Title: Magic to the Bone (Allie Beckstrom, #1)
Author: Devon Monk
Publisher: ROC
Publication Date: 8 Jan 2009
Paperback: 368 pages
Genre: Urban Fantasy
RATING: 6/10 – good
GOODREADS SUMMARY:
Using magic means it uses you back, and every spell exacts a price from its user. But some people get out of it by Offloading the cost of magic onto an innocent. Then it’s Allison Beckstrom’s job to identify the spell-caster. Allie would rather live a hand-to-mouth existence than accept the family fortune—and the strings that come with it. But when she finds a boy dying from a magical Offload that has her father’s signature all over it, Allie is thrown back into his world of black magic. And the forces she calls on in her quest for the truth will make her capable of things that some will do anything to control…
REVIEW:
This is the first book in the Urban Fantasy series following Allie Beckstrom. Set in a world where magic has become a powerful commodity. A commodity that some people will kill to control.
Allie’s father was one of the first businessmen to capitalise on the magic market. As well as a powerful magic user he’s the head of a wealthy and influential corporation.
Allie hasn’t seen her father in seven years. Walking away from the family business and fortune when she realised the price that came with it. Instead she lives in relative poverty working as a hound.
A hound is a person that can trace the origins of magic. The use of magic always comes with a price. Be it an illness or memory loss the user always has to pay. While there is a scheme for corporations to offload magic use via penitentiaries and prisons. There are dark magic users who will happily offload their magic use onto innocent people. It’s Allie’s job to track down these dark magic users and ensure they’re punished.
When Allie takes on a new hound job tracking the illegal offload of magic onto an innocent young boy, she traces her father’s signature on the magic and knows it’s time to see him again.
Zayvion Jones or Zay seems to keep turning up wherever Allie is working. She doesn’t know who he is or whether she can trust him. But, when saves her life for a second time she thinks that just maybe he’s handy to have around.
I really liked the original concept of magic and the fact that the use of it came with a price. It was interesting to have a main character who suffered from regular memory loss from her own magic use. It gave the narrative some interesting twists and turns.
Allie is undoubtedly the type of kick-ass heroine we’ve come to love and expect in Urban Fantasy books. She is intelligent, gritty and comes with her share of problems.
The book takes a while to get going at first. Initially Allie seems to make some quite odd decisions and spends a lot of her time going to lots of different random places. Almost a bit aimlessly. But just as you begin to get frustrated, the pace really begins to pick up about a third of the way in.
The relationship between Allie and Zay while good, happens all a bit too quickly. It needed a bit more time to build and grow the chemistry between them, to add that extra sizzle.
There is quite a lot of mystery in this novel and it certainly keeps you guessing. The ending has a fantastic twist and a slightly heartbreaking development which in my opinion adds that extra punch that really makes the story.
VERDICT:
This is a great start to a new Urban Fantasy series. While it does have a couple of problems in the narrative, I did really enjoy it and loved the different concept of magic. Allie is a sassy character and I look forward to seeing where her story goes in the next instalment.
SOURCE: This book is from Laura’s personal library.
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8 Comments
I have this series on my shelf and for some reason I haven't started it – sounds like a good read though. Thanks for the review, Laura!
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You're welcome!
I had them for a while before reading them too actually.
Allie is an interesting character and I really liked the fact that whenever you use magic it came with a price, it made the story more gritty and less predictable.
I think you'd enjoy the series.
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I've been thinking about reading this series for a while too – it's a unique concept of paying for the magic – great review!
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Hi Laura,
I read Magic to the Bone last year and came to a similar conclusion – the price for using magic was a nice twist on the usual feisty heroine in Urban Magic! Haven't picked up the rest of the series just yet you've reminded I wouldn't mind seeing how theseries grows. Thanks!
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The concept for the story certainly sounds interesting, the price and the possibility to offload it.
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@Heather thank you! Yes the concept of magic in this book is very good. It makes quite a unique world. Often magic in books can be a little too easy.
@Mel hi Mel, I've just read the second book which I'll be reviewing soon too. The character development is good, so worth continuing with the series
@Kah Woei I personally think the concept of magic is what makes the book. I hope you enjoy reading it
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Glad you enjoyed it! I live in Portland and when I read this book I was like "oh I know exactly where that is!" LOL.
I have the next one in my shelf and I need to get to it!
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I am dying to read this author!=)
Great review!!
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