It's been 18 months since Lexie was thrown into the world of magic and was burned by Gavon, her own father (not that she will ever call him that!). She's finally gotten to a point in her life where she can focus on her senior year of high school and getting into her top college choice of Georgetown. Then Gavon's apprentice shows up at school and throws Lexie's whole future into question.

MAGIC AND MAYHEM picks up a bit after the first book, but I got right into it. Lexie has a tendency to get in her own way, but she's lovable all the same. I had so many feels about her relationships and ability/inability to let people in by the end of the book. I'm excited for the next book in the series!

*I received a free e-arc from the publisher in exchange of an honest review. This does not affect my review in any way.*

On this second installment of the Lexie Carrigan Chronicles by S. Usher Evans, we meet again with Lexie and her family, the only difference is that she’s now a senior working hard to get into the college of her dreams, and she now lives with her sister Nicole after the last events from the previous book. After that dreadful night where Cyrus appeared, Lexie has been studying hard and practicing her magic just in case he decides to come back and finish what he started. On her first day as a senior, Lexie sees this cute new guy on her classroom and can’t help wondering who he is, but as soon as she hears his name and realizes that it is James Riley, also known as, Gavon’s apprentice (and the same kid that tried to kill her two years ago in New Salem), her interest in him goes to hell. And as days go by and she realizes that he is staying at her school and nothing bad has happened yet, she accepts that what Gavon told her is true; he’s only there to learn, to become a better person and with no magic at all. And after that realization, things start getting all kinds of interesting.

What I mostly loved about this new chapter in Lexie’s life was that it was full of magic (as always), different, better, and yet familiar. The way these unexpected things Lexie discovers and goes through on this book and the way most of them are connected with either the events of the previous book or her parent’s past was perfect! But the best of it all was that once again, in the end, everything helps Lexie grow and accept the things she didn’t want to–or couldn’t–see before. And I’ve got to admit that the main reason why I enjoyed all of this was because of the author’s writing, but that’s not new, right? I’m pretty sure I’ve already mentioned how good S. Usher Evan’s writing is on other reviews, right? If not well, now you know that her writing is the magic behind me devouring her books because it’s just so good and easy to follow that I just stay glued to my phone wanting to know more and more–and I can’t stop myself!

Now, moving on to the characters. On this second installment, we get to see mostly familiar faces, and occasionally some new (and unimportant) ones like Lexie’s “friends” from school and James’ “girlfriends”. The best thing about meeting again with old characters like Marie, Nicole, Gavon, James, Grams and Cyrus is that we get to see how everything that unfolded around the first book affected and changed their lives. For the better? For the worst? That’s for you to find out! But let me tell you a little something before jumping out of here before I spoil everything: be careful with who ends up becoming your new favorite character (*sobbing* it was too good to be true). You’ve been warned!

In the end, Magic and Mayhem was the perfect sequel to Spells and Sorcery, and so far, it is my favorite book from the series. As I mentioned before, I found this one to be stronger and better than the first one, and after all the things we get to experience with Lexie on this book (especially THAT ending), I can’t wait to see what’s coming next for my wonderful magical child! I’m silently hoping for the best but expecting the worst!

P.S. This review might change after the release day because right now, I’m trying hard not to spoil anythings so it’s not as detailed as I want it to be.

I loved the first one and Evans brings it again with the emotional rollercoaster. Lexie dealing with the aftermath of the first book, trying to work at defending her family from the guild, and the emotions of dealing with her dad. Now Lexie is dealing with her senior year of school and applying to colleges and with a new person that comes into her life that just annoys her to no end.

I finished Spells and Sorcery just the other day and was anxious to start Magic and Mayhem. The second book in the Lexie Carrigan Chronicles has Lexie entering her senior year of high school, with one major downfall. James is attending the school and he's being his typical, jerk self.

Lexie has worked hard over the summer to protect her sister Nicole and the apartment they share. She's been studying everything she can to learn potions and to further her abilities. She hasn't heard from Marie since she left, but she knows Marie is at least reading her texts. So she's feeling pretty alone, not only in her magic but in her life. Especially because she hasn't heard from Gavon either.

She needs to be ever vigilant, just because she hasn't heard from Cyrus either doesn't mean he isn't up to something, especially since James has made his appearance. But the more time they spend together, the more her perception of James changes. Come to find out, he's not all that bad, and hey, she has been missing having a sparring partner. As long as she stays vigilant, keeps her guards up, what could go wrong?

I loved Magic and Mayhem, so much more than book one. I loved that I knew all the characters and felt comfortable with the series. It was nice seeing Lexie making a friend because I had felt she lived a lonely life in book 1. Lexie grew into her magic as much as she was able learning on her own, and was a great change for her. Her confidence is probably one of my most favorite things that have come out of her journey so far. Evans has done a superb job in this series and I cannot wait to continue with Lexie on her journey.

Evans' strength is always in her amazing characters. Lexie is an amazing protagonist; complicated, sarcastic, caring and self-doubting at times, and really, really funny. The minor characters also get more and more complex and interesting the more page time they get, especially the ones who seemed to be clear-cut villains in the first book of the series. I continue to love how magic works in this universe, and how frustrating it is for Lexie to try to use it without a lot of outside guidance. That, I think is a key part of what makes the world of this book and Lexie's character so realistic and believable. Can't wait for the next installment!

What I Liked:

1) Lexie really came into her powers at the end of book 1.
2) I loved how protective Lexie was of her sisters and taking care of their home.
3) Lexie became really feisty and I LOVED it.
4) James. Enough said.

What I Didn't Like:

1) Even though I only rated it 4 stars, I honestly can't think of much that I didn't like.
2) The only thing being that it just doesn't grab me like my normal 5 star reads but it was still Fantastic.

I really enjoyed the sequel to Spells and Sorcery, and I cannot wait to get my hands on book 3! If you haven't picked up this series yet, you should.

I always worry that second or third books in a series won't hold up when compared to the first, but Magic and Mayhem did not fail me. I love all the characters and enjoy seeing how Lexie handles everything life throws at her (because honestly, I would fall apart in her shoes :p )

Wow. Just, wow. Sush has done it again.

Magic & Mayhem takes place around about two years after Spells & Sorcery and it seems to slow down the pace from the first book, but in a good way. It gives the reader a chance to learn more about Lexie and to get re-introduced to James, along with exploring how the events of the first book effected each character. We get shown more of Gavon’s character as well, through both Lexie’s experiences and through accounts given by other characters, which I really enjoyed. And like I hoped for when reading S&S, we get to see more of Lexie’s relationship with her family.

This book does have some romance, which was well written. It wasn’t rushed into and it was not insta-love, which I’m glad for, as well as not a love triangle. I did find it a little predictable, but that might just be me. I’m not going to say anything more about it though, because, spoilers.

Finally, there are the action-packed scenes which are followed by a fabulous blindside which I can’t wait to find out more about. These scenes are also used to show how far Lexie has come since first discovering she was magical, as well as showing how far she has yet to go.

So, if you’re looking for a book that has a focus on relationships of more than just the romantic kind, some action and a twist you won’t see coming, this book is for you! If you’ve read the first book, thought it was amazing, this book is even better and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. And if you’ve read the first book and thought it was okay, but not spectacular, please give this one a chance. I think it will change your mind on the series.