Illicit Magic (1, Stella Mayweather Paranormal Series) [Kindle Edition]

Camilla Chafer (Author)

Book Description

More than three hundred years after the most terrifying witch hunts the world has ever known, it's happening again.

When an attack by ruthless witch hunters forces twenty-four-year-old Stella from her home in London into the protection of the powerful Witch Council in New York, she has to put her faith in strangers just to stay alive, yet she might not be any safer in their midst than the danger she escaped.

Hidden from the Brotherhood in an extraordinary safe house by the sea where she is sent to learn her craft, Stella finds there is more than one dark secret in her new family: Étoile’s sister is spoken of in fear and sadness; Marc is supposed to be a powerful warlock but is missing his magic; where does the owner of their safe house vanish to every day and why does Evan have the eyes of someone not quite human?

One secret is important enough to kill for and it's a secret so powerful it could destroy the fragile threads of Stella's new world.

Praise for 'Illicit Magic'

"Anyone who likes Charlaine Harris would most definitely enjoy this book. It's well written, rich in description and the characters are instantly likeable." Amazon UK review.

"...an enticing read with engaging characters and action-packed adventure that will have you biting your nails as you delve deeper into the mystery, madness and mayhem of Stella Mayweather’s life. Things aren’t always as they seem as secrets are revealed, the plot thickens, allies become enemies, friendships are tested, and love begins to blossom." The Readers Roundtable Infinity & Beyond.

Other books in the series:
Unruly Magic
Devious Magic
Stella Mayweather Collection, Books 1-3

[Revised edition uploaded October 14th 2011.]

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Author and journalist Camilla Chafer writes for newspapers, magazines and websites throughout the world. She is also the author/ editor of several non-fiction books. She lives in London, UK. Visit Camilla online at www.camillachafer.com to sign up to her newsletter, find out more about her, plus news on upcoming books and fun stuff including book group guides, playlists, deleted scenes and giveaways. You can also find Camilla on Twitter @camillawrites and Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/#!/CamillaChafer

Product Details

• File Size: 434 KB
• Print Length: 342 pages
• Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
• Publisher: Audacious (May 1, 2011)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B004YWKGPO
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #89,286 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

51 of 55 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Bizarrely bad grammar - great story September 22, 2011

By Honest Book Reviews

Format:Kindle Edition

I really liked this book, but was extremely perplexed by the bizarre and horrendous grammatical mistakes such as "she was sat behind her," "they were sat in the kitchen," "shaving gel and a razor were stood next to the taps." "Tread" was used as the past tense. A man's muscles were "taught and hard" - perhaps the work of a gym instructor? Something was "hidden in plane sight" and it wasn't a jet. "There was a feint knock at the door" should have been "faint" - no swords were in sight. I wondered if a 5 year old child had taken to the manuscript. To say it interrupted my reading enjoyment is an understatement. I was puzzled that someone who could write such a good story did not have a command of simple English grammar. All that aside, I loved the book (oh please get an editor for the rest of the series!!) and could not put it down.
I will definitely buy the next one.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Illicit Magic June 22, 2011

By Jackie Burris

Format:Kindle Edition

Illicit Magic (Stella Mayweather Paranormal Series)
Goodreads.com book Blurb

More than three hundred years after the most terrifying witch hunts the world has ever known, it's happening again.
Young witch, Stella, has to put her faith in strangers just to stay alive but she might not be any safer in their midst than from the danger she is running from.
There is more than one dark secret in her new family: Étoile's sister is spoken of in fear and sadness; Marc is supposed to be a powerful witch but is missing his magic; where does the owner of their safe house vanish to every day and why does Evan have the eyes of someone not quite human? There is only one secret that someone will do anything to keep quiet, but whose secret is it and will Stella have to pay the price for silence?

My Thoughts

Stella Mayweather has been sent from pillar to post most of her life after losing her parents at the tender age of five... Never staying in one place for long due to strange occurrences which cause her foster families to quickly pack her up and ship her back to social service workers. After finally turning eighteen Stella moves out on her own and makes her way as best she can... Now at twenty-four Stella has settled into a routine of living in one place, going to work each day and coming home each night without much variance from day to day... Suddenly attacked one night she is thrust into a nightmare from which she barely escapes when a strange young woman appears at her flat and whisks her away before she loses her life in a fire set by her previous attackers when they find her at home......

Throughout Stella's story as we work our way through all the mysteries that surround her past and all the day to day drama that encompass her present circumstances one thing becomes clear, she is a special young woman who despite her harsh beginnings has strength and admirable amounts of courage.

The unraveling of the answers as to who, what, why, when and where take place at a good pace and by the end of the book when the final showdown occurs the reader has learned quite a bit about each of the young witches and the instructors that Stella is placed among to learn how to utilize her craft...

