I was gutted to recently learn that the Penny White series is coming to an end after book nine. But then I had the chance to discover a potential new fantasy series: White Trash Warlock. Will it fill the gap in my life? Let’s find out!
Goodreads Blurb
White Trash Warlock by David R. Slayton
Guthrie was a good place to be from, but it wasn’t a great place to live, not when you were like Adam, in all the ways Adam was like Adam.
Adam Binder hasn’t spoken to his brother in years, not since Bobby had him committed to a psych ward for hearing voices. When a murderous spirit possesses Bobby’s wife and disrupts the perfect life he’s built away from Oklahoma, he’s forced to ask for his little brother’s help. Adam is happy to escape the trailer park and get the chance to say I told you so, but he arrives in Denver to find the local magicians dead.
It isn’t long before Adam is the spirit’s next target. To survive the confrontation, he’ll have to risk bargaining with powers he’d rather avoid, including his first love, the elf who broke his heart.
The Binder brothers don’t realize that they’re unwitting pawns in a game played by immortals. Death herself wants the spirit’s head, and she’s willing to destroy their family to reap it.
Review
I am about 75% sure that White Trash Warlock will fill a fantasy gap for me. For one, I love when an author builds a new world from scratch. Yes, there are some familiar elements (warlocks, elves, etc.) but these elements build something new to get lost in. My issue was the way in which I got lost. On one hand, I got lost in the story and was swept up in the plot. On the other hand, I got simply lost. When introducing a new world and new concepts to a reader, I feel the author needs to do some level of explaining of the who, what, where, and when. Now, I’m pretty fussy in that I don’t like over-explanation either, but there were a few too many times when reading this book when I didn’t understand why something was happening, how a specific magic works, and how it all fits in together.
One thing I really enjoyed about White Trash Warlock was how it brought serious themes into a fun, fantastical story. It was very interesting exploring how Adam felt left out and excluded because of his magical ability, but also by being gay in a place it is not often tolerated and his own consideration of himself as white trash. I also appreciated how we almost instantaneously got a feel for Adam’s angst and pain. It is clear that this is the first book in a series so I’m happy that the author didn’t make the mistake of drawing character development too thin across different books. I can’t wait to see how Adam will further unravel as the series goes on.
Overall, I enjoyed White Trash Warlock. However, to really get me hooked on the series, I need a bit more in terms of understanding this new world and why it is worth following until the end.
White Trash Warlock is available to buy now.
I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Joyful Antidotes 
I actually have to agree with you on that, and although I have not read this book, I can relate to it. Sometimes I balk at starting a fantasy novel solely because I don’t know how the world is going to be built, and if it’s underbuilt, then its just disappointing, but too much made up jargon can become boring equally quickly, and it’s a very very thin line between done right and done wrong. Love your review (◕‿◕)♡
Great review! I really enjoyed this book, and I am really intrigued about the other series you mentioned, I might have to check it out! 🙂