Avalon Magic Cards is a popular trading card game that combines elements of strategy, storytelling, and fantasy. The game features a diverse range of mystical creatures, powerful spells, and enchanting landscapes, all designed to immerse players in a world of magic and adventure. The gameplay is centered around duels between players, who take on the role of wizards or sorcerers, and use their decks of magical cards to cast spells, summon creatures, and manipulate the game board. Each card represents a different spell or magical ability and has its own unique power and effect. The game is played in turns, with players taking actions such as drawing cards, playing cards from their hands, and attacking their opponents. The goal is to reduce the opponent's life points to zero, which can be achieved through direct attacks, card effects, or by outlasting the opponent's resources.
The goal is to reduce the opponent's life points to zero, which can be achieved through direct attacks, card effects, or by outlasting the opponent's resources. One of the key aspects of Avalon Magic Cards is deck building, where players can customize their decks by choosing from a wide variety of cards. This allows them to create their own strategies and playstyles, whether it be focusing on massive creatures, controlling the board with spells, or using cunning traps and illusions.
The Ex Hex, by Erin Sterling
I was in the mood for a more light-hearted book, so browsing my current stack of library books, I picked out The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling. You can only imagine the laugh I got out of the first line, “Never mix vodka and witchcraft.” 1 I hate to say it, but “been there, done that”, and it has never ended up good! At least for me it didn’t turn into the colossal f*ckery that it became for Vivenne Jones.
Brokenhearted by her Welsh summer beau, Rhys Penhallow, Vivienne is doing the best to cheer herself up with a soothing bath, candles, and a bit of cologne conjuring as she laments the loss of young love. Rhys had told her that morning he had to go sort out his betrothal with his father. Clearly, that didn’t sit well with Vivienne who had no idea her summer lover was on the market for another woman. Not only did she curse at him, while tossing his pants in his face, in an attempt to magic her way out of the sadness, Vivenne and her cousin Gwen decide to put a hex on Rhys.
For the most part, it’s all fun and games, to the point where they even throw caution to the wind about Aunt Eliane’s warning to not even do magic while drinking. Their curse for Rhys to always hit just a quarter inch away from a woman’s clitoris and never to have his hair do “that thing” seem like harmless antics, but with the words “I curse you Rhys Penhallow” uttered by Vivienne, their candle bursts into flames.
It seems something has been ignited, but they chalk it up to a gust of a wind and over the years forget about it. Though, it does seem like Vivienne never truly forgot the impact Rhys had made on her tender, young heart.. I mean how could she really when the college she works out is named after his family, who also founded the town she lives in.
Rhys too never truly seemed to forget Vivienne, but in the nine years since he’d been back to Graves Glend, he had created a successful travel business for himself. Sure, clients benefited from a bit of magic that ensured on-time flights and smooth vacations, but Rhys provided a one of a kind service that always got rave reviews. With so much going on with his business in London, It is over a half-a-year since he last saw his family in Wales.
When he stops in for a visit, his foreboding father requests that he return to Graves Glen, Georgia for the Founder’s Day celebration of his ancestor and recharge the ley lines that keep magic afloat in the town. Rhys tries to protest, but ultimately surrenders to taking the trip to America for the sake of family duty. However, the moment he’s within town limits, everything just seems to go wrong.
From an ominous storm to flat tires, Rhys can’t catch a break. Before he can even make it to his family’s house, he finds himself on the side of the road when headlights come right for him, nearly running him over. Turns out, it was Vivienne on her way home from work who nearly nipped him, had he not jumped into a ditch. And here’s where their story begins all over again!
I won’t give too much further away, but I will say they have a hilarious dynamic between them. There’s plenty of banter, despite the unresolved internal feelings of each character. Together, they wrestle witch ghosts, murderous wind-up toys, and potions gone wrong. It is up to them to figure out how to reverse the curse, something former witches don’t seem to leave much instruction on how to do, in order to save Grave Glen.
As far as magic books go, this one is very typical in its approach. There’s a town college for witches, hidden on the normal campus of Penhallow University, where Vivienne teaches Western Civ to incoming freshmen. It takes place during Halloween season, and there’s the focus on haunted houses and ghosts. Vivienne and her family must use magic to improve the small things in their life, from cleaning the apartment to creating a mood setting in the storage room of their shop Wicked Ways.
