The New Jersey Devils, commonly known as the Devils, are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. They have been a part of the National Hockey League (NHL) since 1974. Over the years, the Devils have achieved great success, winning multiple division championships and three Stanley Cup championships. In hockey, a team's "magic number" refers to the number of points needed to secure a playoff spot or win their division. It is essentially the combination of their wins and the losses of other teams that will allow them to clinch a playoff berth. The magic number is constantly changing throughout the season as teams win, lose, and tie games.
Branna’s strength and selflessness hold together a close circle of friends and family—along with their horses and hawks and her beloved hound. But there’s a single missing link in the chain of her life: love…
Nora Roberts From 1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts comes a trilogy about the land we re drawn to, the family we learn to cherish, and the people we long to love. Their word on the street is that this is a cocktail of Ms Roberts previous The Sisters series and Sign of Seven right down to the appearance of an identical mark on a character s neck.
The magic number is constantly changing throughout the season as teams win, lose, and tie games. For the Devils, their magic number changes based on the performance of their competitors. If a team loses a game, the Devils' magic number decreases by one.
Review: The Cousins O’Dwyer Trilogy by Nora Roberts
Yes, this is going to be a “3 for 1” special! I say this because I started the trilogy over 6 years ago, way before I started this blog, and even though I finally finished Blood Magick, I can’t adequately talk about it without referencing the other 2 books. Luckily enough for me, I recorded my thoughts on my Goodreads page. Since I’m going to be sharing them here, I’d suggest that you take this as a potential spoiler warning. 😉
Let’s talk about the first book – Iona and Boyle’s story… (And consequently, the first Nora Roberts book that I ever read!)
My Thoughts: The basic storyline was great! I loved the lore and how the tiny band of 6 all brought something to the table. However, I did stumble with flow. She repeated words a lot and only gave you half the foreshadowing. Sadly, it was enough to frustrate me on occasion and take me right out of the story. For example, there was a lot of hinting at things that Branna and Connor knew but no one else did. Conversations went like this: “You know what this is about then?” “I do, yes, but let’s not speak on it just yet.” Then nothing was ever said again. That’s all the reader got. I understand that it’s set up to be a trilogy but I need more than just that to keep me hooked into the next book. If I wasn’t a stubborn reader and Irish woman, I’d very much leave this story where the book stopped.
I also found the romance between Iona and Boyle quite vague in the beginning. Sure, she got butterflies whenever she saw him but he just grunted. Next thing you know he’s grabbing and kissing her then fussing about it. It didn’t make sense even knowing how stereotypical Irish men are in real life. Again, was she going for a type of ‘Quiet Man’ role? If so, the actions of both parties fell horribly short to convince me. The relationship didn’t start to really click until half way through the story but I still had problems “feeling” it. Going in, I’m coming from the likes of Sherrilyn Kenyon and Sylvia Day. Completely different writing styles so this may be my problem.
I will read the last two books because 1) I am not so easily deterred and, 2) I may just not have a feel for Ms. Roberts’ writing style yet. However, because of the problems I listed above (and these are things that last through the entire story so they are not small problems), I would not recommend this trilogy to anyone less than an avid determined reader or lover of Nora Roberts.
Next we have Connor and Meara’s story…
My Thoughts: For the second book in this trilogy, I was a little put off. The book started slow and I had a hard time getting into it the way I did Dark Witch. I just wasn’t sold on Connor and Meara’s love story.
I normally love it when characters that have known each other for a long time and have hidden feelings for each other finally get together. Normally there are moments that make the reader suspect there’s an underlying attraction. Things like the crazy pull towards that other person but having to constantly remind yourself that you’re just friends and can’t cross that line. Unfortunately I didn’t feel that in this one. It seemed to me like they got hyped up after a battle and fell into bed together. It was a moment of lust, not hidden love. It was convenient and familiar but there were no sparks. If it started as a way to “scratch an itch” and turned into genuine affection, then maybe I would have bought it. Sadly, even though I think that’s what Ms. Roberts was getting at, it was never really fleshed out that way. Their love story eventually picked up some when Meara opened up but by then the book was almost over. I saw more of a connection between Branna and Fin than these too. I found the whole thing disappointing because Connor really reminds me of my husband.
This brings us to the last book in the trilogy – Branna and Fin’s story…
County Mayo is rich in the traditions of Ireland, legends that Branna O’Dwyer fully embraces in her life and in her work as the proprietor of The Dark Witch shop, which carries soaps, lotions, and candles for tourists, made with Branna’s special touch.
Branna’s strength and selflessness hold together a close circle of friends and family—along with their horses and hawks and her beloved hound. But there’s a single missing link in the chain of her life: love…
She had it once—for a moment—with Finbar Burke, but a shared future is forbidden by history and blood. Which is why Fin has spent his life traveling the world to fill the abyss left in him by Branna, focusing on work rather than passion.
Branna and Fin’s relationship offers them both comfort and torment. And though they succumb to the heat between them, there can be no promises for tomorrow. A storm of shadows threatens everything that their circle holds dear. It will be Fin’s power, loyalty, and heart that will make all the difference in an age-old battle between the bonds that hold their friends together and the evil that has haunted their families for centuries.
