Author: Christine Amsden
Release date: May 15, 2013
Publisher: Twilight Times Books
Age Group: New Adult
Genre: Fantasy/Paranormal Romance
Tour organized by: AToMR Tour
Links to the book:
Book Description:
Cassie Scot is the ungifted daughter of powerful sorcerers, born between worlds but belonging to neither. At 21, all she wants is to find a place for herself, but earning a living as a private investigator in the shadow of her family’s reputation isn’t easy. When she is pulled into a paranormal investigation, and tempted by a powerful and handsome sorcerer, she will have to decide where she truly belongs.
About the Author:
Award-winning author Christine Amsden has written stories since she was eight, always with a touch of the strange or unusual. She became a “serious” writer in 2003, after attending a boot camp with Orson Scott Card. She finished Touch of Fate shortly afterward, then penned The Immortality Virus, which won two awards. Expect many more titles by this up-and-coming author.
Review:
Going into this book I was really excited because I am a huge fan of urban fantasy and mystery, and this book encompasses both genres. This book didn't disappoint. It was very well written and a definite page-turner. I loved the main character, Cassie, and the whole concept of this book was fully original.
Cassie Scot is a twenty-one year old young woman that comes from a large family, all gifted with magical abilities. She happens to be the only member of her family with no magical gifts. They live in a town where a decent number of people have magical abilities of their own. Cassie feels inferior to her family because of her lack of ability and wants to prove that even without magic she is worthy. She sets up shop as a private investigator and ends up investigating a murder mystery swimming in the paranormal. Using only her regular person abilities she sets out to solve the mystery.
I loved Cassie. I have read so many books with the main character having either magical abilities or super strength or both, and as much as I enjoyed them it was difficult to fully relate to them. With Cassie I totally connected with her. In reading so much fantasy I often find myself on the outside looking in, whereas with Cassie I felt like we were both in that role. Not only did I connect with her on a literal basis, but the overall idea of feeling inferior in real life is one that everyone can relate to on some level.
I also loved that this story really focused on Cassie growing as a character as opposed to being a romantic fantasy. There was a little romance (what's a story without a LITTLE romance?), but it wasn't the focus of the book. The mystery was engaging, involved numerous characters and creatures, and wasn't predictable or obvious.
If you are looking for a quick read (only 250 pages) with a great mystery, a well developed and loveable main character, and all sorts of magic and paranormal creatures this book is most definitely for you. I'm pretty sure (fingers crossed) that this is the first book in a series and I cannot wait to solve more mysteries with Cassie Scot. The storyline and characters will make for a great ongoing series and I can't wait to read them all!
Rating:
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Thank you so much for your wonderful review. As an author, any great review is nice, but it's particularly vindicating when a reader really seems to get it. Fantasy can be read with or without underlying themes, but I think it's more fun with. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your review and the giveaway. Sounds like a great book and I am looking forward to reading it. evamillien at gmail dot com
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