Title: Magic in the Blood

Author: Devon Monk

Series: Ally Beckstrom #2

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Rating: 1/5 stars

The Overview: In the second book in Devon Monk’s Allie Beckstrom series, when the police’s magical enforcement division asks Allie to consult on a missing persons case, she finds herself drawn into an underworld of criminals, ghosts, and blood magic. Working as a Hound—tracing illegal spells back to their casters—has taken its toll on Allison Beckstrom. But even though magic has given her migraines and stolen her recent memory, Allie isn’t about to quit. Then the police’s magic enforcement division asks her to consult on a missing persons case. But what seems to be a straightforward job turns out to be anything but, as Allie finds herself drawn into the underworld of criminals, ghosts, and blood magic. -Goodreads

The Review:

This was almost a DNF… and it probably should’ve been, given I didn’t get any value out of forcing myself through it.

I have masochistic tendencies (and unrelenting optimism) when it comes to Urban Fantasies. I’ve been rewarded by persistence often enough not to discount any series in the genre that doesn’t immediately make a good impression. To boot I’ve read Monk’s Ordinary Magic series and the first of her Age of Steam and liked them… so I know she has the ability to really work for me.

But even given all it’s concessions, thus far Magic in the Blood has been one of the weakest UFs I’ve ever read.

This second book was a TAD better than the first one, if only because it had more of a plot and the heroine was a smidge less brain-damaged (harsh), but even so, there wasn’t enough going on to keep my attention.

For starters, the “hounding” magic still hasn’t been well-established yet, nor really contributed in any meaningful way. It’s an interesting premise, but feels very underdeveloped. The mystery plot is similar, having good basics, but didn’t offer anything beyond that. I finished the book a month ago and really can’t tell you much on recall. Whether that’s because it was uninteresting or I was just too disengaged to care, it’s hard to say, but either way that’s not ideal.

And then there’s the love story.

One of the worst I’ve read. And that includes a handful of trashy paranormal romances. The biggest problem is that engaging with the love interest given the context of the story was the stupidest thing the main character could’ve done. The total lack of common sense made her instantly unlikable and immediately stole credibility from her perspective. That foolishness follows into this second book to a lesser degree, but it’s still a negative factor. I also don’t like the poor execution of craft behind it. This is the only book I think a love triangle may have actually helped, as it would’ve deflected attention from the only male candidate how little the MC trusted him. I suppose some people might enjoy reading about a reckless love life, but it just doesn’t work for me. The facade of “the main character thinks he’s untrustworthy and working with the enemy, but also thinks he’s hot and wants to date him anyway” is a thin one and easy to see through.

Oh yeah, and the dialogue back and forth between them was immature and unrealistic and felt totally out of place given all the “sinister” things happening around them.

I didn’t not like it, Sam I am.

Yet I may, MAY still read the next one in a few years when I’ve nothing else pending in the genre, just to be contrary. After all, I do really like some of her later works… maybe this one gets better. XD

Recommendations: Unless you’ve read everything else in the urban fantasy genre, skip this series for now. Try Ordinary Magic instead.

Other books you might like (better):

by Niki Hawkes