White Trash Warlock (Adam Binder, #1)

by David R Slayton

[kimbacaffeinate]

Adam has the sight, a gift that allows him to see/feel magic, fairies, elves, gnomes, dragons and more that exist outside of our realm. He can also sense people’s feelings from sorrow to fear. This made things difficult for him as a teen, and his own brother institutionalized him.

He now lives in a trailer park with his Aunt. His Aunt has the gift and accepts Adam. He hasn’t spoken to his brother Bobby in years, which is why he is surprised when Bobby asks for help. It seems something is very wrong with Bobby’s wife (understatement of the year). Adam gets in his old Cutlass and heads to Denver.

I loved how this tale unfolded. Slayton filled us in on a need to know basis, giving the story a pleasant flow. Truth be told, Adam doesn’t know a lot about himself, which is why he is tracking the warlock making these magical items. As luck would have it that lead also leads to Denver.

“All the signs points to Denver.”

Trips to the spirit world, fairies, gods, reapers and more await you in this tale with its Supernatural and old-school vibe. The writing is vivid, suspenseful, and balanced against Adam’s dysfunctional family. Secondary characters from the gods to family were unique and developed. I am very interested in some key players in the other realm. Can I just say I loved Vic and hope for more?

There is some romance both past and present, and it was interesting witnessing the present and learning about the past. Adam’s concerns and emotions felt raw and genuine. This added depth and severed as a side dish to the malevolent spirit trying to enter our world. It was all quite clever.

The second point of view is that of Adam’s brother Bobby, who prefers Robert. He worries about his social status and has worked hard to leave the smudge of rural Oklahoma behind. He was complex, and over the course of the story we learn a great deal about Robert and what makes him who he is. I loved seeing strides made to heal the family dynamics, and the author did a stellar job of showing all sides.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Michael David Axtell, who brought these characters and their emotions to life. He assigned unique voices to everyone. His voices for Adam captured our young protagonist from insecurities to benevolence. He enhanced an already brilliant story. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer