Sometimes I'm too stubborn for my own good. When I first started blogging it seemed like every single blog I read had the second book in the series, Magic to the Blood on it. It got to the point where I was like "not again" and didn't want to read, just for the fact that it was everywhere. After reading Magic to the Bone I know now why it was everywhere. The ending of this book caught me by surprise-even though I really should have seen it coming. I'm so thankful for SpazP on twitter having read this series recently-the fact that she read all of the books in a week made me take a second look at it. Thank goodness for second looks-I'm totally hooked on this series now.J from The Spinecracker and Julie from Yummy Men and Kick Ass Chicks were great cheerleaders to me for the book!
Allie Beckstrom is a hounder. She hunts down people who misuse magic and turns them into the authorities-magic since being discovered 30 years ago has one big drawback: when a person uses magic for something, it offloads on another person. There are laws about how that's done, and when they aren't followed Allie finds the person responsible for offloading magic the wrong way. She's good at her job, even though she's broke all the time and lives in a crappy apartment. Being broke all the time is worth it though, because she's living on her own, away from the control of her millionaire father, who discovered the Beckstrom Rod that made magic accessible to everyone. They parted ways when she was in college due to disagreements over magic, and she hasn't looked back once from being cut off from his fortune. Her fathers influence seems to be everywhere, and when on a hounding job she discovers that fathers magic signature is all over a little boy who has been really hurt from the offload of magic onto him, Allie is furious. She goes to see him and demand justice-but he swears he didn't do it. That evening her father is found dead. Allie's the prime suspect. She works to clear her name, and has some help from a least likely source: Zayvion Jones, who was hired by her dad to watch her. Clearing her name isn't easy-she's constantly being hounded by other hounders, finds out she has more magic inside then she knew she had, and is fighting the attraction she feels for Zay. It all adds up to a roller coaster ride of emotions.
I found that like a lot of Urban Fantasy books, the first half of the book was a little slow as the world within is being built, but the second half of the book moved so quickly I didn't know what hit me and found myself finished going: "I really should have seen that coming." I really felt like I could feel what Allie was feeling, and she's one of my favorite UF heroines. Zay was an intriguing hero. He took charge of some situations, but pretty much let Allie do everything. I didn't warm up to him until very late in the book.I still haven't figured him out, and I like that! I can't wait to learn more about him in future books. The rest of the characters in the book-Allies best friend Nola, Cody, Kitten, Mama were all great and added an extra dimension to the story.
All in all this is one great start to a series- I'm almost glad I waited, so I can read them all right in a row!
Curran Crush Meter: Low (but I'm sure this will change)
Martini Sigh Meter: Low (Zay was too mysterious for sighing comments)
Ethan/Merit Sizzle Meter: Medium
Rhiannon Kick Ass Heroine Meter: High
This button is from Julie at Yummy Men and Kick Ass Chicks:
