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Showing posts with label Allie Beckstrom Series. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Allie Beckstrom Series. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Review: Magic for a Price by Devon Monk
Magic for a Price
Author: Devon Monk
Release Date: Nov. 6, 2012
Publisher: ROC
Allie Beckstrom #9
ISBN: #978-0451464866
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Format(s): Paperback (368 pgs), e-book
Book Source: Publisher
About the book:
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For most of her life, Allison Beckstrom has used magic and accepted the heavy price it exacts. But now that all magic is poisoned, it’s no longer just using people—it’s killing them.
With Portland about to descend into chaos, Allie needs to find a way to purify the wells of tainted magic beneath the city. But the only options left to her are grim: attempt to close down magic forever, or follow her father’s plan to set magic into the right hands—even though she’s learned to never trust his word.
Now, Allie will have to make a choice and face the darkness of her own deepest fears, before time runs out for them all…
What Una is talking about:
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How do you write the review for a final book in a series? How do you sum up nine novels worth of mystery, challenge and sacrifice? Without giving anything away, without ruining the first-time reader experience, while trying to convey how awesome it is?
I know beginnings are new and exciting while endings tend to be sad. However, with this last installment in the Allie Beckstrom series, I am not sad. Ms. Monk has delivered the final novel in Allie’s story arc befitting the type of woman Allie is – with all the rewards due and sacrifices accepted. With Magic for a Price we have come full circle with Allie, and in the future we will look to the series continuing through a different set of main characters (but they aren’t “new”).
I know I have mentioned it a few times in reviewing this series, but I will repeat myself, I apologize. The Allie Beckstrom series I discovered quite by accident. While glancing (gleaning every word on blog pages - searching for snippets) at another author’s webpage -cough-Ilona Andrews-cough- I saw a blog post for a book giveaway. Who doesn’t want a free book from an author they like… Well, I start looking at the blog post that was a cartoon sketch of the upcoming plot of a book. To this day I still am not sure if it was Ms. Andrews or Ms. Monk (although I do believe the sketch was Ms. Monk’s work), but the humor of the post between these two authors struck me. So I went over to look at Ms. Monk’s webpage and saw this series. Got the first book from the library and then proceeded to get every single one that was out (I think only four were out at the time). I was hooked. The world was fresh and new; hopeful but with an iron spine of reality – lessons we know well: nothing worth having is free, sacrifice is sometimes a necessity, and we all must live with our choices. It is fitting that the final book in this series is titled: Magic for a Price.
By the way, how can you not be tempted to read a series where the first paragraph in the last book is?
I never expected cookies at the end of the world. Some other more violent dessert perhaps, like volcano cake or devil’s food or heck, maybe even zucchini muffins, since everyone knows zucchini is evil. But cookies? Those are happy, life-goes-on desserts.
I just love this series, and that quote is a great example why. The banter, even in the midst of such pain and anguish help to ground us, keeping the reader absolutely glued to the page. Magic for a Price was no different in the previous novels in that it was a nail-biting, witty and absolutely gripping read. Also, I would do you all a disservice by not telling you that I did indeed cry while reading the last 100 pages or so. They did end up as more happy tears…but you have been forewarned.
This series works because Allie is characterized so well, so realistically. Even amidst all this magic, evil plots and strife, she rings true to me. For all her strength and mettle, she is caring and compassionate. She is stubborn yet loyal. She is not infallible and does accept the punishments that come with making those hard decisions. However, she doesn’t back down, even when deep inside she wants to. Allie finds what she needs and rises to meet the challenge. What makes the series richer, besides the wry humor, is that Allie finds and creates the family she wants (not always) but does need. These are the people who help her, care for her, look out for her while she is trying to look out for everyone else but herself. The supporting characters are just as real as Allie is. Ms. Monk enables me to walk in this world and be a part of the group.
