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Saturday 23 March 2013

Magic in the Blood

Magic In the Blood (Allie Beckstrom, #2)Magic In the Blood (Allie Beckstrom #2)
by Devon Monk
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Rating: 4.5 stars



(From Goodreads) Working as a Hound-tracing illegal spells back to their casters-has taken its toll on Allison Beckstrom. But even though magic has given her migraines and stolen her recent memory, Allie isn't about to quit. Then the police's magic enforcement division asks her to consult on a missing persons case. But what seems to be a straightforward job turns out to be anything but, as Allie finds herself drawn into the underworld of criminals, ghosts, and blood magic.



I absolutely loved this! This is Book Two in a very promising UF series. I will do my best to keep it spoiler free but if you have not read the first one what are you waiting for!?

Allie Beckstrom is a strong-willed woman who is not good at asking for help but she's learning. She does a solitary job in the form of hounding. The dangerous of the job makes close friendships difficult at best so other than her best friend who we don't get to see in this book she's a bit of a loner with acquaintances but not really anyone she considers closer. She's the type of heroine I root for, she grew up in a home where she was expected to be what her father wanted of her and nothing more. She fought this and has made a life for herself. She gets hurt. Badly and often but she is one tough cookie. She never quits and fights for what she believes is right. I find her easy to cheer for although like all characters she has her moments when I want to yell at her for not accepting or asking for help when she so obviously should!

I love the magic system in this series, if you want to use magic it uses you back. If you forget to set a disembersment it uses you however it pleases if you do you have some say in what it does. For example a two day headache. I enjoy that there is a negative to using magic. Too many worlds these days forget to add this in. Unlucky people like Allie occasionally get used twice, the second being in the form of memory loss. This can make for interesting conversations when you no longer remember who someone is or what they may have meant to you.

The main plot point is based around the release of Lon Trager a criminal who Allie helped put away. As well as the way the magic is changing, both in her body and in the surrounding area. The story line in this one is introduces us to the deeper effects of blood magic and the whys of people becoming addicted to it. Also we get let into the hounding world learning more about hounding culture per say. A bunch of new characters are introduced some of whom I hope stick around for some time to come!

This is a well-written highly enjoyable series. There are times when the pacing may be a little on the slower side but it's nothing to complain about it my opinion!

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