#Review - Shifters and Glyphs by Christina Bauer #YALIt #Fairy Tales

Series: Fairy Tales of the Magicorum# 2
Format: Trade Paperback, 334 pages
Release Date: October 16, 2018
Publisher: Monster House Books
Source: Publisher
Genre: Young Adult / Fairy Tales & Folklore / Adaptations

After being raised by the meanest fairies in the history of ever, Bryar Rose is now free to live her own life. For the first time, she’s attending West Lake Prep, a regular high school. Well, mostly regular. Some students are actually hidden members of the Magicorum. In other words, they’re really wizards, fairies, or shifters. Bry doesn’t mind, though. She’s thrilled to enjoy all the new experiences of being around normal kids her age, from locker pranks to lunchtime mystery meat. Everything is going along great, except for one thing.

Bry’s dreams about the pyramids of Egypt have gotten darker and more sinister. Every night, she sees her new man Knox and her best friend Elle in danger. With no other choice, Bry plans to leave school to explore the pyramids on her own. But her new man Knox discovers the scheme and is having none of it. He wants to stay by her side, no matter what. It’s a good thing too, because Bry must solve the mystery of her attraction to the pyramids and soon. Otherwise, it could cost the lives of those she loves most.

And that means not only Knox, but also her best friend Elle.

 

Shifters and Glyphs is the second installment in author Christina Bauer's Fairy Tales of the Magicorum series. If you haven't yet read this series, please be patient while I summarize. In this series, Protagonist Bryar Rose belongs to a group known as the Magicorum. Each of the three Magicorum groups (shifters, fae, witches/warlocks) follow a fairy tale type life template. For example; Bryar Rose's life template was supposed to be that of Sleeping Beauty. 

For 17 years, Bryar was raised by three mean spirited fairies who never let her out of their sight, unless she was sneaking out with her best friend Elle. Bryar Rose is known as a Triloroum because she has access to all three (shifter, fae, and witch/warlock) magics. Bryar knows that magic is apparently disappearing from the world, and unless she can find the mysterious fountain, which she has been searching for through old papyri, the world will be a much different place. 

Between getting ready for her first real day of actual high school, and not homeschooling done via bad fairies, Bryar's dreams are being invaded by evil beings trying to pressure Bry into doing their bidding; going as far as threatening her friends and showing their abilities through her dreams. Bryar isn't alone in this endeavor. Not by a long shot. She has her boyfriend Knox, who is also Alpha of the shifters; she has her best friend Elle, who is a thief and a con artist, and she has Alec Le Charme who is a witch & warlock.

As a curiosity, Knox, who is on the cover of this book, is the warden for the Shifters, while Alec, is the warden for witches & warlocks. (Readers find out who the warden of the faeries are later in the book, but I won't spoil it.) Wardens are supposed to find, guard, and activate the fountain. Wardens like Alex and Knox can't get married without finding the fountain first. Don't ask. It's just some plot line that the author has chosen to add to the story.

There is one character I haven't yet mentioned. That is Bryar's inner wolf who tends to speak like Gollum when she gets stressed out. The two have some pretty curious

conversations that are often humorous and often at odds with what Bry should be doing to protect her friends from her mission. She is also very protective and drawn to Knox which makes for some curious scenes. Bryar has a full plate with unlocking the location of the fountain, traveling back in time, encountering creepy evil beings known as the Shadowvin, and dealing with what the unknown character called the Void wants from her. 

When all is said and done, some pretty curious twists are revealed, and I can finally say that I am glad that Elle and Alec will be the main characters in what appears to be the next 3 books. (2 books and a novella). I also know that things are going to get interesting now that Elle's secret has been revealed. It means that she, and probably Alec, will have to deal with the fallout of what happens in this book. No spoilers.

FAIRY TALES OF THE MAGICORUM
Sleeping Beauty
1 - Wolves And Roses
1.5 - Moonlight and Midtown
2 - Shifters And Glyphs

Cinderella
2.5 - Fairies and Frosting
3 - Slippers And Thieves

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