All those questions that I would have in each previous review are finally answered. This is the final book in the series and Magic for a Price leaves us with a most satisfying conclusion to the Allie Beckstrom series. I am still reeling from the secrets that were revealed. How some sacrifices were rewarded while others will be scars to remind what was lost. Amidst so much action there was such a sense of unveiling of dark truths and bittersweet justifications. That all choices have consequences, that no matter the choices we make, we ultimately pay the price. Magic for a Price is a gritty, gripping and emotionally charged ride. But do yourself a favor, start at the beginning. Because if you don’t, without the beginning, you will never know the whole course of the journey that led to Magic for a Price….and it is the journey that makes the series and ultimately, this novel.
The next series in this world is called the Breaker series, and it will follow Shamus and Terric, Allie and Zavion’s friends. I am overjoyed that this is not the last we will see of Allie and Zay. This gives all of us who have rooted and cheered for Allie and Zay a chance to follow up and see how they are – to the happiness and joy they deserve. Well…until Shame and Terric find some trouble to get them mixed into.
Una’s Rating:
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Personal favorite - a must read (A+)
Purchase Info:
Reviews in the Series:
Labels:
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Sunday Snippet #104
NOTE: I thought a little Mother's Day love would be a great way for us at That's What I'm Talking About to wish all of you a wonderful Mother's Day. Some moms are blood related and some we are blessed to have adopted all on our own while some have stepped into our lives and provided that relationship under the guise of friendship, sisterhood, mentor, etc. Enjoy!
Magic Without Mercy
Author: Devon Monk
Allie Beckstrom #8
Publisher: Roc
Released: 3 April 2012
She was quiet for a bit, then, "I've been a member of the Authority for many, many years. Most of my life, really. I've seen so many people pass away. Friends, family." She pulled a comb through my hair, and I could feel the plastic teeth on th eback of my bare neck before the cold edge of scissors replaced them and cut again.
"But I've never once seen magic take such a terrible turn. The Authority has always been strong, Allie. No matter what happened or who decided to throw a coup, the Authority has remained true to it purpose. There have always been more of us with good intentions, logic, common sense, and conviction to see that the laws of the Authority are upheld."
She placed the scissors on the countertop behind her and pulled out a razor blade. She ran the blade in quick, short strokes through my hair.
"And while I can only hope that this time everything will return to normal, that the good of the Authority will stand, it is also true that I have never once in my life seen magic damaged. Changed into something that could mutate the Veiled, changed into a disease. Poisoned.
"So," she said a little more firmly. "I wanted a chance to say that I am so very fond of you, Allie. I've watched Zayvion grow from a very serious boy to a very serious man, and I have never seen him as happy as when he's been with you."
"Not even with Chase?" I asked before I could stop myself.
It was a stupid thing to ask. Chase was dead, and she had dumped Zayvion long before he and I started seeing each other. But he and Chase had been together for a long time, had fought together side by side. Had trained together and fallen in love. A small, insecure part of me wondered if I'd ever fully have his heart.
"Not even with Chase,"Maeve said. "I know he's a quiet man. But if he ever lost you, if you died, I don't know how he would go on. You're more a part of him than anyone he's let into his life." She topped cutting my hair and walked around in front of me so she could begin on my bangs.
"I want you to be very careful. There isn't a person in Portland who won't be looking for you. Most of them to do you harm. If you were my daughter, I'd pack you up and send you out of town. Overseas. But I know you won't leave town and won't back down from this fight."
"Would you?" I asked.
She stopped cutting and I looked up at her. She smiled. "No. I'd stay right here and fight until they kicked my cold body into the grave."
"You and I are a lot alike that way," I said. "And I love you too, Maeve."
"Ah, Allie." She shook her head, the corners of her eyes glittering with tears. "There's a reason I never had a daughter. It's so there'd be room in my heart for you."
She reached down and gave me a quick hug, which I returned.
"Now, that's enough of that nonsense," she said as she pointed to the mirror over my shoulder. "Let's take a look at the new you."
I turned in the chair so I could see my reflection in the mirror.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Review: Magic Without Mercy
Magic Without Mercy
Author: Devon Monk
Release Date: April 3, 2012
Publisher: ROC
Allie Beckstrom series #8
ISBN: #978-0451464484
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Format(s): Paperback (358 pgs), e-book
Book Source: Publisher
About the book:
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We knew as soon as we stepped out on those streets, we were walking blind into a war. All of us were going to bear the pain for the magic we called upon. And I was going to have to bear the pain for carrying a weapon that made me face what I had become. A killer.