The eye opening reveal of the person responsible for the attacks against Stella and her new friends was one that I had figured out a bit before the final showdown but I still had a few surprises to come when other secrets were revealed as well, all in all this was a well thought out original story that had just enough romance thrown in to appeal to a wider audience than just those looking for a good paranormal read!

The burning questions in my mind is what will Stella do next? What happened to Evan? What happened to Marc and Kitty? To find out one must continue the series with book 2 Unruly Magic which I intend to do as the story was just getting to the good part when it ended!

I strongly recommend this book to those YA readers looking for characters who are young adults in their 20's that can be sympathized with by older people like myself as they have more relatable circumstances going on in their life than someone who is only in their teens. The book is geared more towards adults over the age of 17 as there are sexual scenes that while not explicit are not meant for young readers...

Reading Order for series

Book 1 Illicit Magic out now and book 2Unruly Magic in July and in December book 3 Devious Magic as per author's information in an interview with The Dark Phantom .

I have to disclose that this book was an e-arc copy submitted to me by the author via The Bookish Snob Promotions for an honest review and that there is no other compensation from her, the tour host or the publisher except my reading pleasure and enjoyment of the characters depicted in the story. Read more ›

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars an extremely fabulous fast read January 16, 2012

By Jennifer McFarren

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I found this to be an extremely fabulous fast read.
I really enjoy the story and the characters. Stella is courageous, strong willed and completely believable. She questions things, including herself due to her lack of family during her upbringing. She has that honest naiveté that is refreshing. Stella's powers and character grow throughout the story surprising herself and those around her. As she learns to control her magic, her confidence in herself grows and is able to get beyond some of her past, right before it is thrown back at her.
The other characters that become her friends and foes are solid and some are pretty scary. Marc is moody and yet friendly. Evan is strong, mysterious and loyal. Étoile and her sister Seren are very powerful witches who befriend and try to protect Stella. Kitty teaches Stella about friendship, shopping and being a girl.
The places were extraordinary, from London to New York to the Beach house and on to Wilding so vivid the descriptions. I enjoyed the way the author familiarized the locations and made these the places that normal people would live along the supernatural beings.
I found myself immediately drawn into the story. I thought the storyline was well done. There were a few grammatical errors that could have been avoided with a little more editing. However, the errors didn't disturb the flow. I was completely sucked in and can't wait to begin the second book in the series.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Loved it! July 8, 2012

By kam21

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Summary:
Stella Mayweather's seemingly uneventful life takes a drastic turn one evening while walking home from work. Suddenly, she's attacked by The Brotherhood, a secret group of men out to rid the world of magic, including witches, then uprooted from her London home by a stranger who just so happens to save her life.

Thrust into a world she had no knowledge of, Stella seeks protection of the Witch Council, but can she trust them? Sent to a safe house to learn to harness her magic, Stella discovers there are lots of things she has to learn and many secrets left untold. Unfortunately, one of those secrets could destroy her as well as her new-found family.

Thoughts:
To put it simply, Illicit Magic is a fun and very entertaining read. Stella lost her parents at a young age and grew up in foster homes across London. She's always been the outcast, the loner, and you can't help but feel for her. She always knew she was different and had special abilities, but she didn't know why. That is, not until the Brotherhood comes for her and she's whisked away by fellow witch and soon-to-be friend, Etoile.

You can't help but like the other characters as well, especially Evan, Stella's handsome and mysterious teacher at the safe house. I found myself filled with emotion as Stella and Evan's relationship began to grow. I felt like a teenager again, when the cute guy calls you for the first time or makes a point to steal you away from your friends at the football game. It was very natural. That being said, this book is not geared for the young adult (tween or teen) crowd. There are some sexual scenes and innuendo, albeit not too explicit....

My only issue with the book (and the books that follow), is there seems to be a few grammatical issues here and there, such as verb tense and the occasional typo. I'm not sure if it's a difference between how grammar is used in the US vs. the UK or if it's just incorrect usage. Either way, it doesn't distract from the flow of the story. In fact, I read it in one, quick setting. Read more ›

More About the Author

Camilla Chafer is the author of the Stella Mayweather urban fantasy series and the Lexi Graves Mysteries.

Visit Camilla online at www.camillachafer.com for the latest on her novels, series extras including deleted scenes, info about her characters and their worlds, plus how to get your hands on exclusive trading cards. Sign up to her mailing list for a monthly newsletter and the latest releases. She wishes she could send virtual cake.

You can also find Camilla at Facebook and Twitter @camillawrites. Though she is equally chatty on both, she will gasp in horror if the word "procrastination" is mentioned.