Spellbreaker

I love Charlie Holmberg stories, so I've been looking forward to this duology for a while. I'm happy to say that I wasn't disappointed after the wait! Spellbreaker had all the classic elements of a unique magic system, hate-to-love relationship, and realistic period setting of a historical fantasy that she excels at, but somehow they're never the same story and always exciting and wonderful. I enjoyed the magic in this world, but I want to know so much more! We get a good idea of how spellbreaking works from Elsie's point of view as an untrained and unregistered spellbreaker. (Fascinating that spells are like different knots to her that she loosens and unravels!) But what about how the different types of spellmaking work? I hope I get to learn more about that in the second book to satisfy my curiosity! It's also interesting that they can use more than one type of spellmaking, though they can only master one and don't usually have spells from anything other than that one focus. Imagine an Avatar-like character who could use all the spellmaking spells! And maybe we'll see that Elsie can do more than just spellbreak in book 2?? The magic in this series is often used as a way to separate the classes of society, since it requires a good deal of money to attend an academy and purchase the materials necessary to learn new spells. Even if poor people showed the potential for it, they rarely have the opportunity to receive training unless a wealthy person deems them talented and powerful enough to sponsor them. Even when becoming a Master Spellmaker, the academy leaders are extremely prejudiced and hoard the best spells. This social inequality plays a huge role in the story and in Elsie's justification for her unregistered spellbreaking assignments from the rebel group she calls The Cowls. Elsie sees them as rebellious heroes of the underprivileged, and herself as a modern Robin Hood, but the entire time they seemed to me to be shady at best... I really liked Bacchus, how respectful, honorable, and gentlemanly he was, despite not being treated the same way because of his ancestry. That made me appreciate his behavior even more, taking the higher ground and not succumbing to the prejudices of others. I also liked the way he treated Elsie. Despite them being from different social statuses and the suspicious way they met, he still treated her like a respectable lady. Bacchus is a classy guy. I liked Elsie, though she was a bit annoying at first with her self-righteous behavior and secret defiance of the upper class just because they were upper class. I think this was part of her character progression though, to change her views as she learns more about her benefactors, her spellbreaking abilities, and the targets she is assigned to. When she gets off her high horse to actually get to know others and consider their circumstances, she gets better. Love the twist at the end! Whoa! Don't worry, no spoilers - just read it! Thank goodness there's a second book to track down the whole story, fill in the details of what's really going on, who the bad guys really are, and how Elsie is involved. With that, let's start book 2 in the duology, Spellmaker...

I got this book through Amazon's first read's program for Kindle; having saw the author's (and promptly added them to the queue) books with their fascinating covers, I figured they'd be a nice fantasy to settle into for the winter. And I was right! This was a delightful little story and kept me up past my bedtime. Spellbreaker's undo spells. As opposed to Spellmakers who develop and apply them. Elsie has been a spellbreaker for a very long time. Every since she accidentally undid a spell and caused a lot of trouble. But a benevolent caretaker took her out of that situation (and the workhouse she was in) and placed her somewhere else, on condition that she help when asked. Since then, she's done the tasks for that person/organization in the hopes of making her world a little bit better. But new situations and people are making her question everything she knows. Elsie was a decent character. I think she had some switches in personality and confidence at times, but she also had a lot of stress and personal issues that contributed, so it's almost believable. Bacchus is the read standout character. Although we don't know quite as much about him, I did like how his character was developed and look forward to seeing more of him. The other characters were really sidenotes, and I think that her boss especially was given a bit of a disfavor by rapidly giving his character more at the end and not hinting at it more throughout the novel. It felt too rushed. And that rushed ending was really the only flaw of the book. I would have liked it to slow down a bit more and appreciate what was happening with the characters and the mystery. That being said, there is a second book, so it will probably wrap up and add some detail there. The rest of the pace of the book was good and as said before, I read this in one sitting and stayed up way too late. I look forward to the next! Review by M. Reynard 2020

4.5 stars but rounding up for Goodreads Another great book from Charlie N. Holmberg! I really love her writing style. The characters were great, the pacing was excellent. I loved the magic system and everything that came with it, all in all an awesome read!

I went in blind and without expectation, and had the best of time! Wonderful story and enchanting characters! I can't wait to read the second book!

✨ Review: Spellbreaker by Charlie N. Holmberg ✨ What an absolutely spellbinding read! From the very first page, Spellbreaker had me hooked with its brilliantly unique magic system—something that felt refreshingly new in a genre often filled with repetition. Charlie Holmberg has crafted a world where magic is not just a tool, but a structure, a craft, a calling. And it works so well! Set against the charming backdrop of Victorian England, this story gives off the perfect mix of intrigue, class politics, and just the right touch of whimsy. I adored the historical details woven into the plot, grounding the fantasy elements in a believable, richly textured world. And let’s talk about Elsie. My girl. She is the ultimate hero—clever, conflicted, brave, and deeply human. I loved her moral dilemmas, her quiet strength, and her undeniable charm. She’s a character I rooted for with my whole heart. The very subtle romance with Bacchus? Perfection. No over-the-top tropes or insta-love here—just a slow, subtle burn that adds depth to both characters and left me wanting more. I just finished and I'm already diving straight into book two, Spellmaker, on Kindle Unlimited. I need to know what happens next!

I had so much fun reading this series. Definitely would recommend

This was my first Charlie N Holmberg book but it will not be my last. It was one of those books that I didn’t want to put down and stayed up way too late reading (that’s a pretty good recommendation for a book). I also love the cover and how the second book in the series has a similar cover, so I recognised it instantly. I enjoyed the characters and their development. Even though I could see where the story was going at the seventy-five percent mark, it didn’t matter because the story was so engaging and I wanted to see how the author dealt with the development and I wasn’t disappointed. I would highly recommend this book for adults and young adult readers as I felt this was an interesting story with a world and magic system that was quite easy to understand and keep up with. So nice for a change! Make sure you have book 2 ready to find out what happens next, due to be released 9th March 2021. - Synopsis from the publisher, as they do it best. - A world of enchanted injustice needs a disenchanting woman in the newest fantasy series by the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Paper Magician. The orphaned Elsie Camden learned as a girl that there were two kinds of wizards in the world: those who pay for the power to cast spells and those, like her, born with the ability to break them. But as an unlicensed magic user, her gift is a crime. Commissioned by an underground group known as the Cowls, Elsie uses her spellbreaking to push back against the aristocrats and help the common man. She always did love the tale of Robin Hood. Elite magic user Bacchus Kelsey is one elusive spell away from his mastership when he catches Elsie breaking an enchantment. To protect her secret, Elsie strikes a bargain. She’ll help Bacchus fix unruly spells around his estate if he doesn’t turn her in. Working together, Elsie’s trust in—and fondness for—the handsome stranger grows. So does her trepidation about the rise in the murders of wizards and the theft of the spellbooks their bodies leave behind. For a rogue spellbreaker like Elsie, there’s so much to learn about her powers, her family, the intriguing Bacchus, and the untold dangers shadowing every step of a journey she’s destined to complete. But will she uncover the mystery before it’s too late to save everything she loves?