Allison Beckstrom’s talent for tracking spells has put her up against some of the darkest elements in the world of magic, but she’s never faced anything like this.
Magic itself has been poisoned, and Allie’s undead father may have left the only cure in the hands of a madman. Hunted by the Authority–the secret council that enforces magic’s laws–wanted by the police, and unable to use magic, she’s got to find the cure before the sickness spreads beyond any power to stop it.
But when a Death magic user seeks to destroy the only antidote, Allie and her fellow renegades must stand and fight to defend the innocent and save all magic…
What Una is talking about:
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I am hooked on the Allie Beckstrom series. It is really great gritty urban fantasy. Life isn’t pretty; sometimes decisions are hard and have long lasting consequences. Ms. Monk does not disappoint in her latest installment -- Magic Without Mercy is another nail-biting thriller.
Please note that if you haven’t read the previous novels, there will be spoilers in this review. This is a series that really needs to be started from the beginning. Each subsequent novel builds on the last and much will be lost if you try to jump in.
Allie is on the run from both the police -- after being framed for embezzlement, and from the Authority -- for killing Bartholomew. However, she is not without friends or support. Zayvion and Shame, along with others who realize the Authority has turned its back on its mission, are working with Allie to find out how magic has been poisoned and how to fix it – if that is even possible. With the continuing support of the hounds, Allie works to try to find out what is going on, only to be faced by the Authority who want to stop her from succeeding.
Seriously, I could not put down Magic Without Mercy. Ms. Monk has created a character that I am just drawn to. Allie is fascinating. She struggles with both the weight of the decision she made to kill Bartholomew and the knowledge that her friends walk beside her – risking their lives for her. She is still unable to use magic, yet she can see it as clearly as day. Allie’s internal struggle is real and the reader can easily place himself in her shoes.
However, there are still many questions from the previous novels that still puzzle me. Will she ever regain her small magic she was able to keep inside? Will she ever be able to use magic again? Will she ever be able to exorcise her father from her head? As frustrating as these lingering questions are…the fact that sometimes questions linger gives a foundation of reality to the series and keeps me reading.
From the huge cliffhanger, one major question may be answered in the next novel: are Leander and Isabell in cahoots with her father? Needless to say, I cannot wait until the next novel. I wonder when Allie might get not only a break, but find out about why she is so special.
Una’s Rating:
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Loved it - enthusiastically recommend (A)
Purchase Info:
Reviews of Books in this Series:
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Sunday Snippet #88
Magic on the Line
Author: Devon Monk
ROC
November 1, 2011
We drove to Get Mugged and parked around the back side of the buildings. It was early enough that the morning coffee crowd was still in full swing and street parking was scarce. That was okay with me. I wanted a walk in the cool air, in the sunlight. Even though the magic I could see everywhere was still pretty distracting.
“What are you doing?” Zayvion asked me as we passed by another window with an Unbreakable Ward so strong I could almost feel the prickly heat snapping off it.
“Walking?”
“Really?” He stopped and I stopped too. “I think that’s called weaving.”
“I’m not weaving.”
“Yes, you are. I almost ran into you three times already.”
“Well, then let me walk on the outside of the sidewalk.” I stepped in front of him, but hadn’t realized there was a Lure spell on a piece of statuary just ahead. As we headed that way, I corrected my course so as not to get caught by it.
“That,” Zayvion said as I bumped into his arm.
“What that?”
He put his arm around me, and I could tell he wasn’t angry, just sort of frustrated and curious. “That drunken stagger you’ve got going.”
I slapped his chest, which didn’t do anything since I wasn’t trying to hurt him, and his ski coat was too damn fluffy.
“I’m not staggering. Or drunk,” I added.
“So?” he asked.
“I can see magic. Everywhere. All the time. It’s just . . . distracting.”
“Are you using Sight?”
Oh, right. I hadn’t told Zayvion about this yet. “No. Ever since I tried to use magic, passed out, and gave myself a light concussion, I’ve been seeing magic. All the time.”
