I regret that I did not get to this book in time for review — it is absolutely my kind of catnip and I am looking forward to eventually diving in!

Pyre at the Eyreholme Trust has a lively and compelling cast of characters within its fantastical setting, and the prose and dialogue are just as vibrant. I loved just about every element here, especially Eli and his magic, and I'd definitely welcome the chance to see the characters and world again.

** I WAS GIVEN THIS BOOK FOR MY READING PLEASURE **
Copy received through Netgalley

~

Pyre at the Eyreholme Trust, by Lin Darrow
★★★★☆
96 Pages
POV: 3rd person, one character


This was a really fun story, with a historical, 1920s mobster feel to it, with an added sprinkle of magic. The characters were well developed and intriguing, the plot was well paced and had a nice balance between showing/telling and didn't drag the timeline, despite it spanning over a few weeks.

My only complaints were that 96 is a lot of story without even a few chapter headings. It made the story feel like it dragged and took ages to read, when really it didn't. But it felt like that, because there was no breathing room, to stop and process what was happening. It also felt that there were a few places where the story didn't so much drag but lost its sparkle. I felt that a few places lacked the flow and compelling storytelling flair that the rest of the story had.

I loved that we had a gender-fluid MC and that Eli got to show both the male and female personalities in the story, without losing any of the chemistry with Duke. I loved that Duke was just as attracted to Eli as a male as he was when Eli presented as female. Duke came across as a playful hard-man, who had a flair for the dramatic and the crimes they were committing, but who also had a heart of gold. That softer side was nicely and slowly drawn out, through the story. In contrast, Eli was a wallflower who liked to remain off the radar, with a quick mind and smart mouth, but who had a hidden temper when pressed and a long-held need to use his magic. The chemistry was really nicely explored, a slow development from stranger to boyfriends, and a nice progression of their personalities and character growth with each new step forward.

Overall, it was a great story with a few flaws, but one that I'd read again.

~

Favourite Quotes

“Nobody had ever looked at him with such open, ravenous hunger. And it wasn't for the polish he regularly painted on, but for the corrupted threads beneath, the fraying parts of him that he fought every day to keep hid.
It was nice, Eli thought, not to have to hide. To be seen, just as he was.”

Received from NetGalley for my honest review
Completed 7/8/18
96 page ebook

This book was very different and unique from the gender fluid character to the magic system used. The magic system was really intriguing to me, especially the MCs ability to control ink, which is controlled in ways you may think and ways you may not. It was really quite neat and I would definitely read more set in this world and with these characters.

My only disappointment was that this book was under 100 pages. Perhaps the author wrote it just to see if there'd be interest in this world and these ideas? If so, then there is definite interest and I'd love to read more. If that's all this author has, then it's disappointing because I'd love to see more of these powers.

I gave the book just 3 stars because of how short it was. If it had even been a novella, I would have given it 4 stars and perhaps even 5. It was really good for what it was, I just wanted more.

Setting = B
Plot = A
Conflict = B
Characters = A
Theme = A

Oh my goodness, what an enjoyable read! A book I didn't even know I needed until I started it. Perfect length; clever world-building; and vibrant, well-developed characters. I could visualize everything in my head so clearly, and what a ride it took me on! More, please - either of this world, these characters, or both!

I received a digital ARC from the publisher via Netgalley.

