Cold Burn of Magic

By Jennifer Estep

“An indulgently fun romp full of ‘lochness’ monsters, tree trolls, and housekeeping pixies . . . a welcome twist on familiar fantasy themes.”—Publishers Weekly
 
It’s not as great as you’d think, living in a tourist town that’s known as “the most magical place in America.” Same boring high school, just twice as many monsters under the bridges and rival Families killing each other for power. 

I try to keep out of it. I’ve got my mom’s bloodiron sword and my slightly illegal home in the basement of the municipal library. And a couple of Talents I try to keep quiet, including very light fingers and a way with a lock pick. 

But then some nasty characters bring their Family feud into my friend’s pawn shop, and I have to make a call—get involved, or watch a cute guy die because I didn’t. I guess I made the wrong choice, because now I’m stuck putting everything on the line for Devon Sinclair. My mom was murdered because of the Families, and it looks like I’m going to end up just like her . . .
 
“An adventurous ride you will never want to get off.”—Jennifer L. Armentrout, #1 New York Times bestselling author

“Jennifer Estep is a genius!”—Simply Nerdy
 
“Packed with action and a nice twist, this is just the book for fans of the Mythos Academy series who want more Jennifer Estep.”—Bristol Herald Courier

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kensington Books
• Release date: May 1, 2015
• ISBN: 9781617738258

Jennifer Estep

Jennifer Estep is a New York Times, USA Today, and internationally bestselling author who prowls the streets of her imagination in search of her next fantasy idea.Jennifer is the author of the Section 47, Galactic Bonds, Elemental Assassin, Crown of Shards, Gargoyle Queen, and other fantasy series. She has written more than forty books, along with numerous novellas and stories.In her spare time, Jennifer enjoys hanging out with friends and family, doing yoga, and reading fantasy and romance books. She also watches way too much TV and loves all things related to superheroes.For more information on Jennifer and her books, visit her website at or follow her online on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Amazon, BookBub, and Goodreads. You can also sign up for her newsletter: https://www.jenniferestep.com/contact-jennifer/newsletter/Happy reading, everyone! ?

Book preview

reading!

CHAPTER ONE

Bad things always come in threes.

Three strikes. Those three bears that Goldilocks ran into.

The three guards with swords who were chasing me right now.

Come back here, you thief! one of the guards bellowed, his voice booming across the dark rooftops.

I grinned and ran faster.

Thirty minutes ago, I had let myself into the lavishly furnished, but poorly protected, brownstone of a rich, Family-affiliated accountant who had bought a ruby necklace for his girlfriend—something his wife didn’t exactly appreciate.

So I had been dispatched to swipe said necklace on the angry wife’s orders and dime. It had been child’s play to climb up the drainpipe to the second floor of the brownstone, pick open a balcony door, and slip inside. I hadn’t even had to break into the office safe, because I discovered the necklace nestled in a black velvet box, the top open, sitting on the accountant’s desk. I’d admired the sparkle of the rubies before closing the lid and tucking the box into my long, sapphire-blue trench coat.

Then I had rifled through the rest of the desk to see what else I could steal.

I’d been mildly surprised and rather pleased to come across a pair of diamond cuff links tucked away in another box in one of the drawers. The diamonds weren’t as large and impressive as the rubies, but into my pockets they’d gone all the same, along with a gold fountain pen, a sterling silver letter opener, and a crystal paperweight.

Nothing that I hadn’t swiped dozens of times before in my seventeen years. In fact, this job had been easier than most of the recent ones Mo had sent me on.

You might say that I was a sort of modern-day Robin Hood, merrily stealing from the rich. Only I never, ever gave my loot away for free. There were only three people in this world that I cared about—me, myself, and I. Well, maybe four, if you caught me on a good day and I felt like including Mo. Either way, Mo could fend for himself, and mine was quite enough of a mouth to feed, as far as I was concerned.

Once I made sure all the loot was securely tucked away in my coat pockets, I scanned the rest of the office. But the vases and other knickknacks were too awkward and oddly shaped for me to carry away, the furniture far too large and heavy.

Satisfied with my haul, I decided to leave—the exact moment one of the guards stepped into the room to fetch the necklace for his boss.

He had yelled for his two buddies, they’d come crashing into the office, swords drawn, and I had beat a hasty retreat through a side door, up some stairs, and out onto the top of the brownstone before leaping onto the roof of the next house over . . . and the one after that . . . and the one after that . . .

Now, here I was, three minutes later, still racing across the rooftops of some of the nicer brownstones in Cloudburst Falls, West Virginia. The guards had been harder to shake than I’d expected, but I had a plan to take care of that.

I always had a plan.

I neared the edge of the roof and put on an extra burst of speed, preparing myself to leap onto the rooftop of the next house over. Lucky for me, the brownstones in this part of town were grouped closely together, with flat, square roofs, many of which featured gardens or even aviaries. This particular roof boasted both, and the roses fluttered as I raced past them, a few petals swirling up into the humid air, while the doves mournfully coo-coo-cooed about how I’d disturbed their sleep.

It was only a short gap between houses, maybe three feet, and I easily cleared it, my feet churning through the air before my sneakers scraped against solid stone again.

I staggered forward a few steps, my coat flapping around my legs. While I worked to regain my previous speed, I glanced over my shoulder. Even though it was after ten at night, and rain clouds cloaked the sky, I could see the three guards chasing me as clearly as if it were noon, thanks to my Talent for sight. They looked like normal humans, and I couldn’t tell if they were boring old mortals or more interesting magicks like me.

The guards didn’t seem to have any Talents, any obvious magic. Otherwise, lightning bolts, ice shards, or even balls of fire would have been streaking through the air towards me. Part of me sort of wished the guards were throwing magic at me. It would have made my escape easier.

Because I had another, rather unusual Talent of my own.

But it wasn’t meant to be, and the men jumped onto the roof behind me as I leaped onto the next one over—the last on this block.

I raced over to the far side of the roof. This brownstone butted up against a street, which meant that the next building over was more than a hundred feet away, much too far to make the jump. And since this was a private home, there wasn’t even a fire escape to climb down, just a rickety metal drainpipe loosely bolted onto the side of the brownstone.

But I already knew that from when I’d cased the neighborhood earlier this evening. In fact, it was the reason I’d run toward this building.

So I dipped my hands into my pockets, sorting through the items there—the necklace box, the other loot I’d swiped, my phone, several quarters, half of a dark chocolate candy bar that I’d been eating earlier while I was watching the accountant’s house. Finally, my fingers closed over two pieces of soft, supple metal, and I yanked out a pair of dull silver mesh gloves, which I pulled onto my hands.

The guards easily made the leap. Well, really, for them, it was more like a hop, given their long legs. I turned to face them. The guards grinned and slowed down when they realized I’d run out of rooftops.

One of the guards stepped forward. His green eyes glittered like a tree troll’s in the semidarkness, and his black hair was cropped so close to his head that it looked like he was wearing a shadow for a skull cap.

Give us the necklace, and we’ll let you live, he growled. Otherwise . . .

He swung his sword in a vicious arc, right at my shoulder level.

Off with my head? I murmured. How cliché.

He shrugged.

My hand dropped to my waist and the sword that was belted there. I considered sliding the weapon free of its black leather scabbard, raising it into an attack position, and charging forward, but I decided not to. No way was I going to the extra trouble of fighting three guards, not for the pittance that Mo was paying me.

Come on, he rumbled. I don’t like carving up little girls, but I’ve done it before.

I didn’t think he was being overly insulting with the little girl crack, since he looked to be at least fifty.

So I sighed and slumped my shoulders, as though I were beaten. Then I reached into my coat pocket, drew out the black velvet box, and held it up where the leader could see it. His eyes weren’t as good as mine—few people’s eyes were—but he recognized the box.

This necklace?

He nodded, stepped forward, and held out his hand.

I grinned and tucked the box back into my pocket. On second thought, I think I’ll hang on to it. Later, fellas.

I hopped onto the ledge of the roof, took hold of the drainpipe, and stepped off into the night air.

The wet metal slid through my fingers like greased lightning. It would have laid the flesh of my palms open to the bone if I hadn’t been wearing my gloves. The wind whipped through my black hair, pulling pieces of it free from my ponytail, and I let out a small, happy laugh at the sheer, thrilling rush of plummeting toward the earth. At the last moment, I gripped the drainpipe much tighter, until the screech-screech-screech of metal rang in my ears. But the motion slowed my descent and even caused a bit of smoke to waft up from my gloves.

Five seconds later, my sneakers touched the sidewalk. I let go of the drainpipe, stepped back, and looked up.

The guards were hanging over the side of the roof, staring at me with gaping mouths. One of them lurched toward the drainpipe, as if to follow me, but in his rush, he ended up ripping the top part of the metal completely away from the brownstone. The rest of the drainpipe broke free from the wall and clattered to the ground, causing a few rusty sparks to shoot through the air. Looked like he was a magick after all, one with a Talent for strength. Chagrined, that guard turned to face the leader and held out the length of pipe.

The leader slapped him upside the head with the hilt of his sword. The second guard dropped out of sight, probably knocked unconscious by the hard blow. Apparently, the leader had also had a strength Talent. The third guard eyed the sidewalk, like he was thinking about leaping over the ledge, but the roof was more than sixty feet above the pavement. There was no way he could survive that high a fall, not unless he had some sort of healing Talent. Even then, it would be a big risk to take and not worth the pain of the broken bones. The guard knew it, too, and backed away from the ledge, which was exactly what I’d been counting on.

When he realized they weren’t going to catch me, the leader screamed out his rage and brandished his sword in the air, but that was all he could do.

I gave him a mock salute, then slid my hands into my coat pockets and strolled down the sidewalk, whistling a soft, cheery tune.

Nothing that I hadn’t done before.

Despite the late hour, the cobblestone streets of Cloudburst Falls were not deserted.

Far from it.

Lights blazed in the shops, hotels, and restaurants, the golden glows banishing the worst of the shadows in the surrounding alleys, if not the things that lived in them. Mortals and magicks of all shapes, sizes, ages, and ethnicities flowed up and down the sidewalks and into the storefronts, all of which were decorated with castles, swords, and other magic-themed art. In one diner, customers ate at a counter, while winged pixies barely six inches tall flitted through the air, steaming plates of meat loaf and mashed potatoes balanced on their tiny heads.

The customers all looked like normal humans, but it was still easy to tell the magicks from the mortals. The magicks were focused on their cheeseburgers, shakes, and fries, while the mortals let their food get cold, too busy gaping at the pixies zipping all around them to nosh on their tuna melts, grilled cheeses, and club sandwiches. Rubes, most magicks derisively called the mortals, and with good reason.

I stopped at a crosswalk, watching the traffic. Cars with out-of-state license plates and tour buses, mostly, with a few magicks on bicycles pedaling by, using their Talents for strength or speed to easily or quickly churn their legs and pull the cutesy carriages full of canoodling couples along behind them. A sign planted in a flowerbed in the median featured a carving of a white castle. Words in a fancy script on the sign claimed that Cloudburst Falls was the most magical place in America, a tourist town where fairy tales are real.

I snorted. Yeah, fairy tales were real here all right—including the monsters that went along with them. Monsters that were fe-fi-fo-fum hungry for all the blood and bones they could sink their teeth and claws into, mortal, magick, or otherwise.

While I waited for the light to change, I raised my gaze to Cloudburst Mountain, the rugged peak that loomed over the city. White clouds cloaked the top of the mountain, the thick fog made out of mist that continually drifted up from the dozens of waterfalls tumbling down the sides. The mist wrapped around the peak like whipped cream on top of a sundae, but the mountain, the falls, and the sweeping views from the top were what the tourists came here to see.

Along with the monsters.

Several different tour companies hauled folks into the surrounding forests and up the mountain so they could observe monsters in their natural habitats, sort of like the Southern version of an African safari. Those who were a little less outdoorsy and adventurous could stay in town, where they could safely ooh and ahh over monsters in parks, petting zoos, and the like, as well as enjoy Cloudburst Falls’ overall kitschy, renaissance-faire theme.

Below the cloud line, mansions made out of white, gray, and black stone sprawled across the mountain ridges, the silver lights inside twinkling like stars. During the day, I would have been able to see the flags decorated with symbols that topped the towers in the lavish compounds, but the distant flags were only indistinct blobs in the night sky. The colors and crests represented the Families, or mobs, that made up the power structure here, at least among many of the magicks.

But there were two Families that stood above all the others—the Sinclairs and the Draconis. Their mansions were the biggest, the most impressive, and the highest ones up on the mountain, with the Sinclairs on the west side and the Draconis on the eastern slope. All the other Families were below them, literally.

And me too. Although I had as little respect for the Sinclairs and the Draconis, and their constant feuding, as I did for everything else. You couldn’t do the sorts of jobs that I did and follow the rules, much less care about who you pissed off by breaking them.

But I preferred to keep a low profile, for all sorts of reasons, and that meant not stealing from the Families. At least, not from any of their more prominent members. Although their hired hands, like the accountant I’d robbed tonight, were fair game.

Steering clear of the Families was the only real rule I followed. Besides, there were plenty of rich people here in the city to rob, not to mention all the tourists who didn’t even realize their wallets, cameras, and phones were missing until they got back to their hotels.

Mo went up the mountain sometimes, though, peddling his many ill-gotten goods to whatever Family would let him sidle in through their doors. My fingers curled around the box in my pocket. I wondered who he would sell the ruby necklace to. Probably some rich Family schmuck looking for a present for someone—or a bribe.

The light changed, and I crossed the street, putting all thoughts of the Sinclairs, Draconis, and other Families out of my mind.

The farther west I walked, the lighter the street and foot traffic got, and the less shiny, polished, and magical everything appeared to be. The bustling businesses disappeared, replaced by dilapidated row houses. Calling this the bad part of town would have been a kindness, since matchsticks glued together would have been more substantial than most of the buildings. Almost every home I passed featured broken concrete steps, sagging wooden porches, and roofs with gaping holes, like something had come along and taken bites out of the dull, weathered tin.

Maybe something had.

In addition to mortals and magicks, monsters made up the third, albeit smallest, part of the population, and they weren’t uncommon in this part of town. All of the rundown homes, deserted businesses, and abandoned warehouses made great places for something to curl up and lie in wait for lost tourists to wander by.

I was the only person on the street, and I drew my sword, my blue eyes flicking left and right, peering into the shadows that had crept up to the edge of the sidewalk, thanks to the busted-out streetlights. The pools and patches of blackness didn’t bother me, though, not with my Talent for sight. I could see everything around me as clear as day, no matter how dark it actually was.

Like everything else, magic mostly fell into three categories—strength, speed, and senses, which included sight, smell, sound, taste, and touch. The majority of Talents were some variation on those three areas, whether it was the ability to lift a car with one hand, move faster than a snake striking, or hear a coin hit the ground from a hundred feet away. And, as if all that wasn’t enough, some folks could even conjure up their magic and hold balls of fire, lightning bolts, or poisonous clouds in the palms of their hands so that everyone could see and feel their power—and potentially be hurt by it.

There were three levels of power—minor, moderate, and major—depending on how strong you were in your magic and how many different things you could do with it. Most folks fell into the minor and moderate categories, but some Talents were automatically considered major because they were so rare, or powerful, or both.

Really, though, all us magicks were circus freaks more than anything else, able to do amazing things with our bodies. Strong women, fast men, people who could twist their limbs into impossible positions, create illusions with a wave of their hands, or change their appearance just by thinking about it. But with monsters in the mix, instead of lions and tigers. Oh my.

Sight was a common Talent, along with all the other enhanced senses, but it was one of the more useful ones. Certainly better than smell. The foul reek of the garbage bags heaped at the corner made my nose crinkle with disgust. I could only imagine how much worse the stench would be if it were magically amplified.

I left the row houses behind and stepped onto a gray cobblestone bridge that arched over the Bloodiron River. Three Xs had been carved into a stone set into the short column that fronted the right side of the bridge. A clear warning. There be a monster here.

I paused in the middle of the bridge, just before I would cross over to the far side, looked over the edge, and listened, but I didn’t see or hear anything except the soft ripple and rush of the river below. No metal clanking on the stones, no claws crabbing over the rocks in my direction, no monster licking its chops in anticipation of sinking its teeth into me. Either the lochness who lived under the bridge was cruising down the river like the black, oversize octopus it resembled or it was already chowing down on its dinner for the night.

I thought about crossing the rest of the bridge without paying the usual toll, but it was better not to chance it. Besides, it was the polite thing to do. My mom had been big on that. On paying the tolls, following the old traditions, and giving every creature—mortal, magick, and monster—the respect it deserved. Especially the ones that could eat you in one gulp.

So I dug through my pockets and retrieved three quarters. I placed the coins on a worn, smooth stone, also marked with three Xs, set in the middle of the right side of the bridge.

Pretty cheap, if you asked me, especially given the insanely high prices the tourists and we locals paid for everything in town. I could have given the monster the crumpled, five-dollar bill in my pocket, but this lochness preferred change for some reason. Maybe because the coins were so shiny, glimmering like perfect silver circles. Although I had no idea what the creature could possibly do with quarters. Maybe the lochness took the change to some hidden lair, made a nest out of the coins, and slept in the middle of them, like dragons with gold, gems, and other treasures in those old fairy tales.

The lochness wasn’t the only monster in town, and each kind required different forms of tribute to let you pass by safely. Small things mostly, like a lock of hair or a drop of blood or even a candy bar. That last one was for the tree trolls. Apparently, they loved their sugary snacks. But if some quarters or a chocolate bar kept something from attacking, killing, and eating me, then it was worth the effort to be nice and play along with the monsters.

My toll paid, I turned and walked down the far side of the bridge—

Clink. Clink. Clink.

My steps faltered, but I tightened my grip on my sword and resisted the urge to look over my shoulder for a glimpse of whatever had snatched my coins off the center stone.

Sometimes, Talent or not, it was better not to see things.

CHAPTER TWO

Ten minutes later, I turned off the street and sidled up to a brick building that took up an entire block. A faded sign planted in the lawn read

CLOUDBURST FALLS LIBRARY—WESTERN BRANCH.

No fancy castle adorned this sign, just a simple stack of splintered books. Like everything else in the neighborhood, the sign and the library were both a little worse for wear.

I slid my sword back into its scabbard, then reached up and pulled a pair of chopsticks out of my former ponytail. They looked like two thin, black-lacquered sticks, the sort women wear in their hair; however, a quick twist of the wood revealed the lock picks hidden inside.

I used the picks to open one of the side doors and slipped into the building. The interior was dark, but that didn’t bother me. Even if I hadn’t had my sight, I still would have been able to navigate through the stacks. My mom used to bring me here every Saturday in the summer when I was a kid, and I’d long ago memorized every inch of the library, from the miniature chairs and tables in the children’s section to the graffiti carved into the wooden shelves that housed the young adult books to the checkout counter with its out-of-date computers.

I walked through the aisles until I came to a door that opened onto a storage room. It featured a shelf full of paper towels and cleaning supplies, along with boxes of old discarded books no longer in library circulation. I moved past the boxes to the back of the room, where another door was set into the wall.