Zayvion stopped again. We were on the corner now, the front door to the coffee shop in sight, just a few steps away.
“Coffee?” I pointed at the door.
Zay moved to stand in front of me and put both arms around my waist. “When,” he asked quietly as if we were lovers sharing secrets, “did you pass out and get a concussion?”
Ah. Apparently I hadn’t been doing a very good job keeping him in the loop. “Yesterday. After coming back from the meeting with Bartholomew. I saw a Veiled step out of a woman on the street. And when I tried to cast Hold so I could maybe get a better look at the Veiled, I passed out. I woke up to people calling 911, but told them I was fine. Jack Quinn took over from there.”
“Do you think casting magic made you pass out or was it something else?”
“I don’t know.”
He got that look on his face that told me he’d made up both our minds. I hated that look.
Then he swung his arm around my waist and started us walking back the way we’d come.
“No,” I whined. “Coffee was right there. I could smell it. Can’t you smell it? C’mon, Jones. We’ll do all the magic talking you want over coffee. Please?”
He didn’t answer and didn’t stop walking. The worry radiating from him was the only reason I didn’t trip him so I could get my way. He rounded the corner to the back of the building and I sighed. So close to coffee, and yet so far. I pulled out of his arms.
“Just for that, you are paying for breakfast,” I said.
“Cast magic,” he said.
Monday, November 14, 2011
Review: Magic on the Line
Magic on the LineAuthor: Devon Monk
Release Date: Nov. 1, 2011
Publisher: Roc
Allie Beckstrom Novel #7
ISBN: #978-0451464286
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Format(s): Paperback (356 pgs), e-book
Book Source: Publisher
About the book: |
Allison Beckstrom has willingly paid the price of pain to use magic and has obeyed the rules of the Authority, the clandestine organization that makes–and enforces–all magic policy. But when the Authority’s new boss, Bartholomew Wray, refuses to believe that the sudden rash of deaths in Portland could be caused by magic, Allie must choose whether to follow the Authority’s rules or to turn against the very people for whom she’s risked her life.
To stop the plague of dark magic spreading through the city, Allie must put all that she values on the line: her memories, her life. As dead magic users rise to feed upon the innocent and the people closest to her begin to fall, Allie is about to run out of options…
What Una is talking about: |
I discovered the Allie Beckstrom series by accident. While pursing another author’s website, she had a cartoon/comic, for lack of better word, describing the release of a new book. I looked through it, thinking it was some joke of hers or something. I then realized it wasn’t a silly post, but something Devon Monk had put together to tease her fans about the upcoming release in this series. Intrigued, I went to her website and read what this series is about. Instantly I had to get my hands on it, so I requested it from the library and have been hooked ever since.
This is a gritty and dark (at times) urban fantasy. Warning: it is not a romance. It is more of a paranormal adventure… our world, but add magic to the mix. I absolutely love it! The part that got me was:
Using magic meant it used you back. Forget the fairy-tale hocus-pocus, wave a wand and bling-o, sparkles and pixie dust crap. Magic, like booze, sex, and drugs, gave as good as it got. …
But while magic made the average Joe pay one painful price each time he used it, sometimes magic double dipped on me. I’d get the expected migraine, flu, roaring fever, or whatever, and then, just for fun, magic would kick a few holes in my memories. It didn’t happen every time, and it didn’t happen in any pattern or for any reason I could fathom. Just sometimes when I use magic, it makes me pay the price in pain, then takes a few of my memories for good measure.
Since finishing Magic on the Hunt, I have been eagerly awaiting Magic on the Line. I am completely entranced by Allie. She is a strong woman, who, right or wrong, walks her line with her head held high and her sarcasm waiting. However, she is incredibly loyal to those she loves, is an absolute “trooper”; keeping her head up when life and circumstances try to beat her down. Heck, she walked into death to save her love. She is amazing, but like I said, this is a more gritty urban fantasy. Allie will sacrifice to do what is right for those that she loves and she lives with those consequences. She does all of this and yet, doesn’t seem to lose her humor:
“Magic is making you sick,” he said.
“Brilliant deduction, Holmes,” I said.