I received a complementary copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Eli Coello is an unregistered inkman, which means that they have the power to control ink, and that they are keeping said power from the authorities. You see, in Temperance City, magic is accepted so long as it abides by the law, but Eli’s affinity for ink causes them to break the law multiple times a day. Despite their daily felonies, however, Eli has chosen to live a simple life and stay out of trouble, and took up a quiet job as a jewellery seller. But this is all about to change when Eli meets Duke Haven, a member of the Pyre gang (whose members have an affinity for fire) and Duke convinces Eli to help him pull of a heist at a renowned casino.
If I had to describe this book in one word it would be: complex. Once again, this is a really short book and I feel like there is so much to it that the story would have better fitted into a longer format. I can see that the author has created this incredibly complex world of magic, and there are so many characters and storylines going on that it gets a bit confusing. It is definitely an action-packed book, but I think the story could have done with more chapters, giving the reader a respite and a chance to take in everything that is happening. I felt myself losing the plot a good few times and that is because the action never stops and everything goes really fast. I really wished it was a longer book, and that the author had gone into more details regarding certain situations.
Apart from this though, it is a very interesting and original story, nothing like I’ve ever read before. The intrigue is well constructed, and it will grasp you until the end, where the author executed a beautiful and unexpected plot twist, and I do love a plot twist when I don’t see it coming!
I should also mention that this is another LGBT+ book! The main character, Eli, is a jewellery seller by day and a drag queen in their spare time, and they are genderfluid while Duke Haven is pansexual. I absolutely love this. How refreshing to have characters that are not just at one end or the other of the spectrum. Because it’s not just about having gay/lesbian characters, there are so many more genders and sexualities around and all of them deserve and need representation! I was so very pleased to find these characters that do not conform to heteronormative standards!
Both this book and the one I reviewed last week (The Lady and the Thief) were published by Less Than Three Press, a publishing company that specialises in LGBT+ material. So if this is right up your street, make sure to check them out! I for sure know that I will go back to them often
I highly recommend this book if you like fantasy and action-packed novels, my only criticism remaining that I wish the book had been longer to give the story a chance of being explored further.

While I fell in overwhelming love with the characters of this book, and the hints of worldbuilding that exist behind the scenes, I felt like the pacing could use a good deal of work and ultimately the ending left me wanting more.

I received this ARC via Netgalley for an impartial review. This book is an alternate universe where people are born with different types of magic - lightening, fire, water, ink, etc. are all manipulatable if that's what you're born to use. That being said, certain types are considered dangerous and, therefore, illegal. This leads to the story of our main character. Eli is an 'ink man' - this is considered dangerous because he can read all the ink - think about all the places (books, ledgers, money, etc) that contain ink that he could exploit. He's hidden his talents all of his life. Then, while working as a non-magical person in a jewelry shop, he foils a heist and finds himself involved with the leader of the gang, Duke Haven. The story of the two characters builds well and their relationship is well written. It took me a while into the story to understand how the magic works/doesn't, as the story is set in the equivalent of 1920's Gangster Chicago, so the language reflects some of that era/style. I found the characters engaging and enjoyable. The story flowed well, once I got into the rhythm of the language. I recommend this book to those who like alternate worlds, with magic. Note: There is a growing male/male emotional relationship between Eli and Duke and the main character, Eli, also cross-dresses as a torch singer. Duke and Eli do kiss. If this type of relationship isn't for you, you should find an alternate option.

This was such a fun story! I really enjoyed the world-building here. The story is set in a world that is very similar to the 1920s but where magic is very commonplace [think Legend of Korra]. I really liked the magic system as well. Magic users can control standard elements like fire, water, and lightning but there are also those that specialize in things like ink or paper, which is something that I haven't seen before. The characters are fun and heist actually had a few twists and turns that i wasn't expecting. Overall I would have liked it if there was a bit more focus on the romance, but it was still a really cute and enjoyable read.

Pyre at the Eyreholme Trust tells the story of Eli Coello, an unregistered inkman (he can manipulate ink), who works a job as a jeweller when his shop is the target of a heist. The leader of the heist, Duke Haven, then blackmails him into pulling a con on another gang.

What I really liked about this book is that, despite only being 75 pages long, it does still take the time to develop the relationship between Duke and Eli. Sure, there are some timeskips where you presume some more development happens, but on the whole, it feels realistic - not too fast like is the danger in short books, but also definitely there. I also really loved the worldbuilding. It's so well done for such a short story, and it's definitely immersive and so intriguing.

So, pretty much overall the only problem I had was that it was so short and I just wanted more of it.