As a first book in a series, Take Back Magic had a lot of potential. I was drawn in by the beautiful cover and although the writing style wasn't really for me, I did enjoy the plot and the relationships being formed between the characters.

Sierra is a great FMC, she's strong, competent, and she knows what she wants, and exactly how to get it. Nariel is Sierra's opposite, he's more than happy to lurk in the shadows and watch as Sierra fight's for what she wants. The dynamics between them were so fun - their banter was top tier, and their relationship (although on the quieter emotional side) was great to read about.

I will definitely be reading on to continue this series when I get a chance.

3- ⭐

I'm so torn about this book 🤨
First of all this is book 1 of 3 in a fantasy series.

I loved the magical element, the way the author imagined the connections between our world and other magical worlds, the whole angel element was also very peculiar...
I loved the fact that the book began straight into action.
I also loved the two main characters and the chemistry between them. 🖤

BUT, there is a huge but. ⤵️
The storytelling did not deliver. It is an interesting story narrated in a boring way. Or better, the narration part is what's missing.
I suppose this writing style could work in a steamy romance with actions, actions, actions. But if I need to get involved into a new fantastical world I find that I do need a bit of background; also, poetical writing could work wonderfully. But a fantasy book cannot be all facts and action.

All this said I find myself struggling now because I do want to know what happens next but I don't know if I'm up to this type of writing again... 😬

Ⓟⓡⓔ—Ⓡⓔⓥⓘⓔⓦ

<s>I saw the beautiful cover and I just had to request this 😍 then read the plot and the magical world really intrigued me✨</s>

// Thank you to Netgalley, Casey Blair and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange of my honest opinion //

I have decided I am not the biggest fan of urban fantasy. The book was still interesting and I did like parts of it, I would recommend if that is your thing. However it was not my favorite book I have ever read.

This was a great fantasy book! The world building was top tier and it was a very enjoyable read. I would recommend!

First and foremost looooooove Sierra she was such a powerful FMC. Her chemistry with Nariel is unmatched. Loved the pacing of the story and I get fully satisfied with the ending no lose ends etc. the world building was fascinating I felt fully immersed in the story. Highly recommend.

This book was fun, and the plot had a tonne of potential! I didn't vibe very well with the writing style, but the plot was really interesting and the cover is divine! This book had a fantastic FMC who I was rooting for the whole time, and could not wait to see what she did next throughout the storyline. The pacing was well done, and the chemistry between the characters were probably my favourite part of this book!

Can't wait to read more from this author.

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC!

I was provided with this ARC in exchange for an honest review, thank you to Netgallery, Victory Editing and importantly Casey Blair.

Take Back Magic is a fast paced and dives straight into action, introducing us to our strong independent FMC Sierra, who wasn't afraid to grab hold of an opportunity that appeared (quite literally) in front of her and take advantage of it. Our MMC Nariel is a handsome shadow daddy with wings, always a bonus.

Sierra and Nariel become allys in their fight to take back magic (well named book) with their chemistry is subtle at first, and building further throughout the plot though it doesn't really kick off fully, I'm guessing this will be in the next book. The banter is more a focus and humorous.

I did enjoy the action and our strong female lead in this, however I hope there is further world building as it is a shorter story so does have this element missing. I did find my interestint wavering slightly in places but was able to finish it okay.

- Urban fantasy
- Strong fierce wizard FMC
- Mysterious shadow daddy MMC
- Demons, wizards and magical battles
- Banter all the way
- At the time of writing this review, available on Kindle Unlimited where the trilogy is available

The book was a little questionable at first. The start was a bit rough. It began at a very fast pace that left me a tad bit confused. It slowed to a nice pace later on which made the book much more enjoyable.

It was an interesting beginning to a fantasy series about angels and wizards. Sierra trained as a wizard's protegee for most of her life before being abruptly thrown back into a land where she can't use magic. Her one goal in life: bring back magic. With the help of Nariel (a possible new shadow daddy), she begins bringing magic back to lower earth bit by bit while inevitably fending off those trying to stop her.

It was a slow burn romance that was quite enjoyable. While Sierra wasn't my favorite character, I was still invested in the story. I thoroughly enjoyed Nariel. After that ending, I'm keen on seeing where the rest of the series goes.

3 star review rating.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc of this book.

An interesting concept howevere I did not get on with the writing style :(

A strong FMC is something I always love reading about, I enjoyed her taking her life back into her hands after a betrayal from somebody close to her. She is badass and isn’t afriad to show it. Despite not enjoying the book much, Nariel is perfect and I’m just a little sad I loved him but not the story itself.

If you love fantasy romance I would highly reccomend giving this book a try. Other tropes: MMC show daddy, fated mates, good baner and angst.

I hiiiiiighly enjoyed this book and can’t wait to read the next one. This was quick and fun, full of action and magic. Honestly what’s not to love here! I love the characters and can definitely see how much potential and growth is ready for the rest of the series! Really enjoyed this and can’t wait to get my hands on a copy and show it off. The cover is so cute! I think this could be a really big series if it can gain the traction is deserves!

God I wanted to like that book so much, we got a strong start where we have a lot going on (maybe too much informations dumping and a lot of characters) but the plot is very obvious and it felt a bit flat.