Magic on the Line addresses some of the sacrifices and choices she has made and the consequences she had yet to face, along with her friends. Yet, it doesn’t end there. Allie is, yet again, faced with tough choices. I thought the last cliffhanger was a “doozy”, but Ms. Monk has put it to shame with the ending of this book. Is it an unresolved cliffhanger? No. But so many questions come from the resolution; it leaves me itching for more!
Do not start with Magic on the Line, there is such a build-up to where Allie is now, you would be lost if you tried to jump in. Trust me though; it’s worth it to just start at the beginning with Magic in the Bone. The Allie Beckstrom series is a gripping and wonderful series, if you haven’t read it yet, add it to your list of books. It’s an adventure you won’t regret!
Una’s Rating: |
Loved it - enthusiastically recommend (A)
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Sunday Snippets #51
Sneak Peek from Magic on the Hunt by Devon Monk
Roc Publishing
April 5, 2011
**NOTE: this except comes from an uncorrected ARC copy of the book**
“We headed out. My phone rang. Zay. Again.
Seriously, couldn’t the man catch a hint?
I answered. “Beckstrom.”
“Where’s everyone off to?”
I scanned the street. Zay was standing on the corner across the street, Shamus behind him, leaning against the building, smoking.
Oh, for Pete’s sake.
“Nowhere.”
“That so? Looks like you’ve got a hunt on your hands.”
“It was a meeting.”
He started across the street. The light hadn’t changed, but somehow traffic seemed to move in rhythm to his stride, a perfect path opening up as he moved across the street toward me, not once taking his eyes off me. Man walked like a goddamned god.
“Who are they hunting? What are they hunting? What are you up to, Allison, my love?”
He was across three lanes, one more before he was in front of me. That is, if a bus didn’t hit him.
“None of your damn business,” I said sweetly into the phone.
And then he was there, in my space, so close, I could smell the pine and anger rolling off him. He was power, magic, sex, raw, brute force. A thunderstorm embodied.
I gave him a disinterested look.
The corner of his lip quirked up.
“How about I say please?” he said into his phone. Even though there was less than six inches separating us.
“Hound business is Hound business,” I replied.
“Don’t make me drag it out of Davy.”
“Fuck you,” Davy laughed. “I’m not your girlfriend.”
Zay put his phone down. Thumbed it off. “Who are you hunting girlfriend?” he asked.
I saw no reason to keep it a secret. Well, besides the fact that he could Close me or Davy with the flick of his fingers. “Dane. For shooting me.”
He searched my eyes. Must have caught the hint that I didn’t give a damn what he thought about that.
“Shame and I will go with you.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“More feet on the ground. That’s what you said, right?” He turned toward Davy. “How are we doing this?”
“Talk to the boss.”
He turned back to me. “Well, boss?”
“Sigh spells. Light. We’re just looking for his signature. If he’s found, I’m to be contacted. No engaging.”
“And after you are contacted?”
Oh, I did not want to tell him that I had planned to follow the rules and call him and Victor. “I’ll take care of it.”
Anger flashed through is eyes, brown gone much, much too gold.
“We got it covered, Jones,” I said airily. “Don’t really need more feet on the ground.”
He reached out, grabbed my arm. Davy pushed off from the car he’d been leaning on.
Zay pulled me in and kissed me.
Oh. My. Sweet. Heavens. A rush of heat enveloped me, and I tasted his anger – and his amusement. He was hot, turned on. He liked it when I took charge.
Before I could do more than register his need, before I could exhale the pressure and heat his touch, his kiss, planted in me, he pulled back.
“So where do you want me?” he asked.
Memories of his naked body, lowering over the top of me, flashed through my mind.
No. No way. I would not be distracted by him.
“Fine. If I can’t get rid of you, then take the south-west side of town. Sight. Mile radius. Don’t trip the grid. Think you can handle that?”
“Well, I’m not Hound,” he said, “but I’ll see what I can do.”
“If you find him- If you find anything, call me.”
He gave me a grin. “I don’t think you’re paying me to call you.”
“If you’re on this hunt, you’re on the payroll.”
“Yeah? How much”
“I’ll buy you a beer.”
