The Night Realm

Spell Weaver, Book 1

De: Annette Marie

Narrado por: Melissa Moran, Tim Paige

Clio isn't a thief. She isn't a spy, a soldier, or a diplomat. Aside from her rare ability to mimic spells, her only notable talent is gardening. But with a war threatening her homeland, and her half-brother—the nymph prince—pleading for her help, she agrees to attempt the impossible: stealing deadly magic from the best spell weavers in the three realms. Their stronghold is located deep in the Underworld, which is exactly the sort of place an Overworld nymph like her should never go. Getting in won't be that hard. Getting out alive is the impossible part.

Lyre is a master of two skills: spell weaving and seduction. As an incubus, he can enthrall any woman he desires. As a master weaver, he can create any spell imaginable—but not the spells of death and destruction that his ruthless family specializes in. A master weaver who can't—or won't—contribute to the family legacy is a liability that won't be tolerated for much longer. And when a nosy Overworld nymph starts probing into his secrets and draws the attention of his sadistic brothers, his odds of survival take a nosedive. Because some magic was never meant to be woven. And while Lyre's most dangerous creation could be powerful enough to save Clio's homeland, it's terrible enough to destroy far more. And neither Clio's mimic ability nor Lyre's spell weaving will save them from its power.

©2024 Annette Marie (P)2025 Tantor Media

Like Spy Kids - but with monsters

Clio: “How did you find me?”
Lyre: “I asked myself: if I was a nymph with a death wish, where would I go?”
The overall feel of this book is high school, verging on college whenever incubi and demons lust over Clio (which is often). The basic premise is that an Overworld Prince sends his half-sister nymph, who’s been living on Earth, and has zero skills in spycraft or politics, into the Night Realm / Underworld with nothing more than good intentions and two baby sitters who let her constantly wander off into danger. It’s silly and slow moving, but once I adjusted my expectations to Spy Kids or Agent Cody Banks, I enjoyed it.

Incubi or demons threatening to hurt or debauch Clio is a constant plot crutch danger device. I rolled my eyes a lot and wished for more time with Lyre and Ash and the various creatures of the Night Realm. My favorite scene was at the monster mash towards the end; sadly, even that scene rattled off a list of fascinating monsters and only truly interacted with one.

The entire book takes place over a few days and ends with the MCs jumping out of the Underworld fires and into the frying pan. If I hadn’t have gotten the trilogy at once, I’m not sure I’d have moved on.

Huh?

The "end" literally ends mid sentence. 🤷🏻‍♀️ I had to go back and relisten to the last chapter because it's so out of place for the entire book it makes absolutely no sense why they would end it there.

If he had to walk, he would walk all day. Just end it there, getting into the rest of the chapter and ending it where it was ended is awful and confusing, and not in the good cliff hanger kind of way, in the ADD child couldn't pay attention kind of way.