Cold Burn of Magic by Jennifer Estep
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Author: Jennifer Estep
Release Date: April 28, 2015
Publisher: Kensington
Pages: 368
Source: Bought
Overall: 4.5 Stars
Summary:
There Be Monsters Here. . .
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. . .
My Thoughts:
Jennifer Estep introduces a kickass heroine and a dark world brimming with magic and monsters in Cold Burn of Magic, the first book in her new Black Blade series. Any book with warring crime families immediately catches my attention, but add in an irresistible combination of people born with magical abilities and anything paranormal, and Cold Burn of Magic became an absolute must read for me!
Cloudburst Falls is known as the most magical place in America, and while tourists from around the world eagerly flock there to get up close to monsters from fairy tales, what they don't see is the dark underworld that rules the city. In Cloudburst Falls, rival Families hold all the power and constantly struggle to attain more control of the city and its inhabitants.
Lila is a gifted thief just trying to keep a low profile. She hates the Families and everything they represent—and for good reason. It was the Sinclairs and Draconis long-standing feud that caused her mother's murder and left Lila an orphan fours years ago. Now seventeen-years-old, Lila has been quietly training and honing the skills her mother taught her on the streets, keeping mostly to herself and wary to get close to anyone.
After Lila saves the life of Devon Sinclair, heir to the crime family that brought so much pain and misfortune to her life, she very reluctantly finds herself hired as his new bodyguard and gets swept into a world she never wanted to be involved in. Highly independent and unafraid to speak her mind, Lila projects herself as cocky and confident. She has the skills to back up that kind of personality, after all. But underneath her flippant and sarcastic attitude, she doesn't want to experience the grief and loss she felt when her mother died ever again. Stealing diamonds and fighting other Magicks with her sword? That's easy. Risking her heart? Now that's difficult.
Jennifer Estep delivers a new YA urban fantasy series that feels unique and refreshing, a difficult feat when the genre is beginning to seem repetitive. Fast-paced and wildly entertaining, I couldn't get enough of the addictive action and suspense in Cold Burn of Magic. I'm now highly anticipating Dark Heart of Magic! It's a good thing the sequel will be out in late October so we don't have to wait an entire year to read it!
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