The Wizard's Boy by Jan Irving is the first book in the Power Games series.

Sand has finally opened up his club, Shifting Sands, overcoming all the complications between human laws and all the magical customers. All set to enjoy the two men he picked up for the night, Sand sees a dirty young boy holding a hurt dog and is reminded of when he was homeless and alone. Sand was made from sand to be a wizard's pet until he escaped and had to find his way in the world. Sand decides to look at the child, Daniel, and ends up offering him a home with a chance for a future. Daniel isn't sure if he can trust him, but he does tell Sand that he has power and that his father may come after Sand if he helps him. As time passes, and after many mishaps, Daniel slowly learns to control his powers, but the only one who can soothe his anger and dreams is Sand. Seven years later, Sand is still looking for the perfect dominant. He's aware of Daniel's feelings for him and when Daniel stands up to him, Sand gets clear vision about how it would be if he belonged to Daniel. Daniel is determined to get his man, but is Sand ready to submit and become a wizard's boy?

The debate over whether something that has been created has a soul or not has been considered by many people and the reader gets to experience it from Sand's point of view. Sand's desire to master his own fate and make his life his own proves his individuality. It was wonderful how Sand took in Daniel, even though he could've been putting himself in danger. I loved reading about all the mishaps Daniel had while he slowly learned to control his powers, as well as all the crazy problems he had along the way. Sometimes families don't recognize when young people are growing up, not giving them the freedom and understanding they need. Sand didn't see that Daniel was a man until he pushed the point, forcing Sand to reevaluate their relationship. The growing feelings between Daniel and Sand were beautiful to experience. The many paranormal aspects of this story were woven into a contemporary setting, creating an intriguing story that I enjoyed reading.

Reviewed by: Teresa