a try.

A copy of this book was provided through NetGalley for review; all opinions expressed are my own.

Veier is a bear shifter that has been forced to stay in his bear form while being tortured for years. Then the king he served is killed and a new one takes his place. Veier isn't certain anything will be better until he meets Elrid, who makes him hope, except Elrid's king wants to kill Veier and that death might spill over to kill Elrid too.

Veier's characterization is very well written. He's been tortured and caught under a spell that made him forget himself. That isn't something he can overcome lightly, even with Elrid's patient help, and that process of finding himself again was descriptive and provided a lot of depth to both Veier and Elrid. It also allowed their relationship to form slowly with a lot of trust between them.

I particularly enjoyed the world building in this story. The different customs between the kingdoms and between Veier's people and Elrid's was interesting. If I had one complaint about this story, it's that the change from the bad kingdom, to Veier's home, to Elrid's kingdom was very abrupt, particularly at the end of the story. I could have used a bit more time spent on the transitions between those scenes.

Oh my gosh how have I never discovered Alex Whitehall before? Magic Runs Deep was simply amazing and I’m not saying that. Once I started reading about Veier and Elrid, I immediately was sucked in and could not put this book down.

Let me start with I initially picked up the book because it was a M/M PNR, that and the shifter in the story was a bear. Most bear shifter stories run I’ve read have fallen into the humorous side and I wanted something a bit more serious. You don’t get to much more serious that a bear shifter, excuse me – a Ursinai, being held captive in his bear form for over five years. Poor Veier! After basically being imprisoned for so long he has a lot of adjusting and PTSD to deal with. Thank goodness Elrid saw something in him and was able to help him prove to his brother he wasn’t king’s loyal pet.

What really sold this story for me is the dynamics between Elrid and Veier. It’s a slow gradual buildup of trust and friendship. It felt honest and fragile with its two steps forward one-step back process. The story was told from Veier’s view, which gave me an insight to him. His struggles with wanting to be free yet realizing being free may mean losing Elrid. As for Elrid, my initial impression was he was going to be a weak character. Boy was I wrong! This mage is no pushover but instead he is kind yet firm and the perfect person to help bring Veier back to the Ursinai and man he once was. Also, Kudos to the author for keeping things real when it came to the romance as well as not instantly fixing Veier the minute he’s no longer in chains. I really hate when authors take someone his has been broken and imprisoned then having things all better once they are free.

Everything in Magic Runs Deep, from the world building to the characters, hit all the sweet spots I have when it comes to PNRs. I’m new to author Alex Whitehall and I’m hoping other titles by this author prove to be as entertaining for me. As for Magic Runs Deep, this one is worth keeping and worth recommending to all fans of PNR.

reviewed by Jac

Not reviewing due to recent statements regarding Riptide Publishing:

http://blackmagicblues.com/on-sarah-lyons-and-why-i-ended-my-relationship-with-riptide-publishing/

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/mar/19/romance-so-white-publishers-grapple-with-race-issues

Had this author made any statement condemning this behavior, requested to have title released back, or any support of the victims in recent weeks, I would review. Their work, I must say, is often very good. So it is with a heavy heart I decline this opportunity.

The one-star listing is only because I am not able to enter "no stars" denoting my withdrawal of ARC.

Poor Veier, the bear shifter, who is chained up as a pet for the King, until things change and there’s a new ruler of the kingdom and who has a brother, Elrid, who wants to instil some trust into Veier and show him who he truly is; that he’s not the reactive and vicious novelty he’s used to playing. Elrid and Veier lock horns, alot, and there’s a battle for trust which but Elrid perseveres and shows Veier that he’s not the monster he’s purported to be. With some careful and coaxing and Elrid’s friendship and kindness, Veier begins to lower the walls he’s built up and recover from the trauma of his imprisonment, it’s a slow process with a fair few obstacles along the way―even the King isn’t convinced that Elrid is wasting his time with Veier―but things begin to change and bonds start to form and feelings slowly start to emerge.

This was such a beautiful story, sort of an adult fairy tale, but please don’t think that that means it was without substance, because it did, it had it in spades. I captured a feeling reading this book that I haven’t felt since being a child and first developed a love of reading. The story took me away to somewhere old and magical and I was completely enveloped in this strange land. What I got was wonderful tale of friendship and love in a magnificent setting. I hadn’t read this author before and it’s only the second shifter book I’ve picked up but I’ll definitely be looking at more of the author’s works in the future. I love the feeling this book gave me and I was utterly enchanted all the way through.

Review Copy requested and reviewed on behalf of OMG Reads.

This is more of a fantasy with a bit of romance. There is no steam, and the physical nature of their relationship is hinted at only.

