Review: The Wizard by the Sea by Anna Wineheart

On his tenth birthday, Connor trips over a wizard on the shore. Amidst glowing clovers and roses drawn in the sand, the wizard shelters him from the rain and promises to teach him magic. Three years later, they meet again, and Connor becomes his student.

Yates has never been a mentor—he doesn't deserve the privilege. But Connor comes to him after a tragedy, broken and helpless, and stays for years. Without realizing it, they fall in love. Yates knows he shouldn't: he has shaped this boy into a man. At a loss, he pretends not to notice Connor's affections... until his nineteenth birthday, when they celebrate a hard-won victory and give in to desire. Ashamed, Yates banishes his student, leaving a hole in both their hearts.

Four years later and still lonely, a tidal wave sweeps Connor back into Yates' life. When they meet again, he discovers that Yates has withheld secrets from him, secrets that could change his life. Their past is fractured, their future uncertain. But the one thing Connor knows is that he's always loved the wizard by the sea.

Holy moly did I love this book. It's different than the main run of books out there and I truly enjoyed that fact. 

Connor is just a child when he meets Yates for the first time, thereafter he sees the Wizard by the Sea on a regular - if infrequent - basis over the coming years. The story follows the development of their relationship. It's not a quick development, not a rush from boy and man to adult lovers. It is slow. It is believable. It fucking well broke my heart a trillion times.

Yates starts as Connor's sometimes friend. A huge influence on Connor, awakening something inside that Connor didn't know existed. He'd not been told that magic ran in his fathers family, his father had none and viewed it as a  bad thing. They were simple people, a fisherman and his wife and son. They lived a hard but uncomplicated life. Yates offered something different to Connor, something beyond that which the boy already knew.

The friendship became more important to Connor as tragic events took place, as his father turned to alcohol, as the life he'd known thus far changed and slipped away. Eventually Yates became mentor and Connor apprentice. Feelings were growing with each passing year; Yates was determined to deny them though.

This is front and centre a love story. A love of family. A love of friendship. Of mentor. And finally of man and man. it is a love story that is repeatedly denied. That is given then taken - because of circumstance and fear and honour and a million different reasons. 

There is a timeless quality to this story, it is impossible to set it in a time or place, I felt. It was ethereal. Yet it was also remarkably solid. The characters were so true and defined and honest it gave the story an anchor. I loved both Yates and Connor, they were interesting and real. I waned to know them more - and with each page turned I did. Connor particularly I felt I understood. His heart was mine during this story.; every scratch and bruise and tiny bit of love and warmth it received I felt with every part of my own heart.

I also, despite him being flawed, had a real soft spot for Connor's father. I liked that he didn't judge his son. He didn't worry about Yates' age or the fact that he was male. He had his own struggle and was far, far from perfect but again he felt real and despite everything I know he did love his son.

My kindle has loads of notes for this story - most of them saying things like go ahead, break my heart! Anna Wineheart is a new to me author but I will certainly be looking out for books by her in the future.

A copy of this book was given in return for an honest review.
For more information see Goodreads.

Review: King John (The Lost and Founds, #4) by Edmond Manning

English attorney Alistair Robertson can’t quite believe an astonishing tale of kingship and transformation he hears at Burning Man, the annual counter-culture art festival in the Black Rock desert. Who are the Found Kings? Is “being kinged” as magical as it sounds?

Determined to find the mysterious garage mechanic named Vin who helps men “remember who they were always meant to be,” Alistair catches his quarry amid the extravagant sculptures, fire worshipers, mutant cars, and lavish costumes. After searching for three years, he’ll finally get to ask the question burning inside him: “Will you king me?”

Wandering together through the desert, Vin Vanbly and Alistair explore Burning Man’s gifting culture and exotic traditions, where they meet the best and worst of their fellow burners. Alistair’s overconfidence in Vin’s manipulative power collides with Vin’s obsessive need to save a sixteen-year-old runaway from a nightmarish fate, and the two men spiral into uncontrollable, explosive directions.

In this fourth adventure of The Lost and Founds, beneath the sweltering summer sun and the six billion midnight stars, one truth emerges, searing itself on their hearts: in the desert, everything burns.

I've only read book one and four in this series and I absolutely need to remedy that. This book is brilliant. BRILLIANT. Edmond Manning writes prose to make my heart sing. The escapism of his stories is so complete that I find myself wandering lost beside his characters.

Vin Vanbly is back. Back with his unique take on humanity and people and living. This time though it is not him who has chosen the person to be Kinged, rather the person has sought him out. Alistair wants to be Kinged. He's spoken with other Kings and knows a little of the gift Vin gives them; the ability to recognise their true self; the ability to face fear - and he wants in. Vin's utter gift for reading people means he is unsure if Alistair has what it takes to be Kinged. He's hiding too much; from himself and from Vin.

Set against the background of the Burning Man event, Vin and Alistair start this journey. I loved the setting of the tale. This mass meeting in the desert where people can be the them they feel inside. The person they long to be when society isn't forcing them inside the boxes it loves so much. The traditions of the event, plus the beautiful descriptions of people and their interactions is stunning.

I think of this story as colour. It is bright and vivid and orange and red and yellow. Not in an autumn way but in a lively vibrant summer way. Deep blues and sharp light. Noise and smell and festival. When I think of this story, this is the impression I am left with. It's as clear to me as if a painter had painted the scene of the Burning Man in front of me. Something that vivid is as much a character in the story as the characters are.

And I love the characters. Especially Vin. Edmond Manning teases and tempts with what seem to real insights into the main character of the stories, yet really Vin is an enigma. An enigma I want to solve. I want to know him, everything about him.

We were talking at work the other day about magicians. Not the kind in fantasy novels, but the kind that do shows or tabletop magic. The kind you know is done by sleight of hand and trickery. Well I hate watching them, unless the tricks are explained to me. (Vin and I would NOT get on!!) I want to know how things are done as much as why things are done, and this is how I feel about Vin. It's like Manning has written around him, he seems solid but when it comes to it he's just a puff of smoke; a magic trick. AND I NEED TO KNOW ALL THE THINGS. All the things about Vin.

I devoured the story (and book one) gleaning information about this MC like my life depended on it. And it wasn't - isn't - enough. Except, truly, the author has done his job. He has me well and truly hooked. The story is a complete. We find out about Alistair and King John and the story arc is solid and true, there's no cliff hanger ending... but I still need more.

So I'll wait for the next book. I'm lucky, I have books two and three to keep me from being starved of Vin. I'm still waiting for another story because as well as wanting to know the ins and outs of Vin's arse (figuratively) I also want him to get an HEA. I want him to receive what he so generously bestows on others.

I want. I want. I want. I know... but I do!

If you've not read this series... well you need to. It's fabulous.

A copy of this book was given in exchange for an honest review.
For more information, see Goodreads.