I picked that one open as well, then shut and locked it behind me. By this point, I was so deep into the library that no light penetrated the interior, but there was nothing down here that could hurt me. So I walked through a short hallway filled with more boxes of unwanted books, down a set of stairs, and into the basement.

I pulled off my gloves, went to a table in the corner, and ran my fingers over the touch lamp Mo had given me when I’d first moved in here about four years ago. Soft white light filled the basement, revealing a mini-fridge, a couple of battered suitcases filled with clothes, another suitcase bristling with weapons, and a metal rack full of books, photos, and other mementos. A cot was also shoved into the corner, the blue flannel sheets hanging off the edge where I hadn’t bothered to make up the bed before I left this morning.

Home, sweet home.

I unbuckled the black leather belt and scabbard from around my waist and propped them and my sword next to the cot, then shrugged out of my coat and tossed it on top of the sheets. I pulled out my phone and texted Mo.

Got it. Home now.

The phone beeped less than a minute later, as if he’d been waiting up for me. I snorted. Waiting up to make sure I got what he wanted was more like it. He’d probably been using that stupid app of his to track my phone, making sure I was back at the library.

Good. See you tomorrow. *After* school!

I rolled my eyes. For some reason, Mo thought that the simple act of my going to school would somehow counteract my nightly life of looting and larceny. As if.

I plugged in my phone to let it charge. Then I plucked the black velvet box out of my coat pocket, cracked open the top, and fished out the necklace.

Eat your heart out, Robin Hood, I murmured. Lila Merriweather strikes again.

I admired the fiery flash of the rubies before holding the necklace up to a framed photo sitting on a table next to my cot. A woman with my same black hair and dark blue eyes stared back at me. My mom, Serena.

It went just like I planned. You should have seen the looks on their faces. Those guards couldn’t believe that I got away from them.

I paused, as if I were waiting for her to chime in, but my mom didn’t say anything. She died when I was thirteen, but I still talked to her photo sometimes. Yeah, I knew that it was stupid, but it made me feel a little better. Like she was watching over me from wherever she was. Like she wasn’t completely gone.

Like she hadn’t been brutally murdered.

I draped the necklace over the frame, making it look as if Mom was wearing the rubies, then moved around the basement, putting away my gear. I left all of my supplies in my coat, although I fished out the candy bar and finished eating it. I also grabbed some more quarters from a glass jar and slid them into one of the coat pockets, before folding the garment and the gloves and placing them in a suitcase by themselves.

Like me, the garments were more than they appeared to be. The gloves were made from ironmesh, a thin, flexible metal. The coat was unique, too, comprised of spidersilk that had been stitched together, making it strong, durable, and lightweight. Best of all, spidersilk turned away all sorts of stains—dirt, grease, blood, grime—so it never needed to be washed.

And then there was the sword, the most valuable object I owned. It, too, was made out of a special metal—bloodiron. But instead of being the expected rusty red, the sword was a dull, flat black, bordering on gray, looking more like ashy wood than actual metal. Black blades, most folks called them, because of the color—and the terrible things they could do, especially to magicks and monsters.

Bloodiron was rare, and most weapons made out of the metal were carved with family crests and symbols, almost like cattle brands, to make the blades easily identifiable. Naturally, this made it harder to steal and sell the heirlooms on the black market. A five-pointed star had been cut into the center of the hilt of my sword, with other, smaller stars running down the hilt and then etched into the blade itself.

The sword, coat, and gloves were my most prized possessions, but not because of their magical properties or monetary value. I loved them because they’d belonged to my mom.

They had been the three tools she’d used the most. When I was a kid, we traveled from town to town, and Mom went from one job and one side of the country to the other and back again. Most of the time, she worked as a bodyguard, protecting rich folks from other rich folks who wanted them dead. Along the way, Mom taught me everything she knew about fighting, thieving, lock picking, and all the other skills I needed in order to survive. I’d wanted to be just like her as a kid.

Part of me still did.

My right hand trailed down the front of the coat, the spidersilk feeling as cool and smooth as a sheet of raindrops. The motion made a ring wink on my hand—a small sapphire shaped like a five-pointed star embedded in a thin silver band.

Something else that had belonged to my mom, one of the few things I had left of her. Most everything else was gone, either destroyed, stolen by looters, or pawned to pay for food, clothes, and other necessities.

I looked at the ring a moment longer, staring into the dark blue depths of the flashing sapphire, before dropping my hand and getting on with my chores.

It took me thirty minutes to haul enough water from the women’s restroom on the first

Reviews for Cold Burn of Magic

[stacyatufi · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Cloudburst Falls, West Virginia is a magical place filled with talent, magic, monsters and more importantly, Lila Merriweather.I really enjoyed meeting and getting to know Lila. She is is loyal, a bit reckless and knows her way around a sword fight. I really liked that we get to know her past pretty quickly, it definitely helped me connect to her. The whole book had a really good pace. I enjoyed learning about the various monsters in Cloudburst Falls and Lila's familiarity with them helped her out of a life and death situation. The different talents that the characters inherit keep the mob families on top and I loved that Lila possesses some that can put some of her enemies to shame.If you're not familiar with Jennifer Estep, you should know that she has a thing for food and every single book in every series will make you salivate at the detail she puts into the cuisine. Make sure you have some yummy snacks available because you WILL be hungry.Jennifer Estep has no problem bringing a brand new world to life in COLD BURN OF MAGIC. The action is plentiful, the characters are interesting and the writing is just as phenomenal as her past books.* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[filialibri-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Diese und weitere Rezensionen findet ihr auf meinem Blog Anima Libri - Buchseele

Juchu, ein neues Buch aus der Feder von Jennifer Estep! Nach ihrer "Mythos Academy"-Serie habe ich mich ja doch sehr auf ihre neue Serie "Black Blade" gefreut. Und dann ist es doch tatsächlich das erste Buch der Autorin geworden, das nur drei Sterne von mir bekommen hat...

Das letzte Buch von Jennifer Estep, das ich rezensiert habe, war "Spinnenjagd" und das erste, das weniger als fünf Sterne bekommen hat. Und bei einem Blick in die Rezension fiel mir gerade vor allem ein Wort ins Auge: Repetitiv! Und genau dieses Wort wollte ich, sehr zur Belustigung einer guten Freundin, auch unbedingt in dieser Rezension unterbringen, denn es beschreibt die ersten 64% des Buchs nur allzu gut.

