Review: Fate's Edge by Ilona Andrews

Title: Fate's Edge
Author: Ilona Andrews
Series: Edge, Book 3
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Release Date: 29 November 2011

Audrey Callahan left behind her life in the Edge, and she's determined to stay on the straight and narrow. But when her brother gets into hot water, the former thief takes on one last heist and finds herself matching wits with a jack of all trades...

Kaldar Mar-a gambler, lawyer, thief, and spy-expects his latest assignment tracking down a stolen item to be a piece of cake, until Audrey shows up. But when the item falls into the hands of a lethal criminal, Kaldar realizes that in order to finish the job, he's going to need Audrey's help…

This book started a bit slow for me. There was quite a bit in the beginning in Jack and George's POV, which was interesting, but I was really looking forward to getting to the story.

Once Kaldar - what a great character, full of life, charm, and loyalty - and Audrey met the story really picked up and I couldn't stop turning pages, staying up far into the night to continue reading.

If you've read Bayou Moon you know Kaldar of the Mar family. He's taken a job with the Mirror in order to gain his vengeance on the Hand. The Hand had dwindled the numbers of his family, killing a favored aunt, in their last meeting. Kaldar is determined to make every last one of them pay. He's the same charming, smooth-talking grifter that he always was, and watching him work his own particular brand of magic was a pure delight.

While Kaldar treasures family and would do anything for them, Audrey comes from the opposite side of that coin. She only wants to be left alone by her family. She'll do anything to get them to forget she exists, including one last job, where her picklock experience is needed. When the job is over and she goes home she has no idea that her life as she knew it is all but over. Regret, duty, and just a little bit of thrill compel her back into the field to right the wrongs she unknowingly spurred.

Seeing the ultimate conman meet his match in another of his kind was brilliant. They knew each other so well because they were so like one another. They fit together perfectly. With hills and valleys to fill the other. Watching them go from mild flirting, to desperate wanting, to true desire and finally love was like a pot of water slowly brought to boil. The heat built and my anticipation with it.

The world continues to be first rate, switching between the Broken, the Edge, and the Weird smoothly. New characters pop up to make things interesting, and known characters continue to make themselves a part of the story.

Fate's Edge was a thrilling roller-coaster ride of intrigue, locks, spells, battles and love to the end. I can't wait to see what Ilona Andrews has in store for us next in The Edge.


Grade: A-

Book Link | Amazon | Kindle | nook | kobo | Sony | Book Depository | Ace Books

Ilona Andrews Book Order

Kate Daniels Series

* "A Questionable Client" in Dark and Stormy Nights anthology

1. Magic Bites

2. Magic Burns

3. Magic Strikes

3.5 "Magic Mourns" in Must Love Hellhounds anthology

4. Magic Bleeds

4.5 "Magic Dreams" in Hexed anthology

5. Magic Slays

5.5 Magic Gifts

5.6 "Magic Tests" in An Apple for Creature - Julie short story

**Read Andrea Book 1 here**

* "Retribution Clause" in Hex Appeal

6. Magic Rises

7. Magic Breaks (29 July 2014)


Andrea Nash Series

1. Gunmetal Magic


Edge Series

1. On the Edge
Declan and Rose

2. Bayou Moon
William and Cerise

3. Fate's Edge
Kaldar Mar and Audrey Callahan

4. Steel's Edge
Richard Mar and Charlotte de Ney



Alphas

1. "Alphas - Origins" in Angels of Darkness


Kinsmen

1. Silent Blade (Samhain Publishing)
2. Silver Shark


Stand Alones

"Grace of Small Magics" in Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance or available in the ebook Under Her Skin (along with short stories from Jeaniene Frost and Meljean Brook)



Please note: This page was written by me, so as always, please visit the author’s website for up-to-date, author-verified information as well as for information on books that have not yet been included to this list.

http://www.ilona-andrews.com/

Review: On the Edge by Ilona Andrews

Title: On the Edge
Author: Ilona Andrews
Series: The Edge 1
Genre: Fantasy Romance (or 'Rustic Fantasy' per Ilona)
Release Date: 29 September 2009

Imagine a world that's the complete opposite of ours. Where instead of technology there's magic. It has an Air Force - except they fly wyverns instead of planes. This is the Weird. By contrast is our world, called the Broken. Magic doesn't exist here, doesn't work here and if someone with magic comes to the Broken for too long they'll lose their magic.