He shook his head. I started walking towards Davy’s car.
“She buying you a beer?” he asked Davy as we passed by.
“Yup. About a thousand of them.”
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
ARC Review: Magic on the Hunt
Magic on the HuntAuthor: Devon Monk
Release Date: April 5, 2011
Publisher: Roc
Allie Beckstrom Series #6
ISBN: #978-0451463913
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Format(s): Paperback (368 pgs), e-book
I received a ARC copy of this book from the PUBLISHER for the purposes of an honest review.
From the author’s website:
There aren’t many girls who can say they’ve gone into the realm of death and lived to tell the tale. But to restore her lover Zayvion’s soul, Allison Beckstrom had to pay a bitter price–and things are about to get worse….
It turns out the leader of the Authority, the council that decides what can–and can’t–be done with magic, is being held hostage. But when the trail leads Allie and Zayvion to the secret prison where the Authority locks away magical criminals who are too dangerous to be held anywhere else, they find more than they bargained for. An undead magic user has possessed one of the prisoners, and he wants his freedom–and then some. Now Allie and Zayvion are the first line of defense against the chaos he’s about to unleash on the city of Portland….
What Una is talking about:
Sadly, I am writing this review on my own. Poor Gikany is ONLY on book 2 and will not, hmmm, corrupt herself by skipping ahead to read this one. So it is my pleasure to read and review this book for all of you (and Gikany) because she has already been sucked into this refreshing series and it’s driving her nuts that I know what’s happening….*grins evilly*
***Please note that if you haven’t read the whole series, there may be spoilers in the following review. You have been WARNED!
After finishing book 5, Magic at the Gate, I was eagerly anticipating the arrival of this book. Ms. Monk does not disappoint with this fascinating urban fantasy. We pick up a few days after the previous book ends. It seems that Zay and Allie have had a much deserved break and rest. However, that break is short lived once Dane enters her home, knocks out Zay and shoots Allie. He does this to force her father, whose soul still stubbornly resides in her body, to reveal where Sedra is being held by Jingo Jingo.
Magic on the Hunt has an explosive beginning and a faster pace than the previous novels. I was completely sucked in as the story unfolded, adding to the other ongoing plot lines that have been carried over. There were several twists and turns I did not expect, and because of them, I was completely glued to the pages. I found myself reading when waiting at a red light because I had to know what happened next. Especially when considering that by book six, these major characters have become so real to me. Ms. Monk is quite talented at making these characters three dimensional, with all the lovely quirks and personalities that keep you on your toes.
In this novel, Allie continues to grow and find her place. Caught between her own independent streak, her love of Zayvion Jones, caring for the Hounds, and finding her role in the Authority, Allie tries to figure it out on her own. It is because of this, Allie is almost real to me, her constant inner struggle to do right even when it forces her to live with the tough choices she has made. To watch her inner battle as she sees how the Authority protects, and how she deals with the hard choices that come with such a great responsibility. Allie truly has carved out her own niche and is doing her best to make the most of it and find her path.
However, as always, Ms. Monk is a great tease, for lack of better term. I keep waiting to see if Allie is ever able to reclaim her “flame” of magic, if she will ever be rid of her father, will Cody ever truly be healed, will Shamus and Terric ever be whole? These questions continue to burn in me along with a few others that come out of the ending of this book. But, I respect the fact that maybe, just like real life, these questions do not have answers. Sometimes experiences are just experiences that help you grow and do not lead to a happy or restorative ending. I am starting to realize that, like life, once a sacrifice is made, you learn to live with that loss. In that, I am truly humbled and amazed by this series. Yet, with everything that happened in this book, so much remains to be answered even with that which was resolved. I look forward to continuing to read this gritty, fresh and tantalizing series.
Una’s Rating:
Loved it - enthusiastically recommend (A)
Friday, November 5, 2010
Review: Magic at the Gate
Magic at the GateAuthor: Devon Monk
Release Date: November 2, 2010
Publisher: ROC Fantasy
Allie Beckstrom Series Book #5
ISBN: #978-0451463623
Genre: Urban Fantacy
Format(s): paperback (368 pages), e-book
I received a copy of this book from the publisher for the purposes of an honest review.