Jennifer Esteps neue Welt ist nicht uninteressant. Die Geschichte spielt in Cloudburst Falls, einer Stadt in den USA (?), in der es vor Magie nur so wimmelt und zwar in Form von Magiern und Monstern. Zu ersteren gehört auch Lila, die sogar direkt über zwei besondere Talente verfügt und sich als Auftragsdiebin über Wasser hält. Dazu kommen die Familien, Mafia-artige Strukturen magischer Familien, die über die Stadt herrschen und von denen sich Lila eigentlich fernhalten wollte - eigentlich. Denn plötzlich ist ihr das nicht mehr möglich.

Klingt cool, oder? War es eigentlich auch. Aber eben nicht nur. Denn erst einmal war die Geschichte vor allem auch sehr langatmig. Wobei das gar nicht so sehr die Handlung selbst betraf sondern viel mehr die Hintergrundinformationen, denn die gibt es nur häppchenweise und diese Häppchen werden dann wieder und wieder durchgekaut. Das war auf Dauer eben doch recht ermüdend und ich hätte mir mehr Informationen gewünscht bzw. dass man einige, die man sich durchaus schon selbst zusammen reimen konnte, einfach früher erhalten hätte.

Und leider war das nicht der einzige Punkt, in dem ich mit "Black Blade: Das eisige Feuer der Magie" nicht so recht glücklich war. Denn auch in Sachen Spannung konnte mich der Roman nicht überzeugen. Ja, er ist spannend, aber eben nicht spannend genug, denn im Grunde genommen ist hier das eine oder andere doch schon von Anfang an vorhersehbar. Auch die Figuren waren zwar interessant, konnten mich aber nicht restlos in ihren Bann ziehen - wobei ich es durchaus positiv fand, dass die Romanze hier nicht im Mittelpunkt steht.

Alles in allem ist Jennifer Esteps "Black Blade: Das eisige Feuer der Magie" zwar kein schlechter Roman, aber eben auch kein überzeugender Serienauftakt. Ich werde die Serie zwar aller Wahrscheinlichkeit weiter verfolgen, aber einen richtig positiven Eindruck konnte dieser erste Band dann doch nicht bei mir hinterlassen - sehr schade!

[dearheart_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Seventeen year-old Lila stays under the radar in the tourist town that boasts it’s the most magical place in America; a place with mortals, those who have magic, and the monsters that live in the surrounding woods and mountains. The town is run by magical mob-like families and you don’t want to come to their attention if you aren’t a member of one of them. Having been trained by her mother, Lila is an outstanding thief and excellent as a fighter with a couple of magical Talents that are kind of rare. Much to her chagrin, she steps in when seeing an assassination attempt and comes to the attention of the second most powerful of the families.If I were rating this book at only one or two chapters in, the rating would not have been too good. Lila has a mouth and attitude that aren’t especially endearing, especially when coupled with what she does to earn money. That and when recapping what took place 4 years prior that now has her in her current situation, too many things just felt off.But the story and her situation soon sucked me in and we see a much different side of her than what she wants and needs others to see. Smart, capable, loyal and compassionate while attempting to not let others get too close. The characters are interesting as is the mystery, action and the already building back story. Read from a library book. I’ll definitely be reading the next one.

[anyaejo · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Hmm this book, it just doesn't work for me. The dialogue was stiff, the characters are flat, the plot wasn't that interesting, and phrases were repeated to an annoying degree. The magic Talents are cool, but that's all that kept me reading.

[thehistorychic · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Read for Fun (Paperback)Overall Rating: 4.50Story Rating: 4.75Character Rating: 4.25First Thought when Finished: Cold Burn of Magic by Jennifer Estep was an excellent start to a new adventure!Quick Thoughts: I don't read a whole lot of YA but Jennifer Estep has never steered me wrong no matter what the genre. I love her Elemental Assassin Series (Finn is my #1 Book Boyfriend). I enjoyed the Mythos series (Great combo of Mythology and Action). I think the Black Blade series has the potential to be right up there with Gin and crew for me. In fact, Lila has a lot of the same traits that I love in Gin (a bit of a chip, sassy attitude, and loner type of personality). She is young and makes mistakes. Not as many as the rest of us, her life has been to harsh for that but I think we will get to see a lot of learning in her future. The world is fantastic. The action is stellar. The characters are all various shades of interesting and intriguing. I was hooked from the first page to the last and want the next one now!Part of my Read It, Rate It, File It, Done! Reviews!

[sable677 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I have to say that so far I haven't come across a Jennifer Estep book that I haven't absolutely loved, and Cold Burn of Magic is definitely no exception. At times reading this book, I felt the familiar pull of her other series (Elemental Assassin) which is a good thing, but this book and world definitely stands on its own. I loved the main characters especially Lila who did remind me a little of Gin, and I really liked how Estep kept you guessing Lila's backstory giving up little bits throughout the book. The other characters are also developed fairly well, and Estep definitely leaves it open for future books. Cold Burn of Magic has action, adventure, cool abilities, family drama, and sets up a future war between the families. Overall Cold Burn of Magic was an amazing read that I would most definitely recommend not just for young adults but adults as well. I don't read a whole lot of young adult fiction, but this series has definitely proven itself to be must read for any age.Received a copy of Cold Burn of Magic through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[shelleyraec · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Cold Burn of Magic is the first book in a new series by Jennifer Estep, author of Mythos Academy and the Elemental Assassin series.The world building is interesting. Cloudburst Falls is a small town in West Virginia with the reputation of being ‘the most magical place in America’, drawing plenty of curious tourists eager to experience the fun. But there is a dark underbelly to the town that is divided among four wealthy magical ‘Families’ who are constantly vying for territory and power.Lila Merriweather has existed on the fringes of the town, avoiding the conflict between the Families, since her mother was murdered by the head of the Draconis. Using her wits and Talent she makes her living as a thief (while still attending high school), but an impulsive decision to help defend a group of teens under attack results in her being recruited as a bodyguard to the Sinclair Family heir apparent, Devon.There is a hint of romance in Cold Burn of Magic, with sparks flaring between Lila and Devon, but the focus of the story is on the developing political intrigue with the brewing war between the Families. There is plenty of action as assassins make repeated attempts on Devon’s life and Lila is forced to defend him, hand to hand combat and sword fights are made more interesting by the dueling of magical abilities and the occasional interference of monsters.I thought Cold Burn of Magic was an entertaining urban fantasy novel, even though it’s aimed at a young adult audience. The second book of the ‘Black Blade’ series, Dark Heart of Magic, is due for release in October.