The writing was wonderful and the world-building well-done, however, this isn’t my thing. While I could appreciate the skill in the author’s ability, I probably wouldn’t have chosen this if I’d known that the romance was a secondary issue rather than the main pursuit.

I think fans of high fantasy and people looking for LGTBQ MCs without romance as the central theme will really enjoy this. If you’re like me and you crave the romance, you might be disappointed.

No rating.

Admittedly, I am not a big fan of fantasy-esque books but I gave this a shot because the synopsis was intriguing. Whitehall does a great job at world building but I needed more than that for me to like this book. DNF at roughly 45%.

This story was a simple read for me. Although I loved the angst I wish it would have been a bit "steamier"and less of a sweet friends to lovers type story. I loved the setting, and the magic was wonderful. I feel like if the story would have been longer there could have been better relationship building, as well as trust and character building. The story did touch quite heavily on PTSD which was to be expected since he was kidnapped and tortured for years. I would definitely recommend this book.

I really enjoyed this story. I particularly like titles that mix magic, a monarchy, and Arthurian settings into one. Veier was a captive bear shifter for five years until his tormentor is killed by an invading kingdom. This is one of those slow burn kind of stories, it's not hardcore or anything, but simple and sweet. Veier has a major case of PTDS when Elrid finds him because Veier has never been seen more than an animal, but to Elrid he is more. It's sweet seeing the attraction grow between the two. The angst is almost suffocating, but it's so stinking sweet that I can deal.

A lot of the story has Veier being the bad guy when he's just completely misunderstood and nowhere in the story does he really get that image changed for him. Yes he saves Elrid, but even then the king, Elrid's brother and the rest of the royal court see Veier as a beast. I love the contrast of Veier being a bearshifter with a gentle heart. It tickles my love of reverse stereotypes.

I really wish this were longer and a series because I would read it. I love this kind of old world and old world magic that has shifters because most tend to be placed in the modern era. I wish this were steamier, but again, it was really sweet and the characters were likable that I didn't have too much of an issue. 3.5 stars (Title provided via netgalley for an honest review)

I loved this story. It has a wonderful fairytale feel to it and if you like shifter stories this is definitely a must read.

Veier is a bear shifter who has been held captive by a despotic and cruel king for five long years. Veier is very violent, angry and chained in his shifted state. It is hard for him to think like a man because he hasnt been one for years. His chains are both physical and magical. Veier cannot remember his life before captivity but the yearning for home and for his past life and family lies deep within him.

When a neigbouring king invades the chance of going home become real.

Elrid is the brother of the invading king. Although others see a wild shape shifter who should be put down, Elrid is sure that there is a sane man in the depths of the feral shifter that was found at the deposed kings throne.

The King is convinced that it would be better to kill the bear shifter who is obviously wild and not in his right mind, but Elrid see this as a chance to learn more about this magical shifter race. There is also something else that pulls him to Veier and so he pleads for Veier's life convinced he can restore him to his right mind.

Elrid has magic on his side. He is a powerful mage and can use magic to help bring Veier back to sanity and also protect himself as he does so. And so risking his life Elrid, sets up himself and the bear shifter in a room and gets to work convincing Veier to shift, helping him control his anger and sharing time with him.

As Elrid does this, Veier is slowly restored to sanity. The two men develop a deep friendship. When Elrid is attacked and threatened it becomes clear that the seeds of love have been sown and there is something deeper between the two men but with Veier still healing and needing his family, how can the two men find something meaningful together?

This is a lovely romantic story just right for valentines day. It has a gentle slow growing romance, great characters, and the magic of love. The story also overflows with hope. I could feel the desperation as Veier realises the old king is dead and his frustration and fear of the new king. When Veier starts meeting Elrid we are taken on a journey of romance but is it one that will survive the journey back to healing and freedom that Veier must take?

I enjoyed reading this. It has great leading characters and a gentle fairytale romance. It also has magic and adventure!

Copy provided by Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

2.5

I think it was me. I've read books like this before and been ok with the plot. But this time I just wasn't able to overlook how quickly Veier got over five years of enslavement, physical, mental and sexual abuse (the last being implied) when it came to Elrid. They were just instantly civil with one another, trust bloomed in no time and almost instantly Veier and Elrid were comfortable with one another. It was too much too fast, and instead of reading as building trust and Elrid being a nice person, it just read as Mary-Sue, bland. I was frankly bored for most of the book, absolutely all of the book in which I wasn't too busy being utterly incredulous.

Having said all that, the writing is fine and any editing issues I noted were few and far between, and probably due to the fact that I was reading an ARC. Thus, my assertion that I this case, "it's me, not you," might account for my dislike of the book.