A new series from Casey Blake is always a fun surprise. The worlds that they create are always something completely new and this book is no exception. The worldbuilding was a bit heavy handed, but nothing to bog the reader down too much (my general rule is the best world building is when I can't point to the moments that it is happening because it's so well woven in). The plot and pacing of this book are so well done that the book seemed to fly through. Sierra is one of those FMCs that I love to read - she's got a huge chip on her shoulder, levels of petty I aspire to be, and although disadvantaged is more capable than anyone gives her credit for. Her dynamic with Nariel was perfect and while there is a the lack of trust I appreciated that there was little to no miscommunication and their relationship grew organically.
I think this book could benefit from another editing pass to make it truly incredible, but as it stands is a solid book and I look forward to reading the rest of the series.

Good writing, badass fmc, and a hot shadow daddy? That’s all I need in a book to give it 5*. I loved that the world was only slightly different to our own earth, so it was easy to understand and not hundreds of pages of world building!

I loved it! Fast paced and thrilling. From the start the story sucked me in and I was hooked. I really loved the concept with magic, angels, demons, and spirits. It was intriguing and I can’t wait to see more. Their relationship was fun and sweet. I can’t wait to see it develop further.

I truly loved this storyline. It has a unique magic system, wasn’t over complicated while still being really interesting. It has a great slow burn romance and a badass FMC who risks it all instead of settling for less. I will continue to read this series and am about to get book 2 because I want to know what she does next. However I think a lot of lines needed to be rewritten and edited at least one more time. I did have to read a few lines over and over bc they just weren’t making sense. That was my only disappointment in this story.

Thank you Netgalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

All Sierra wants back in the world is magic, not only for herself but for everyone. When she steals a wand she is met with friends who share her belief that magic is for all, but along the way she meets foes who want to keep magic in the hands of those who yield it. Trekking around the globe Sierra finds that magic may not be the only thing she has to lose at the end of it all.

I enjoyed Take Back Magic but felt kind of dumped into a world whose story had already started playing but I had missed out on the initial take off and had to acclimate to my surroundings. I also didn't love Sierra's character and lost her plot along the way? Like I understood she wanted magic to be accessible for everyone and her reason why but didn't feel the connection from one to another. Overall liked the fast paced adventure and can't wait to see where Sierra goes next.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC copy of this book.

It feels like half a book. The idea is amazing, I loved the general storyline… but it feels rushed. There’s not much world building and you’re just thrown straight into it like you’re supposed to know what’s going on.

I wanted to connect with the characters but I don’t feel like we ever get the chance to have that connection. There’s no history or background, no defining my character moments it just feels like all the action shots have been put together to make a book. A few extra chapters that delve more into the characters, plot and world would do absolute wonders.

Unfortunately I won’t be continuing the series.

3⭐️s Sierra’s goal is to quite literally to take back magic. When the opportunity comes to steal her mentor’s wand, she takes. She wants everyone to share in all the magical possibilities. This causes a lot of people to come after her. With the help of a demon lord, Nariel, they will battle it out for the sake of magic.

I think this book needed a bit more. It felt like I was dropped into a story that had already begun with little to tell me why we’ve started. I think there is so much potential, and I’m curious to see how book 2 reads. With a little more world building or backstory, the story would have made more sense.

Synopsis:
Earth’s magic was stolen. She’s taking it back.
All Sierra Walker has ever wanted is magic, but the powerful mage who trained her as a child betrayed her, sending her back from a world full of magic to modern-day Seattle. So when he comes to her a decade later, Sierra glimpses an opportunity:
She steals his wand, and with it, she begins to steal back magic—for everyone. In magical combat Sierra’s a force to be reckoned with, but she’s still on her own, her access to magic handicapped, with an entire world of mages now trying their best to kill her rather than share power. So when Nariel, a dangerous demon lord, offers his assistance, she can’t say no. But she also knows better than to trust her life, and her magic, to anyone else ever again—no matter how he ignites a part of her she’d thought long lost. But as they race around the world to bring magic back while fighting for their lives, Sierra realizes there may now be two things she can’t bear to lose.

Thank you to @netgalley and the author for the gifted copy. #netgalley #takebackmagic

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing Metgalley Co-op for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a short read that I was excited about after reading what it entailed. A girl trying to take back magic after it was stolen from her world? Yes! Sign me up. I'm all about girl power! But by 20% in, I was left extremely confused. I couldn't tell if it was me or the writing style but I spent a lot of time re-reading sentences to make sense of them. As I continued on, I realized it was the writing style. This was such a fun and interesting concept, but it truly fell flat because it was difficult to read and because of that it came off very cringe like. I truly feel like if it could be re-edited, this would be a fun read to pull readers into continuing the story. Unfortunately, I will not be reading the next book.

Casey Blair's Take Back Magic might have struggled a bit with editing, but Sierra Walker more than makes up for it—so much so that she singlehandedly earned this book an extra star from me. Fierce, competent, and unapologetically herself, Sierra is the kind of heroine I can't get enough of. One of my favorite moments is when she says, “…my type is a man who can appreciate how competent I am and is dedicated to helping me achieve what I’m capable of without trying to overshadow me.” That line encapsulates her strength and self-awareness, and I was cheering for her the whole way through.

The book does have some rough edges, particularly in pacing and structure, which could have been tightened with stronger editing. But even with those flaws, the story has enough heart and promise to keep me invested. The world-building feels like it’s just getting started, and I can’t wait to see how it unfolds in the rest of the trilogy.

If you love strong, fiercely independent heroines and magical adventures, give Take Back Magic a try—Sierra Walker makes it absolutely worth it.