[kris_anderson-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Cold Burn of Magic by Jennifer Estep was a great paranormal mystery! It is the first Black Blade series. Lila Merriweather has been on her own since her mother died four years ago. She tried the foster care system, but got tired of all the moving around and bad homes. Lila now lives in the basement of her local library (of course, no one in the library knows she lives there). Lila goes to normal high school during the day and does jobs for Mo Kaminsky at night and on weekends (as I am sure you can guess, Lila steals for a living. She is very good at it). Mo runs a pawnshop called the Razzle Dazzle (he is also a fence). Mo and Lila live in Cloudburst Falls, West Virginia which has a sign saying it is the most magical place in America. Tourists flock to the town to see the people with magick (this is how it is spelled in the book) and the monsters that live in the town. People who live there have different Talents. Lila has the power of soul sight. She has great eyesight (can see in the dark) and when she looks into someone’s eyes she can see and feel their emotions. Lila also has the power of transference (which is considered a major Talent). She can take magic from someone who uses it against her. The magic she receives makes her strong and powerful for a limited amount of time. When the magic goes through her it feels so cold it is burning (hence the title of the book).Cloudburst Falls is runs by Families (like mob families). Each family owns a different section of town to run and control. Lila does her best to avoid the Families (you can tell if someone belongs to a Family by the bracelet they wear). Lila is at the Razzle Dazzle dropping off a ruby necklace she relieved from its owner the previous night and is waiting for her payment. While she waits two guys and a girl walk into the store. The girl is the body guard to Devon Sinclair. The Sinclair’s are the second highest family in town. Devon is heir to the Sinclair family which is led by his mother, Claudia. While the group is looking around the store, Lila notices a group of men outside the store and sure enough they barge in with their swords (guns are not allowed in the town). Lila does not really want to get involved, but when Devon looks her in the eye she can feel his emotions. That motivates Lila to help. She ends up saving Devon’s life, but she is not able to save his body guard. A few days later she gets a “request” to come to the Sinclair house. Claudia Sinclair wants to hire Lila to be Devon’s new bodyguard. Lila does not want to accept, but she is really not given a choice. Some is out to get Devon and he needs protection.Who is after Devon and why do they want him? Lila will keep protecting Devon while trying to find out who is behind the attacks. I give the Cold Burn of Magic 4.25 out of 5 stars. I enjoyed this book immensely. I liked the different take on magic used in the books as well as the different monsters. One of my favorite characters is the pixie named Oscar. Pixie’s do household chores in exchange for a place to live, clothes, and food. Oscar is assigned to Lila. Oscar is very rude at first to Lila because he is upset over the death of the previous bodyguard (Ashley). Oscar slowly warms up to Lila and he is quite the character (he lives in a little trailer, loves country music, and has a turtle for a pet). I look forward to reading the next book in the series.I received a complimentary copy of Cold Burn of Magic from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The review and opinions expressed are strictly my own.

[b.j.o. · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

4.5 "Magic Mafia" Stars! What an interesting read that brings together a number of my loves and wraps it all up together in a completely unique packaging! Mixing some of my favorite sub-genres, paranormal/UF, contemporary YA/New Adult romance and Mafia like romantic suspense, Cold Burn of Magic is sure to appeal to a wide audience as it has a little something for everyone! What a fantastic beginning to a new series that is sure to be another hit for Jennifer Estep!Lila Merriweather was forced to learn how to survive early in life. Having lost her mother (a former bodyguard) at a young age, she has tried her best with the help of her mother's friend, a pawn shop owner, to avoid foster homes. Earning her way by stealing and completing odd jobs that her mother's friend assigns to her, and living in the basement of a library that she can only visit after it closes at night, has taught her a lot about making ends meet in the magical world she lives in which is ruled by a few powerful Families of varying magical strengths. Above all costs, the one rule that she has learned is essential she follow, is avoid the Families and never let them know her true magical talents, one of which would nearly certainly be stolen from her if she ever let it be discovered.Everything, however, changes when Lila inadvertently gets involved in an assassination/kidnapping attempt against the son of the head of the Sinclair family, the second most powerful Family. With only a split second to determine her fate, and not really recognizing Devon as a member of the Sinclair Family, Lila throws all caution aside and saves Devon exposing her extraordinary fighting skills. As no good deed goes unpunished, it is this act of selflessness, which, for better or for worse, opens up a whole new world to her. While this puts her square in the sites of Devon Sinclair, a young man who is poised to become the head of the Sinclair Family, and who makes her feel things she has never felt before, it also may just mean that her destiny to live and die like her mother, at the hands of a Family feud, may also be sealed. I loved both the suspense/action-packed angle and magic filled nature of this young adult read. As I typically only read romance titles, I feel compelled to mention that although Cold Burn of Magic is not labeled a romance title, it does have a satisfying, rather subdued, element of romance. In particularly, it really felt to me like Ms. Estep was teeing up this romance aspect to play a more prominent role in upcoming books. I can't wait to continue the Black Blade Series with Dark Heart of Magic which is scheduled to be released in October 2015!Source: Review copy provided in exchange for an honest review.

