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Spellbreaker

Written by: Charlie N. Holmberg
Narrated by: Elizabeth Knowelden, Joel Froomkin
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Publisher's Summary

A world of enchanted injustice needs a disenchanting woman in the newest fantasy series by the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Paper Magician.

The orphaned Elsie Camden learned as a girl that there were two kinds of wizards in the world: those who pay for the power to cast spells and those, like her, born with the ability to break them. But as an unlicensed magic user, her gift is a crime. Commissioned by an underground group known as the Cowls, Elsie uses her spellbreaking to push back against the aristocrats and help the common man. She always did love the tale of Robin Hood.

Elite magic user Bacchus Kelsey is one elusive spell away from his mastership when he catches Elsie breaking an enchantment. To protect her secret, Elsie strikes a bargain. She’ll help Bacchus fix unruly spells around his estate if he doesn’t turn her in. Working together, Elsie’s trust in - and fondness for - the handsome stranger grows. So does her trepidation about the rise in the murders of wizards and the theft of the spellbooks their bodies leave behind.

For a rogue spellbreaker like Elsie, there’s so much to learn about her powers, her family, the intriguing Bacchus, and the untold dangers shadowing every step of a journey she’s destined to complete. But will she uncover the mystery before it’s too late to save everything she loves?

©2020 by Charlie N. Holmberg. (P)2020 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.
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What the critics say

“Skillful vocal characterizations enhance this fantasy audiobook set in a magical Victorian Britain…While the plot is complex, both narrators evoke the sympathetic protagonists so convincingly that listeners will feel invested, as well as excited for the sequel.” --AudioFile magazine

“Those who enjoy gentle romance, cozy mysteries, or Victorian fantasy will love this first half of a duology. The cliffhanger ending will keep readers breathless waiting for the second half.” --Library Journal (starred review)

“Powerful magic, indulgent Victoriana, and a slow-burn romance make this genre-bending romp utterly delightful.” --Kirkus Reviews

What listeners say about Spellbreaker

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Worth listening

This is sooo good! A lot of people didn't like the male reader but it's not that bad. the audio book is totally worth if only for the story.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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Great story, distracting performance

The story is great & by an author I love, I just couldn’t get into the audiobook version. The accents were overdone, and very distracting. I went back to reading on the kindle - this version was just not working for me.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

not bad. not great either

Book 3.5 narration 4
How to be a Victorian drunkard? Take a slug every time you hear the words "chatelaine bag".

Two things of note: the female MC does just fine until almost at the end of the book where she suffers from that horrible ya fiction affliction of smart girl suddenly loses any ability to discern and use her mind and completely goes out of character to propel the story. Rrrrrgh.

Secondly, I wish the author would have done a little more research into Victorian undergarments because there was a heck of a lot of stuff with female MC being uncomfortable or suffering from her corset. A lot of the time it didn't have anything to do with the story. Most of the time it just sounded like somebody modern who is wearing a corset but doesn't realize that corsets are meant to go over top of a chemise. Without the chemise yes you're going to have a lot of that suffering.


Seriously though, this is an okay story but it's kind of missing something. There were a lot of moments where it was a little sleep inducing.

And I definitely took off half a star for the abrupt ending / cliffhanger. I get that she's trying to mimic the penny dreadfuls that the main character is so fond of reading but it didn't really work.

95% of the book happens in the last chapter and a half


The narration was solid but there was a point where the man who was doing the bahamanian accent for the male MCs men kind of veered into a pre-censorship 1920s movie accent of anybody with dark skin. Kind of cringy


you can find me on Goodreads
Tanya Kucey

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

terrific story that is a a cliff hanger

Great story and characters and near the end I kept expecting a wrap-up. Works if you don't mind having to get more to find out

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Great story soso narration

Loved the female narrator didn’t like the male one. I loved the story this author never disappoints

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Buy the book, pass on the audio!

I would have liked this book had I just listened to the other reviewers and just read it instead of getting the audiobook. I couldn't finish it. Joel Froomkin, the male voice actor is horrible - weird, over the top voices and accents - gave me a headache trying to listen to it. They should have just stuck with Knowelden. Never again.

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