Mandrake Manor

De: JP Rindfleisch IX

Narrado por: Kirt Graves

Inherited magic. A secret neighborhood. And... a formidable Homeowner's Association?

Recent graduate Mathias Mandrake's life takes a turn when an unexpected inheritance of a distant relative's manor falls right into his lap. However, this home across the country comes with a condition: Mat cannot live there alone. Good thing his best friend Frankie is ready to leave behind his lackluster trail of midnight trysts for a more suburban life.

Eager to hone in his dilf-hunting skills, his bags are packed and ready to go before Mat can finish signing the paperwork. Completing this trio is August, for whom the idea of living with newfound friends away from the hustle and bustle of city life is, honestly, a dream come true. Not only that, but it's a perfect setting to finally finish that novel they've been working on.

Mandrake Manor is a whimsical tale full of mystery and mayhem as well as an abundance of queer joy through found family, budding romance, lots of sass, and light spice.

Cover art by Ever After Cover Design

©2023 JP Rindfleisch IX (P)2024 JP Rindfleisch IX

Good

My first by this author.

Overall this tale was fun. Very different from what I've heard/read. Which, in my opinion is hard todo this day and age.
I very much enjoyed how all three young men embraced the supernatural world without any fuss or drama.
The one big thing that drop it from a 5 to a 4 for me was the back and forth between all three MC and the insta love interests. Instead of making the book about one main.
I get they had to form the coven and start the journey, but all the stories is annoying.

Kirk really does an amazing job with everything. Not just the human voices but the animals as well

Magic and whimsy

I LOVED every bit of this audiobook. The performance was fantastic. The storyline held me hostage. It was funny, romantic, and nerve-wracking. I was an anxious mess a time or two but it was so so good. I can't wait until season 2 comes to Audible.

Loved It

I loved this book. Great world building and wonderful characters. I just love setting of this story and I was very quickly sucked in. I loved the mystery, magic, and supernatural. I loved the characters and the supporting characters. I even loved the little descriptions at the beginning of each chapter.

Kirt Graves was the perfect narrator to bring this story and these characters to life. I've listened to a number of his narrations, but this one is my favorite.

This is my first book from this author and I look forward to more.

Overall: 5 stars
Performance: 5 stars
Story: 5 stars

fun and light spicy

Mandrake Manor: A Cozy Suburban Fantasy Romance by JP Rindfleisch IX is a delightful blend of magic, mystery, and found family, all wrapped in a quirky, queer suburban setting. The story revolves around Mat, Frankie, and August—three very different characters who inherit a mysterious manor with some unexpected supernatural surprises, including a secretive neighborhood and a tough Homeowner’s Association. The characters are rich, diverse, and full of personality, including a nonbinary character who brings depth to the story. The trio's easy acceptance of the supernatural world keeps things light and fun, avoiding unnecessary drama. The world-building is immersive, and the quirky, magical setting is a joy to get lost in. The humor and sass, mixed with just the right amount of romance, make this audiobook a truly enjoyable escape. Kirt Graves' narration is pitch-perfect, bringing the characters and the whimsy of Mandrake Manor to life beautifully. If you're looking for something fun, heartfelt, and unique, this cozy fantasy will leave you smiling.

Magical

This fun and cozy fantasy was the perfect story for me to listen to following a hectic week. Both inventive and familiar, it was like I was stepping into a new home where I knew I belonged.

Read it. Had it Read to Me.

Kirt Graves’ voice was perfect especially for this story. I could feel myself being transported back into Mandrake Manor just as I had when I first read it my self. Each character was distinct and while still being read by the same person, each one had their own sound and voice. 10/10 would listen to again. And I hope that future books of this world are read by Kirt, as it would feel strange if the voice were to change.

J.P. wrote an excellent story, and Kirt really did bring Mandrake Manor even more alive the second time around for me.

-D.Archer

Audiobook Good

Mandrake Manor by JP Rindfleisch IX.

This review also reviews the audiobook for Mandrake Manor, narrated by Kirt Graves.

