#!magic users

Title: To Target the Heart (Spellster Series #2) Author: Aldrea Alien Format: Kindle Published/Free: Published. $2.99 (until the 15th of April) Length: 598 Status: Complete book of on-going series Rating: Mature Warnings: Suicide attempt. Violence. Homophobia. Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0834FL7QG Summary:

How can he win with the odds stacked against him?

Prince Hamish has no interest in fulfilling his duty of marrying. Not to a woman, at least. That doesn’t stop his mother, Queen Fiona, from presenting him with every eligible noblewoman that enters their castle. He’s certain it’ll be no different with the representative of the Udynea Empire.

So when they do arrive, Hamish is relieved the imperial prince, Darshan, is not the woman everyone expected. Until the man kisses him and Hamish is confronted by the very emotions he has been forced to conceal or be punished for. Emotions he is eager to explore.

But the kiss proves to be a little too public and leads his mother to take drastic measures to ensure Hamish adheres to her family vision. The contest of arms will force Hamish to make a choice: give up his happiness for convention’s sake or send the kingdom spiralling into civil war for the right to love his own way.

Title: Visioner (The Shifter War Book 2) Author: K K Ness  Format: Novel Published/Free: Published ($2.99) Length: 214 pages  Status: Ongoing Series  Rating: Teen  Warnings: Violence and Death  Link:  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077SLKNB2/ref=series_rw_dp_sw Summary: Sequel to Messenger, Book One of The Shifter War As the first ever human custodian, Danil is sworn to protect the strange new magic threading across the deadlands. But the armies of Roldaer are stirring, and when an assassin nearly takes his life, Danil sets out to win the aid of the Amasian High Council. With Hafryn by his side, Danil discovers that allies are rarely what they seem. Intrigue and betrayal haunt their steps, and soon Danil and Hafryn must use all their wits to stay alive. Meanwhile, a fearsome magic that has not been unleashed since the blackest days of the Great War is reawakened.  Using such magic could see Danil save the deadlands, or destroy it.

Title: Messenger (The Shifter War Book 1)   Author: K K Ness  Format: Novella  Published/Free: Published ($.99)  Length: 150 pages  Status: Ongoing Series  Rating: Teen  Warnings: Violence and Death  Link: https://www.amazon.com/Messenger-Shifter-War-Book-1-ebook/dp/B06XKMH6YK/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1513694176&sr=1-3&keywords=kk+ness   Summary: For centuries, the deadlands have separated the kingdoms of Roldaer and Amas, enforcing an uneasy truce. But the deadlands hold their own secrets.    Danil is a deadlands scavenger, his days spent scouring a barren land for ancient battlefield relics and mage-crystals. When the brutal magi of Roldaer take over his village, Danil becomes the key to unleashing a powerful enemy set on plunging both kingdoms into war.    Desperate and on the run, he finds unexpected aid from the Amasian shapeshifters. Among them is Hafryn, an irreverent shifter who fights the magi with sword, tooth and claw. But safety with the shifters cannot last. As the magi set their plans into motion, Danil will have to embark on a terrifying mission to a broken citadel where an ancient enemy awaits. Failure to stop the magi may cost him far more than his life, and Danil discovers that courage and determination may not be enough… 

Title: The Landlord Author: Asuka Kureru (Askerian) Format: Novel Published/Free: Free Length: 119k words Status: Complete Rating: Mature Warnings: None that I can think of Link: http://archiveofourown.org/series/248416 Summary: Fresh-faced university student Sevan picks up rugged, funny Mikhail. Okay, is picked up. Same result – a nice evening for all. No consequences, right?

Only Sevan is a mage, and Mikhail is… well.

Title: Ghost of the Cascade Mountains Author: Delphyne Format: Novel Published/Free: Free Length: 4 chapters so far Status: WIP Rating: Mature Warnings: Anal Angst D/s M/M Oral Rape Rim Link: http://original.adult-fanfiction.org/story.php?no=600107658 Summary: Hunter’s family’s drug trade in Shortgrass is at stake and now the dragon mage is trapped behind enemy lines. Fate forces His hand and he must take a hostage to survive.

Title: The Viper’s Scheme Author: TheDancingCrow Format: Novel Published/Free: Free Length: 162k so far Status: WIP Rating: Mature Warnings: slavery, rape, abuse Link: http://archiveofourown.org/works/5540954/chapters/12782114 Summary: Sylves Tevenra is a powerful mage, said to have been born with the ability to subdue humanity’s mortal enemies once and for all. Esares is the demon who was sent to kill him and has been paying the price ever since. And then there is Anereth Laverien, who Esares knows is unkind and treacherous, but who is the only person his master would trust with his treasured slave.

Esares holds the key to his master’s destruction, but he will have to decide whether using it would bring him and his people closer to freedom, or merely turn him into another dangerous man’s pawn.

Review: Came for the power imbalance, stayed for the characters and worldbuilding. Could be your thing if you like hurt/comfort, fantasy and slow paced stories and have an interest in slavefics. You’ll find a lot of focus on the two main characters and the gradual progression of their relationship as well as on the power dynamics, with the main plot (the planned murder of the “Chosen One” Sylves) moving along much more slowly.

Chapters 2&3 where Esares is with Sylves are the darkest (at least of yet) and where the rape warning is especially important. One thing that got me is that at a glance Sylves has many more traits of a good person than Anereth, but his dehumanisation of slaves is where that all falls apart and he reveals himself a villain. Whereas we know Anereth has an ulterior motive for being nice to Esares yet it’s clear he at least approaches him like a person and not (only) a possession. Esares himself has been pushed nearly to breaking point but remains beautifully angry at his predicament and the oppression of his people, and continually struggles with being grateful to Anereth for things he knows shouldn’t elicit gratitude.