[darkfaerietales_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie TalesQuick & Dirty: A strong, snarky and streetwise protagonist trapped by magic and power ploys but unfortunately CBOM was not appealing enough to continue my investment in this series.Opening Sentence: Bad things always come in threes.The Review:Upon beginning this book, my first thought was ‘oh man, this is going to be a chore to finish.’ I don’t know why but I really did not enjoy the first chapter, perhaps there was too much description, but I felt my attention wander so I put my kindle down and continued where I left off the next day. Luckily, it sparked some interest and I’m glad to note that after reading it, Cold Burn of Magic wasn’t that bad of a read.Lila Merriweather is one of those strong-willed protagonists with the snarky humour that made the story all the more interesting, especially when she’s adamant on not letting anyone get close to her and then falls in love. I liked Lila’s ability to fend for herself and her self-confidence, but what made her stand out was her bluntness and clear distrust of everyone around her, except Mo.I nodded, trying to swallow the emotion that choked me from the inside out. Mo drew back. “Be good, Lila. Or be really good at being bad. I’ll leave it up to you which one it is.”Her magic, on the other hand, irritated me. I felt as if the book did not do justice to it. Given that the cold burn of magic is the title of the book, you’d think it was something incredible and powerful that Lila can wield instantaneously. However, that’s not the case. Lila referred to it as her true talent but she could hardly ever call upon her special ‘cold’ magic, which made me think it was kind of useless. The book would have been better off being named after her ‘soulsight,’ (ability to read a person’s emotions by looking into their eyes) because at least that actually worked when needed!The use of two powerful families at each other’s throats and the friendships between the younger Sinclairs and Draconis reminded me of the Montagues and Capulets. The search for Devon’s father’s killer added an element of mystery to the story and although all fingers pointed to the Draconis, it was clear from the start that wasn’t the case. I liked the suspense but it wasn’t enough, there wasn’t enough thrill or fear to make me really want to know who the mystery man was.Cold Burn of Magic wasn’t altogether a bad read because it had a little bit of everything: magic, power-struggles and romance but unfortunately there wasn’t enough of each element to bring the book together. Devon-Lila’s romance was too airy to be romantic, the ‘cold’ magic wasn’t as useful and dangerous as it is imagined to be, and the power feuds between the families seem to be more between Lila and Blake Draconi than anyone else. This is not a series I would continue to invest my time in.Notable scene:I only knew Claudia Sinclair by reputation. The other Families had nicknamed her the Ice Queen, and with good reason. My soulsight let me see that she meant every harsh, brutal word. If it had been only me, I would have already been planning to take her money and skip town. But I would never abandon Mo, and she somehow knew that was her trump card, the thing that would get me to do her bidding above all else.“I understand,” I said, having no choice but to give into her demands. “I will protect your son the best I can.”No matter how much I hate you both, I snarled silently in my head.FTC Advisory: Kensington Teen provided me with a copy of Cold Burn of Magic. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

[dlynch-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Seventeen-year-old thief, Lila Merriweather, lives in the magical tourist town of Cloudburst Falls. While at her friend pawn shop, she becomes involved in a feud between the town two most powerful families, the Draconis and the Sinclairs.I have to admit when I started this novel I was a little nervous. Once I have a book, I usually don’t look at other reviews, so I can form my own opinion. When I just started reading this book, I happened to stumble upon a post that said they put this book on their DNF list, and I was bummed. I’m glad I did not let that deter me from reading this story. I can see how the beginning might not interest some people, but I think it contains necessary information that is needed in the rest of the story. In my opinion, Cold Burn of Magic was an interesting narrative that felt unique; the more I read, the harder it became to put down. In this world, there are normal mortals and there are magicks with varying talents and power levels. Some talents are common and others are extremely rare, like that talent Lila Merriweather keeps a secret.The story is told from our heroine, Lila’s viewpoint. She has had a hard life living on her own after her mother’s death. Hiding to stay out of foster, she becomes a thief in order to survive. She is a fighter, literally and figuratively. I really like Devon Sinclair. He is a good person. He is loyal and responsible. As second in command in the Sinclair family, he is a good leader. He feels guilt for those he feels suffer because of their allegiance to him.Lila and Devon have a lot in common. They both keep secrets. They both do what they feel is right. They are strong individuals who are committed to the ones they care about. Plus, their lives seem to be intertwined.I really enjoyed the plot. Jennifer Estep does a great job with foreshadowing and character development. She created an interesting world full of fantasy an intrigue. Cold Burn of Magic is an excellent foundation for the Black Blade series. I look forward to the next book, Dark Heart of Magic, expecting to be released on October 27, 2015.Complimentary copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[cats57_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I think that this is an excellent start to a new Young Adult series. However, there are some gruesomely described and bloody scenes which some younger kids may be sensitive to. Also if you are familiar with Jennifer’s “Elemental Assassin” series, you may notice some slight parallels (the Mafia type family’s for one) between the two. For the older reader, this might be a fairly predictable story. For the younger reader it will be a story filled with betrayals, fights and twisty turns – even a tiny bit of romance which is great for those readers who crave such. I think the romance will be developed slowly and delicately.The magical element to this book is for me, an interesting twist on what we usually see in these types of books. The characters are well developed, the story is just complicated enough to keep you engaged and the surprise ending to the mystery of just who was trying to take out Devon was just surprising enough without being over the top or too unbelievable. I enjoyed this book even though I am not the targeted audience and am looking forward to the next one in this series.

[laceyann-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Promising start to the new Black Blade series. While similar to many other YA fantasy books out there right now, I still enjoyed this. The heroine is smart and strong-willed and her love interest is equally likable. When you add in magic wielding mafia style families, well, that just makes it all the more interesting.

[krau0098 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is the first book in a new young adult urban fantasy series by Estep. Estep also wrote the Mythos Academy series (another young adult urban fantasy series which I enjoyed) and the Elemental Assassin series (an adult urban fantasy series which I enjoyed initially but have since dropped because of inconsistent quality). Lately Estep has been a bit hit or miss for me. This book was okay, but it reminds a lot of her adult Elemental Assassin series...in fact at points I felt like I was reading a book in that series.Lila is struggling to make a living by working as a thief in a modern day small town. Things are a bit crazier than expected because this small town is the home to many monsters. When Lila interferes in the assassination attempt of one of the towns head Family’s sons her life changes...a lot. Lila is offered (black-mailed into) the position of bodyguard to one of the head family’s sons, Devon. Someone is trying to kill Devon and Lila is in the position of both trying to protect him and trying to figure out who is behind the attacks. As you can imagine this is not a safe position for her to be in. I was really excited for this series. A modern day town full of monsters and a girl trying to survive in it sounds like an awesome premise. Unfortunately although the eerie monsters are constantly mentioned, they mostly stay in the background..you pretty much never see them. I found this incredibly disappointing. There is all this monster hype throughout the book and then you barely ever see them.The story ends up being more mob-themed (very similar to the Elemental Assassin series) than anything. You have these different powerful families that are vying for power in this small magical and touristy town. The whole idea of a magical touristy town where the dangers are more real than expected reminded me of Jacqueline Carey’s Agent of Hel series, but was nowhere near as entertaining as that series was.Lila is very similar to the character Gin from the Elemental Assassin series. Lila is super tough and has survived against the odds. However because of her tough upbringing she is slow to trust and tries to do everything herself. She is also slow to make friends and has a bit of a chip on her shoulder. That pretty much is the exact same character profile as Gin from the Elemental Assassin series.Additionally the characters all have magical abilities this is incredibly similar to the Elemental ASsassin series as well. The only difference being that in this case the powers are not all Elements. I also thought the magic system presented here was a bit muddy and was never explained all that well. Half way through you find out that people can steal each others magical powers but that is never explained all that well either.The plot was okay. Again is was mostly focused on solving the mystery of who was trying to kill Devon. The mystery was laid out okay but was mostly one of those quickly wrapped up “aha!” kind of mysteries.Overall this was an okay urban fantasy. I am intrigued by the idea of a small town with monsters lurking outside and am curious about the magic powers these character wield. However the main character is a carbon copy of Gin from the Elemental Assassin series and many of the story elements are similar to that series as well (mob mentality, individual powers, etc). I was disappointed that so much of the story deals with fights between different Families and not with the monsters (which are mentioned again and again but never really seen). I am not sure if I will keep reading this story or not. I am starting to feel like Estep can only write the same story over and over. This is the same problem I have had with her Elemental Assassin books; I was really hoping this new series would something exciting and fresh but it’s just more of the same.