Mandrake Manor is a 2023 novel about three recent college graduates, Mat, August, and Frankie. Mat inherits an old family manor. Unsure of their post-college plans, Mat convinces August and Frankie to move with him to this mysterious manor with him. They know nothing of the estate, Mat didn't even know about this aunt who willed her entire estate to him upon her death.

The estate, it turns out, is magic, the neighborhood is a shelter for magical beings, and everything is not as it seems. The trio quickly discover this as they acclimate to the neighborhood. Frankie works at a veterinary office run by a werewolf, Mat is a dentist who has clients who freeze time to reveal their magical side so he can deal with their magical toothaches, and August is a novelist who finds a quiet but magical café where they can settle in and write their book.


Henbane Hollow

The Henbane Hollow neighborhood seems to be an entity itself. The trio of friends can't even find the neighborhood at first, which is hilarious. But, it is being taken over by a crazy HOA suburbanization project that sounds awful with how dull it will make everything. . Who in their right mind would take historic Victorian mansions and make them McMansions straight out of the 90s? This plot is so sinister in its drive to take all the character out of a perfectly paranormal neighborhood that it is outwardly the big bad in the novel from the start. The HOA president takes being the nefarious neighborhood Karen to the magical next level.


World-Building

The audiobook narration is spot on for building the mystery and sense that there's something not quite right with the neighborhood. The character POVs are interwoven well and the narrator's voices for the various characters is entertaining. I loved how Graves narrates Frankie most of all, the character with the most sass.


Characters

I enjoyed the main characters and their POVs were clearly written as different, such a hard thing to do when writing from so many POVs. Narration also differentiated between the characters well so it was easy to tell who's chapter it was from the narration style.


Audiobook Gripes

The narrator said the word "vague" as "vahg" when it's pronounced "vayg" and that rubbed me wrong. And then let's talk about the French. Oh the French. I KNOW I can be super picky about French dialogue. Full disclosure, I am a French teacher IRL. But Oh My God y'all. If you know there is French dialogue make sure you have the phonetic pronunciation to guide you.

I can tell the narrator tried and they probably took French at one point in their life because it wasn't all wrong. But there were times when he was reading spells that I couldn't even tell what he was saying. And I am well versed in understanding butchered French pronunciation. I hear all sorts of wildly mispronounced French on the daily, as a MIDDLE SCHOOL teacher of French. I teach children who were not taught to read using phonics. I would be so happy to help with pronunciation. Or there are so many websites where you can ask native speakers how to pronounce things.

Overall I enjoyed the narration, the narrator did a good job with building the tension, speaking clearly, acting out characters differently, and keeping the pace steady. I also enjoyed the narrator's reading of the poems at the start of each chapter. On the flip side, the narrator's voice lulled me into not paying as close enough attention as I could have been, at times. This is likely a user error, as I don't often listen to audiobooks and find my adhd self's attention wandering quite easily.


I enjoyed this book and want more from the series. I hope we continue to see character growth and development as they continue their adventures as the Mandrake coven.

Ready for the next installment

I loved this story, its cute and captivating. Definitely a new favorite, and excited to see what comes next.
Does contain "strong language", does not contain explicit sexual scenes. Contains one, suggestive, sexual scene.
Love the pronoun placement, the fact that the "villain" despite being the antagonist was not homophobic or transphobic. I stepped into a world where no one questioned, everyone was respected and accepted.

Whimsical Fantasy

Delightful cast of characters draw you into a sweet, whimsical and wholesome fantasy that is absolutely worth every second. The romantic subplots are enjoyable and engaging. The main plot is solid, if mildly predictable. I absolutely loved that there was no “miscommunication conflict” involved in it. Solid story. Cannot wait for the next part.

Narration was perfect.

Be Still My Non-Binary Heart

Gleeful Goblin Review: The author's description of qüeer joy, found family, and SASS is absolutely spot on. I'm non-binary and it's still pretty uncommon to have representation that's more nuanced be present in media so this story was magical for me in multiple ways. Spoopy/cozy/sweet all wrapped up in an excellent package. I'll definitely be back for more from this author. 5/5 Stars.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.