As I mentioned when I started, it’s been about 6 years since I read the first 2 books. That very well may have colored how I feel about this one. Looking back, I remember more of Dark Witch than I do Shadow Spell. Even reading Blood Magick, none of the 2nd book really came back to me like the 1st did. Personally, that spoke volumes on how much I lost interest in this series and why it’s most likely taken me this long to pick it back up.
I also want to say that I don’t think it was Ms. Roberts. I was either not in the appropriate mindset for this trilogy or it just wasn’t for me to begin with. I say this because I’ve read and loved her Chesapeake Bay series (so neat because I was living on the Eastern Shore at the time) and a few other books by her. None of which fell as flat for me as this one did. Well… I didn’t like her Morrigan’s Cross either. Which I find both odd because I normally love stories about witches and ancient curses and animal guides and Ireland.
But let’s talk about Blood Magick. I enjoyed it but I didn’t LOVE it. The pacing was good, the ending appropriately impactful. There was even a twist that caught me completely off guard but somehow made sense. However, I was not engrossed. This wasn’t one that I couldn’t wait to pick up and loathed to put down. It was interesting but I wasn’t invested.
I appreciated how Branna was calm and methodical. You could see how she was the heart and brains of the family and fight. Like her kitchen, they all congregated and radiated out around her. Despite this, I really fell in love with Fin. Of all of them, Iona and Fin felt the most lifelike to me. Where Iona was all fire and light, Fin was steady and solemn. He carried both dark and light, as we all do. He grappled with the consequences of that. Voiced the pain and frustration of feeling less than and separate from the others, from Branna. Fin relinquished his love long ago because he didn’t feel worthy due to the darkness in him. A curse that wasn’t his fault and he paid for daily. Nevertheless, he stole the show for me. My favorite scenes were when he doted over little Bugs.
As with most end books, this one wrapped up all the loose ends. It was a slow roll with only a few action moments here and there; most of it coming in the last 10% or so of the book. To my mind, this one focused more on the history of the curse and the rebuilding of a relationship between Branna and Fin. We learn that Fin’s trips away weren’t just to put distance between him and Branna. The depth of his love for her really shown through and I felt bad for him because it highlighted how selfish and pigheaded Branna had been all these years. I was glad when it finally made it through her thick skull that duty is only as good as the love that stands next to you. Fighting for something is more effective than fighting because you’re told to do it. And sure there were love scenes, all Nora Roberts books do, but nothing that would make you blush overtly so.
On the whole, I’d give Blood Magick 3.5 stars rounded up to 4. For the entire trilogy though, I’d say it’s a solid 3. Nothing amazing but not absolutely terrible either. I’m glad I finished it. 💜
PS: I do want to mention that I’m extremely disappointed with the name Ms. Roberts used for the demon. It clearly shows that she didn’t truly understand who that name really belongs to and to be used as such is insulting.
Conversely, if the Devils lose a game, their magic number increases by one. The goal for the Devils is to reach a point where their magic number is zero, indicating that they have secured a playoff spot or won their division. The concept of the magic number adds an element of excitement and anticipation to the NHL season. As the season progresses, fans and players alike will closely monitor the magic number and the standings to see how the race for the playoffs unfolds. It creates a sense of urgency and competitiveness as teams strive to reach their magic number before their rivals. In conclusion, the magic number is an important concept in the NHL, including for the New Jersey Devils. It represents the combination of wins and losses that will allow a team to secure a playoff spot or win their division. As the season progresses, the magic number creates a sense of excitement and competition as teams vie for a spot in the playoffs..
Reviews for "Uncovering the Nj Devils' Magic Number and Its Effect on Team Morale"
1. Jake - 1 star - "I found 'Nj devils magic numbr' to be incredibly boring and unoriginal. The plot was predictable and the characters were one-dimensional. I couldn't connect with any of them and the writing style felt flat. Overall, I was extremely disappointed and would not recommend this book."
2. Emily - 2 stars - "I had high hopes for 'Nj devils magic numbr' based on the synopsis, but unfortunately, it fell short. The pacing was slow, and the story lacked depth. The world-building was weak, leaving many questions unanswered. The main character's development was also lacking, making it difficult to invest in their journey. While the concept had potential, the execution left much to be desired."
3. Brian - 2 stars - "I was hoping to be enchanted by 'Nj devils magic numbr', but it failed to capture my interest. The writing style was dry and monotonous, causing me to lose focus. Additionally, the dialogue felt forced and unnatural. The plot twists, which were meant to be surprising, were easily predictable. Overall, I found the book to be underwhelming and struggled to finish it."
4. Michelle - 1 star - "I regret reading 'Nj devils magic numbr'. The characters were forgettable, and their actions lacked motivation. The author seemed to rely heavily on cliches and tired tropes, resulting in a predictable and unoriginal story. The pacing was off, with long stretches of boredom followed by rushed resolutions. I was constantly disengaged from the narrative and would not recommend this book to others."
5. Alex - 2 stars - "I had high expectations for 'Nj devils magic numbr', considering all the hype, but it ultimately left me disappointed. The world-building felt incomplete and lacked detail, making it difficult to fully envision the setting. The pacing was uneven, with slow and uneventful sections dragging down the overall reading experience. The book had potential, but it needed more refinement and development to truly shine."