[jeracafite · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I received this free eARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. I loved Jennifer Estep's previous series, Mythos Academy, so I was very intrigued about this new upcoming series. Plus, Jennifer L. Armentrout gave this 5 stars on Goodreads, so I really wanted to read it. Lila is amazing. She was taking care of herself with no authority figure since she was 13! And I love how she doesn't give a crap about anyone but herself, just trying to survive. When Devon and Felix started complaining about some small, she would just look at them like they were crazy. And she was very bad ass when fighting the other Families. There are a lot of little surprises that pop up in the story. I liked that Lila and Devon have secrets that they are keeping and I love how Lila figures out secrets that Devon and his mother are trying to keep. She is very observant and smart and knows all of the hidden monsters in her town. This was a very good novel and I cannot wait to read more about these characters! So glad I got to read it as an eARC and I will definitely be buying this book for my library's collection!

[rabidreads · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Reviewed by: Rabid Reads.COLD BURN OF MAGIC’s heroine is a younger, more reckless, less tested version of Gin Blanco, so right away I felt at home in Jennifer Estep’s BLACK BLADE series. Lila Merriweather has two Talents, one of which she keeps on the DL and she has sworn to avenge her mom’s murder—ring any bells? That mostly sums up the correlations between this world, and ELEMENTAL ASSASSIN; as a body guard the protagonist protects rather than kills, although sometimes the latter happens as a result of the former, her back story is an open book, and the antagonist is immediately apparent. This novel blended the top elements from this author’s Young Adult & Urban Fantasy titles into a smashing debut.As much as I love meeting new characters, and immersing myself in an original plot, world-building still trumps all. First installments are usually where the bulk of a series’ foundation is located, and this book was no different. Estep left me giddy with delight as I wormed my way through her symbology, magicks, and monsters. Getting a feel for the Families, especially the Draconis & the Sinclairs was a close second with the romance trailing as a distant third, but that wasn’t unexpected, and quite frankly I prefer it that way.In Urban Fantasy, whether we’re talking adult or YA, it’s pivotal that the lead be easy to connect with, and Lila filled that requirement well. A lot of info gets thrown readers’ way with regards to her past, current motivations, and future goals, but as important as all that info is, she was also incredibly likeable which ensured that she was fleshed out in all of the right places. Her POV had a degree of maturity to it that Estep’s MYTHOS ACADEMY novels lacked to a certain extent, so it only took me a split second to decide that BLACK BLADE was going on my keeper shelf.In addition to an inviting universe, and an agreeable heroine, this author’s food fetish was ever-present, as was her knack for creating standout secondary characters. Mo reminded me of Fletcher, but with his own unique personality twists, and Devon didn’t exactly cause me to insta-drool, although he’s off to a pretty good start as far as love interests go. I need more deets before I can pass judgment on Felix as BFF material, and Claudia could go either way at this point. The clear winner was Oscar: the honeybeer guzzling, redneck, cowboy, pixie. Hehe! Need I say more?Jennifer Estep knows what her readers want, and delivers it with COLD BURN OF MAGIC. Brilliant!

[carolesrandomlife · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed my re-read of this book! I had a lot of fun with this book the first time I picked it up and knew that I wanted to read it a second time before picking up the last book in the trilogy. I decided to give the audiobook a try for this re-read and that was a very good decision. I believe that I liked the book even more because of how the narrator brought the story to life.I love the way that we are introduced to the world that Lila lives in. It is similar to our world but the town that she lives in is filled with magic. Things in town are controlled by the mob-like families who are always trying to grab ahold of just a little more power every chance that they get. The magic system was really well done and I liked how each of the characters had their own unique abilities and it was fun to see them use them to their advantage. I really liked all of the characters in this story and found them all to be incredibly interesting and unique. Lila hasn't had things easy but has adapted and can handle most situations fairly well. Devon has a lot of responsibility and feels protective of the members of his family. Mo was fun and while I thought he was looking out for Lila, I was never sure if he should be trusted. There is a large cast of characters from the various families that really kept the story interesting.Brittany Pressley did a fantastic job with the narration of this book. I remember liking the book the first time I read it but during this re-read, I didn't want to put it down. She brought Lila and the rest of the characters to life and I thought that she did a wonderful job with all of the character voices. I would recommend this book to others. I think that Jennifer Estep has created a fun YA urban fiction series filled with a lot of excitement and great characters. I cannot wait to start the audiobook of the next book in the trilogy.

[kmartin802_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Lila lives in "the most magical place in America." Cloudburst Falls has all sorts of magical people and monsters which makes it a real draw for tourists. However, it also has magical Families that make up its own version of the Mafia. Lila has been making a living as a thief and living secretly in the basement of the Public Library since her mother was killed. She has a magical ability of her own called Sight which lets her see in very little light and lets her read another's character when she looks into their eyes.Her plan to stay under the radar of the Families fails when she is in her friend Mo's pawn shop and she foils a kidnapping attempt on the son of the head of the Sinclair family. Devon is just a couple years older than she is. She blames him and his mother for her mother's death because she was killed after preventing an earlier kidnapping attempt. But now, Lila is blackmailed into acting as Devon's new bodyguard.Because she spends so much time with him, she learns that he is not a bad person and finally lets go of the anger she feels at his part in her mother's death. However, Devon has enough guilt for both of them. He hates that so many people he knows have died defending him. Since the attacks on him aren't stopping, Lila is determined to discover who wants Devon dead. She has lots of suspects especially the members of the Draconis Family who are the Sinclair's biggest rivals. I enjoyed this story and like that even though Lila and Devon are attracted to each other, they did not start a romance. I liked the world building and thought the monsters who shared the town with the people were fascinating. I liked the drunk, Redneck pixie who was supposed to be taking care of Lila and her room. I look forward to reading more in this series.