Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Book Review: The Artist's Inheritance (Antique Magic, Book One) by Juli Revezzo

The Artist’s Inheritance.

The balance between good and evil can be an art... or a curse.

Trevor and Caitlin were once happy newlyweds, profiting from Trevor's art. Until Trevor inherits his brother's house, and with it, his part of a family curse. Now, Caitlin will stop at nothing to save her beloved husband from insanity and suicide, even if it means she must embrace her destiny and become a witch.

It’s available at:
And in paperback from Createspace


Review: 


If I had to define this novel in one word: SPOOKY. The dream sequences within the story are particularly effective at setting the mood. I'm a horror film/book aficionado, so the story did not leave me overly disturbed. However, I noticed my jumpiness levels increased as the story progressed. In my mind, that's the mark of a successful storyteller.

The Artist's Inheritance is a contemporary supernatural suspense novel with a strong romantic subplot. The story is set in Gulf Breeze, Florida, near a Civil War fort. Juli D. Revezzo weaves an intricate tale embodying many elements of the supernatural, including ghosts, witches and demons. Yet, I'm unable to fit the story neatly into any one particular subgenre. Much of the story's strength resides within the uniqueness of the plot elements and the way the story unfolds.

The story starts off a bit slow, but it really gets rolling by the third chapter. The first chapter really serves as an introduction to the three primary characters in the novel—Caitlin, Trevor, and The Chair. Caitlin and Trevor are a young married couple who's love is about to be tested by supernatural forces. Trevor is the artist of the novel's title, and The Chair is his monstrous creation.

Caitlin is Trevor's loving wife and the central protagonist. She's smart and loyal to her husband, but initially clueless regarding the spiritual disease afflicting her husband with bad dreams and obsessive behavior. Then, his nightmares affect her and she begins to pick up on other clues that things are very wrong with both him and his acquaintances.

Of the pair, Caitlin is the more sympathetic. I understood Trevor was not entirely responsible for his own actions but his behavior made him far less likeable than his courageous wife. He'd suffered the traumatic loss of siblings, including his twin, and the reader receives glimpses of the man he was before the downhill slide began. However, there were points when I just plain did not like him. As the story progresses, you really have to applaud Caitlin's loyalty to her husband and her determined efforts to save him.

Once it gets going, the story's pacing is swift, the makings of a real page-turner. Secondary characters are well developed and interesting. I enjoyed Caitlin's interactions with the coven of witches who assist her and also appreciated the creepy evility of the primary villain. Love scenes are closed doors and I would have liked to have seen the more sensual side of the couple's relationship.

The Artist's Inheritance is a recommended read for any reader seeking a creepy and compelling story of the supernatural.




Author BIO:


Juli D. Revezzo is a Florida girl, with a love of fantasy, science fiction, and Arthurian legend, so much so she gained a B.A. in English and American Literature. She loves writing stories with fantastical elements whether it be a full-on fantasy, or a story set in this world–slightly askew. She has been published in short form in Eternal Haunted SummerDark Things II: Cat Crimes (a charity anthology for cat related charities), Luna Station Quarterly, The Scribing Ibis: An Anthology of Pagan Fiction in Honor of Thoth, and Twisted Dreams Magazine. She recently released her debut paranormal romance novel, Passion's Sacred Dance.



Where can to find Juli D. Revezzo on the web?
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