Thank you to Blackstone Publishing/ NetGalley for sending me an advanced copy of Trailer Park Trickster in exchange for an honest review.
Summary:
From the publisher:
They are my harvest, and I will reap them all.
Returning to Guthrie, Oklahoma for the funeral of his mysterious and beloved Aunt Sue, Adam Binder once again finds himself in the path of deadly magic when a dark druid begins to prey on members of Adam’s family. It all seems linked to the death of Adam’s father many years ago — a man who may have somehow survived as a warlock.
Watched by the police, separated from the man who may be the love of his life, compelled to seek the truth about his connection to the druid, Adam learns more about his family and its troubled history than he ever bargained for, and finally comes face to face with the warlock he has vowed to stop.
Meanwhile, beyond the Veil of the mortal world, Argent the Queen of Swords and Vic the Reaper undertake a dangerous journey to a secret meeting of the Council of Races . . . where the sea elves are calling for the destruction of humanity.
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Tell me more …
Trailer Park Trickster is the sequel to White Trash Warlock, book one of the Adam Binder series by David R. Slayton. This book expands on the universe created in Warlock.
Adam Binder is about a low-powered 20 years old witch whose tough life has led to some arrested emotional development. Adam’s got a really good heart and a really tough family, who haven’t always been so fair to him. Growing up gay (and a witch) in a small Oklahoma town wasn’t easy for him, and his family often reacted poorly. Death also took it upon herself to manipulate the whole Binder family, so there’s that.
Unfortunately, all those emotional scars have made it difficult for Adam to let love in, which is too bad since that kinda throws a wrench in things with his newish boyfriend, Vic.
Well, how was it?
I loved Trailer Park Trickster. It’s a super fun read. Not an easy read, mind you; there’s a lot of tough stuff going on.
The book went places I wasn’t expecting it to go — climate change being A Thing™ in the plot was a welcome surprise, for example. I also appreciate that the series doesn’t give easy answers about how to deal with crappy family (before anyone @s me, obviously no one is obligated to keep family in their life just because they’re family). Personally, it struck a chord since I come from two cultures where (blood) family is really important, and it’s really hard to just … leave.
So, it’s really nice that we get to see more of the extended Binder family dynamics in Trickster and growth in their relationships. We also get inside of Vic’s head this go around. That allows for emphasis on how communication works, how it doesn’t and why it’s so important in the first place.
That being said, sometimes I couldn’t follow why characters (i.e., Adam) weren’t communicating, and it verged on forced conflict. Though that wasn’t frequent enough to be truly annoying. Trickster also suffers a bit from “middle book” syndrome, so obviously, it ends on a cliffhanger, so there’s that.
Other random wonderful things
- Word nerding! Slayton uses the word “somewhen” and gets into the etymology of the word “warlock.”
- The mythical creatures are myopic in their preservationism.
- The idea of blood and family ties is taken to the nth degree.
Trailer Park Trickster is out October 12. Pick up a copy at your local indie bookstore.
https://www.geekgirlauthority.com/david-r-slayton-interview/
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