Synopsis (Goodreads):
A new urban fantasy series about a magician and daughter of accused serial killers who must clear their names—or pay for their crimes with her life.My Thoughts: For the love of things that go bump in the night, this book was FABULOUS! It was the perfect blend of action, intrigue, tension and the supernatural. I loved the worldbuilding. Loved it to pieces! I was never went into informational overload as the world was shaped and I think the elements Jenn Bennett created came together wonderfully. I literally got nothing done today because I couldn't put this book down. The phone would ring and I was mighty tempted to ignore it so I could spend just a little longer with Cady and her crew.
Being the spawn of two infamous occultists (and alleged murderers) isn’t easy, but freewheeling magician Arcadia “Cady” Bell knows how to make the best of a crummy situation. After hiding out for seven years, she’s carved an incognito niche for herself slinging drinks at the demon-friendly Tambuku Tiki Lounge.
But she receives an ultimatum when unexpected surveillance footage of her notorious parents surfaces: either prove their innocence or surrender herself. Unfortunately, the only witness to the crimes was an elusive Æthyric demon, and Cady has no idea how to find it. She teams up with Lon Butler, an enigmatic demonologist with a special talent for sexual spells and an arcane library of priceless stolen grimoires. Their research soon escalates into a storm of conflict involving missing police evidence, the decadent Hellfire Club, a ruthless bounty hunter, and a powerful occult society that operates way outside the law. If Cady can’t clear her family name soon, she’ll be forced to sacrifice her own life . . . and no amount of running will save her this time.
One of the highlights of the story was Lon's relationship with his son and, as the story progresses, Cady's relationship with his son. It felt very real and I adored how Lon loved Jupe unconditionally but still saw his flaws. It made for an interesting counterbalance to see their close relationship against Cady's unwanted estrangement with her parents. You know if I'm being honest here, the light-heartedness of Jupe's character is high on my list of reasons why I liked this book. He shone. What can I say? I liked the kid.
Which isn't to say that Cady and Lon are duds. Far from it. Cady is strong and smart but her circumstances force her to hold part of herself away from the people she calls friends. In a lot of ways she's closed herself off from the world by staying out of relationships and keeping people at a distance. Lon changes that. He attracts her on a physical level and he confounds her with the way he stays cautiously aloof. When she's forced to trust him after spilling her secrets, she starts to thaw a bit and see the potential for something between them.
Guys, the book was fun. Period. I liked it from beginning to end and I will gladly dive into Cady's world as soon as book 2 comes out.
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Kindling the Moon was provided for review.
This sounds exactly like the type of book that I would enjoy! Thanks for sharing because I haven't heard about it before.
ReplyDeleteI'm off to add this to my wishlist! :)
I've ordered it, I thought it sounded pretty
ReplyDeletegood when I read the blurb, I can't wait for it to arrive now. Great review.
Jules: It absolutely hit the spot for me. I didn't want it to end.
ReplyDeleteMy keeper shelf: Yay! Have fun with it!