I was able to get my request approved on NetGalley for an early peak at this book, and I was quite excited to read it as it’s a paranormal novel involving witches.

The book was published in May this year so I can happily say that this is the newest book I’ve read from publication date. This is the second book in the series, The Bucharest Witches, and I can also say that some context was lost on me as I haven’t read the first book, The Banished.

Overall, it was a good read, but I’m in no rush to read the first book to fill in some blanks.

DISCLAIMER: This review could contain possible spoilers based on my opinions. All opinions and views are my own.

Book Review: The Pawns by Ron Gabriel #bookreview #rongabriel #horrorbooks #paranormalbooks #booktwt #bookaddict #booktwitter

Tweet

Originally published: 2022

Pages: 331
Format: E-Book

Plot:

Travis, a witch practising psychotherapy in Romania has created an orb that uses human trauma to fuel his own power. The orb persuades his patients to share deep secrets and allows repressed pain to be released without any harm to them.

When Travis tests his magic on two unwilling to share patients, the techniques take an evil turn when a demon takes over everything. Travis is forced to face against the evil that powers him, while facing his origin and his hopes of redeeming himself.

Thoughts:

While I was expecting some horror elements, it didn’t really live up to bringing that to life and I didn’t find it as horror filled as I thought it would be.

The story moves along at a good pace. Some of the dialogues were a waste of space and didn’t bring much value to the conversations or the story, and those moments made me struggle to stay glued to the book as I had hoped I would be. Some of the language used felt laid back and didn’t justify some of the serious scenes.

The characters are all pretty solid and strong, and I can’t say that I found anyone unlikeable; each bringing their own element to the story.

I enjoyed the creativity the author brought to life with exploring different magical techniques.

The book is full of twists and betrayals, although some are quite predictable and shine like a bright light from a distant point.

There is some back and forth traveling between USA and Romania, which gives the plot some extra strength. The Romanian elements I found well researched to create the Gothic feel and a darker atmosphere.

There is a clear past and present collision, and the ending is a clear cliffhanger for a possible next book in the series.

Overview:

This is a tale filled with black magic, making you wonder if the concept of white magic even exists, and extreme spells.

Some parts had a bit of a Twilight feel to me, if you replace the vampires with witches.

Thanks again to NetGalley for the opportunity to review the book.

My Rating:

The book has a rating of 4.58 on GoodReads. I gave it a 4.

The Pawns by Ron Gabriel {Book Review} #bookreview #rongabriel #horrorbooks #paranormalbooks #booktwt #bookaddict #booktwitter

Tweet

Have you read The Pawns?

---

The easiest way to stay up to date with the latest posts is to subscribe to the blog!

---

Do you have a book you want reviewed?
Send me an email: sincerelyyoursannie@gmail.com