In between is a place called the Edge. Here exist the people that have magic, though not a lot, and don't wish to live without it in the Broken. They get electricity from the Broken, and use magical wards to protect themselves from the dangerous creatures that live in the wood with them. Most Edgers couldn't survive in the Weird, because they lack the power and can't live in the Broken because of a lack of legal papers.

Rose Drayton is an Edger. She once tried to build a better life for herself by practicing and honing her magic, but it backfired and brought her the kind of attention she didn't need. She's had to constantly protect herself from those that would steal her with the purpose of breeding more magic into their children. Now she raises her brothers, Jack and Georgie, and works in the Broken just to scrape by.

Declan Camarine is a blueblood noble from the Weird that shows up on the edge of her wards and she warns him off like she has every other blueblood that's come calling. He won't have her. Rose intrigues Declan and instead of trying to steal her, he offers the option of a challenge. He'll complete three tasks and then she'll be his. Rose thinks she can easily outsmart him, keeping her family safe in the Edge, and sending him packing back to the Weird.

But then a terrible evil invades the Edge, horrible creatures that hunt magic and Declan and Rose must work together to destroy them and save everything that she holds dear.

The world her that Ilona Andrews created is a fascinating place. Not quite our world, not quite a fantasy world, it's vivd, captivating place filled with captivating characters. I was absolutely immersed in the Edge, and loved every moment that I spent there.

Rose was a fascinating character. She's had the rose-colored glasses, pardon the pun, ripped off her face and expects the worst in everyone but family, whom she's fiercely loyal to. She's very stubborn and almost can't back down from a challenge. I admit I loved this about her. She was not about to let anyone run her life or take over for her. Rose wasn't about to give her trust to anyone that didn't deserve it, and she damn sure wasn't going to let just anyone have her heart.

Declan, I absolutely loved from the first moment that Rose tried to run him over. He was arrogant and brash, and yet at the same time he's honorable, loyal and admirable. His interactions with Rose and her family made my heart tremble. I was rooting for him to find the way past Rose's defenses from the start.

Beyond the utterly wonderful world, and vividness of Rose and Declan, there's a supporting cast of fully three-dimensional cast of secondary characters. Jack and Georgie, in particular, just hit my heart hard. I loved seeing through their point-of-views, feeling the heart-breaking burden of their gifts, the absolutely pure love they had for each other and Rose, and the disarming yearning they had for peace and happiness.

The evil that threatens Rose and all those that live in the edge is cruel and vicious, with complicated connections. I did feel that the resolution of it was a bit rushed, but I was so involved in the character's journeys that it was only after I finished that I really thought about that.

As a first time reader of Ms. Andrews, I was absolutely enchanted with the world-building, the characters, and the emotions in On the Edge. And I can't wait to go back and visit the world again with Bayou Moon which is already out.

I would definitely recommend this to anyone that enjoys Patricia Briggs and Jeaniene Frost. Ms. Andrews has a way of pulling you into the world, to the point where I was up late into the night just having to read 'one more' chapter.

Grade: A-



Book Link | Amazon | Kindle | nook | kobo | Sony | Book Depository | Ace Fantasy

Waiting for Payday 3

Waiting for Payday is a weekly event hosted at The Bookish Snob which spotlights books that may have been out for a while that you're anxious to get your hands on, but that empty wallet is already crying, so Waiting for Payday it is! Head on over to TheBookishSnob and link up!

Bayou Moon (The Edge 2) by Ilona Andrews

Cerise Mar and her unruly clan are cash poor but land rich, claiming a large swathe of the Mire, the Edge swamplands between the state of Louisiana and the Weird. When her parents vanish, her clan’s long-time rivals are suspect number one.

But all is not as it seems. Two nations of the Weird are waging a cold war fought by feint and espionage, and their conflict is about to spill over into the Edge—and Cerise’s life. William, a changeling soldier who left behind the politics of the Weird, has been forced back into service to track down a rival nation’s spymaster.

When William’s and Cerise’s missions lead them to cross paths, sparks fly—but they’ll have to work together if they want to succeed ... and survive.

I just finished my first book by Ilona Andrews, On the Edge and greatly enjoyed it (review to come soon), and now I'm anxiously waiting when I can buy the next one!


What're you Waiting for Payday to buy?