⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Was I hooked by that book? Definitely. This vampire version of a whodunnit murder mystery is an utterly thrilling page-turner.

When the vampire council puts Alex and James on trial for exposing the species’ existence to the world, Alex’s freedom and James’s life hang in the balance, though Alex suspects James’s new daywalking ability is the real aim of their inquisition. Any hope of talking their way out of hot water evaporates when one of the council members is found murdered, with James standing over the smoldering corpse. With every vampire looking to claim Alex’s power for themselves, she will have to team up with an unlikely ally, push her magic to its limits, and match wits against a powerful new foe, if she hopes to come out unscathed.

MY THOUGHTS

From the very beginning, I was riveted by the secluded setting, the odd collection of vampires that made up the council, the puzzling events, and Alex’s determination to keep James safe. The author did an excellent job of creating these vampires and lulling the reader into a false peace of mind about their true characters. James had to remind Alex (and us) repeatedly that these particular vampires didn’t have altruistic intentions. The farcical style of their “courtroom” and interrogations made me so angry and exasperated.

Alex very cleverly drew conclusions based on the limited information she had. This process took us through intriguing twists and turns, and I never would have predicted the outcome the way it unfolded. She used her magic very effectively and also expanded her powers in interesting ways. The ending was a relief, but also left me feeling frustrated and wondering how the future was going to look for Alex and James.

This series just keeps getting better and better, and I can highly recommend it if you like action-packed fantasy with a soulmate kind of romance. It is definitely best to read the books in order.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Were you hooked by that book? Let me know in the comments below.

Genre: Fantasy, Suspense, Romance
Sensuality Rating: Subtle
Series: The Magicsmith
Other books in the series: A Drop of Magic, Courting Darkness, Faerie Forged, Casting Shadows, Of Mettle and Magic, Chaos Song