Sure, there’s the academic witches at the college, but they tend to shy away from Vivienne’s family, in fact, most people don’t even know Vivienne is a witch. She was raised by her mother who chose a normal life and equated magic with bad, so it was only later in life that Vivienne learned the full extent of who she truly was when she went to live with Gwen and Aunt Elaine.
To be honest, the book is more of a rom-com with a theme of witchcraft intermixed within it, rather than a book that truly delves into the craft. But like I said, I was in the mood for something light, and this perfectly satisfied that reading-crave for me. I enjoyed envisioning the setting of the small town and all the cute festivals going on during its peak season of Halloween.
I found both Vivienne and Rhys hilarious and relatable. There’s quite a bit of built up sexual tension and eventual snogging. It does have the traditional flow of a romantic book that culminates in a happy ending. But I think most readers expect that going into a book like this, yet we still enjoy reading the whole thing to see how it plays out.
The one warning I will give is that Rhys has a bit of a charming, frat boy mentality, but not to the point where he’s obnoxious. Actually, I really liked him as a sexy male lead in the book. He rushes into things without thinking, but you can see personal growth and transformation in him, which I think adds to my feeling of reader satisfaction. And Vivienne is a perfectly relatable woman, who has her moments of doubt, but is fierce in her anger towards Rhys and doesn’t back down in advocating for herself.
It’s fun in the meantime to see all the ways the curse goes wrong and how Vivienne and Rhys do their best to extinguish the small fires of disaster in town, which only seems to fan the flame between them. The ending was a little unexpected too, which added a bit more depth to the reasoning behind the curse.
All in all, The Ex Hex is a fun to read romantic comedy filled with witchcraft, magic, curses, and love. There’s plenty of wit, comedy, banter, and… sex! It’s perfect for a few laughs and light-hearted amusement. You’ll find out how curses are reversed and what can happen when two former lovers reunite.
Alanna Kali is an astrologer, numerologist, and pioneer spirit that loves to explore life through the lens of depth psychology. She has a passion for studying the humanities and social trends. Her academic work is centered upon reuniting body, mind, and spirit through eco-psychology. She loves reading, spending time in nature, and travel.
For the most part, it’s all fun and games, to the point where they even throw caution to the wind about Aunt Eliane’s warning to not even do magic while drinking. Their curse for Rhys to always hit just a quarter inch away from a woman’s clitoris and never to have his hair do “that thing” seem like harmless antics, but with the words “I curse you Rhys Penhallow” uttered by Vivienne, their candle bursts into flames.
In addition to the competitive gameplay, Avalon Magic Cards also offers a rich and immersive lore, with a vast world full of unique characters, magical realms, and epic narratives. The game's artwork and card designs are beautifully crafted, bringing the fantasy world to life and further enhancing the players' experience. Avalon Magic Cards has gained a dedicated following of players, who engage in tournaments, collect rare and powerful cards, and explore the depths of strategic gameplay. The game's community is known for its passion and creativity, often producing fan art, fan fiction, and even creating their own custom card designs. Overall, Avalon Magic Cards is an enchanting and engaging trading card game that appeals to both casual players and hardcore enthusiasts. With its fusion of magic, strategy, and storytelling, it offers a unique and immersive gaming experience that continues to captivate players worldwide..
Reviews for "The Magic of Storytelling with Avalpn Magic Cards"
1. Emily - 2 out of 5 stars - I was really disappointed with Avalon Magic Cards. I found the gameplay to be confusing and the rules were not well explained. It felt like the game was constantly changing and there was no clear strategy to follow. Additionally, the cards themselves were poorly designed and the artwork was lackluster. I expected more from a game that claims to be about magic. Overall, I would not recommend this game to others.
2. James - 1 out of 5 stars - Avalon Magic Cards was a complete waste of my time and money. The concept of the game seemed interesting, but the execution was terrible. The gameplay was slow and dragged on for far too long. The cards were flimsy and easily bent, making them difficult to handle. On top of that, the instructions were poorly written, making it difficult to learn how to play. Save yourself the trouble and avoid this game at all costs.
3. Sarah - 3 out of 5 stars - While Avalon Magic Cards had some potential, I found it to be quite underwhelming. The mechanics of the game were rather simplistic, and there was not enough depth to keep me engaged. The artwork on the cards was average at best and didn't add much to the overall experience. Additionally, the game lacked a clear sense of progression or goal, which left me feeling unsatisfied after playing. Overall, I would say it's an average game at best and there are better options available.