From the author’s website:
Allie Beckstrom's lover, Zayvion Jones, is a Guardian of the Gate, imbued with both light and dark magic and responsible for ensuring that those energies don't mix. But Zayvion lies in a coma, his soul trapped in death's realm.
To rescue him, Allie must follow the specter of her deceitful late sorcerer father, Daniel Beckstrom, who is more than familiar with death's domain. And when Allie discovers that the only way to save Zayvion is to sacrifice her very own magical essence, she makes a decision that may have grave consequences for the entire world.
To rescue him, Allie must follow the specter of her deceitful late sorcerer father, Daniel Beckstrom, who is more than familiar with death's domain. And when Allie discovers that the only way to save Zayvion is to sacrifice her very own magical essence, she makes a decision that may have grave consequences for the entire world.
What I’m talking about:
NOTE: I have not read the first four books in this series.
At the end of the fourth Allie Beckstrom book, Magic on the Storm, the soul of Allie’s true love, Zay, is sent to Death, while is body lies in a coma. At the start of Magic at the Gate, Allie crosses through a gate and into Death to find Zay’s soul and return it to his body. Her dead father (who also possesses her from time to time) acts as her guide and helps her locate Zay. Unfortunately, he also made a deal on behalf of Allie in order to get her and Zay out of Death. This deal involves Allie giving up the small magic with which she was born (she still has a large amount of magic that was placed in her earlier in the series). She is also marked by death when she completes this deal.
After getting back to the land of the living and returning Zay’s soul (he remains in a coma), we find out that there has been a lot going on while she was in Death and the magical users find themselves in a war. There are unusual things going on and the Authority (good guys) are trying to keep up with it all. With Zay out of commission, it’s up to Allie and friends to find out how and why Veiled (think ghosts of former magic users) are becoming “solid and living.”
At first, not having read the first four books didn’t bother me - the action was exciting and plot was pretty interesting. I didn’t feel lost and could infer the meaning of most of the magical terminology. I loved Allie right from page one... she is snarky and sharp. She doesn’t take crap from her dad or anyone else. And although Zay wasn’t awake from most of this book, I got a sense of the love these two Soul Compliments share...
Zay wasn’t in his bed. He was, however, in the bed I’d been in. Looked like he’d gotten there himself, too. The covers on the other bed were hanging down to the floor, and the machine he’d had hooked up to him was turned off, but not pushed against the wall or moved to some other storage place. He didn’t have an IV or oxygen tube. He was on his side, the extra pillow dragged from the other bed and now stuffed under his head. He faced the door and was snoring lightly. He’d taken my shirt I’d left on the bed and held it against his heart.
But as the story reached its climatic scenes, I noticed an emotional void within myself. The battles were intense, but at the pinnacle, when I should have cared more, I just didn’t. I think it’s because I didn’t know many of the characters. I learned to care about a few - Allie and her lover, Zay, friends Mauve, Victor, Shame & Terric. But the dozen or so others were just names to me. In addition, some of the complex politics of the Authority and magic users started to weigh down on me. This is where I think I may have enjoyed the story more if I had read the first four books, and I’d be interested in hearing from those that have read the series.
And a word about Allie’s dad... I’m not sure what to make of him. Is he “good or bad?” I think shades of grey cover his description. As an “outsider” to the series, I felt like he was trying to help Allie - albeit for selfish reasons. However, her constant reluctance to listen to him, her mistrust and sometimes almost hatred towards him, started to frustrate me as the book went on. Then again, I don’t know her history - and apparently Allie doesn’t either, since her dad has “Closed” aka “mind-wiped” her numerous times. So, maybe this wouldn’t annoy a series regular, but it something that bothered me after a while.
Magic at the Gate is typical of the Urban Fantasy genre: an exciting story that is left open for the next book. The Authority found some answers, but there is so much more going on... The “HOW” may have been answered, but the “WHY” and “what does it all mean?” questions remain. Who is good and who is bad? What is good/bad? I enjoyed the book and look forward to Ms. Monk’s next installment of Allie Beckstrom.
My Rating:
Liked it a lot - recommend (B+)
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