Review- Magic to the Bone

Devon Monk
Urban Fantasy
355 pages
Allie Beckstrom Series #1
Excerpt
Roc/Penguin Usa


Goodreads Synopsis:
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...


My Review:
I'm always excited when I'm introduced to a completely new world with a different set of rules.  Devon Monk's series opener, Magic to the Bone, is just that; a friendly handshake, a polite nod, or tip of your hat. Eh, no it's not, it's an explosion of events, a thrill ride, a shot of adrenaline to this reader's heart.


Allie Beckstrom is engaging. The compassion I ended up feeling really attached me to her character.  She's been taking care of herself since she decided as a teenager that the easy road {her father's world of money and power} was not for her.  She's tough for that, but her generosity of spirit sets her apart from other heroines merely looking to survive for themselves.  Allie doesn't become frustrated by the numerous crappy hands that fate has dealt her. She proves over and over again that she's a survivor,  and if that's not a quality to emulate then I don't know what is.

"Don't give me shit for the price I've had to pay to live my life.  I didn't get a choice about losing my mind. Magic is a heartless bitch, and she's had me by the throat for years."

Zayvion Jones is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma; and all that adage. From the moment he's introduced you're constantly saying "who are you"? Besides being a perfect counterpoint for our heroine he is mystifying and entertaining to try and figure out. His character really stands in Allie's shadows, and for a powerful male {and you know he's powerful, even if you don't know what the hell he is or really anything about him}, it comes off rather endearing. 


There are so many pieces of this book I enjoyed I could be here forever discussing each of them. I'm always a fan of stories centered around magic, but Monk's fresh ideas, and inventive version of reality made Magic to the Bone completely unique. Monk's writting style was easy to slip into and the pace she sets with the story is thrilling.  Be warned: once you start you'll find it near impossible to stop.  


Bottom Line: A flawed, struggling, kick-ass heroine attached to a cunning plot...I've got a new series to be hooked on.


4.5 stars