Melissa F. Olson

This is another book that I tried to read last year but just could not get into. Something told me though that I should give it another shot and I am so glad I did! I thoroughly enjoy Lex, she was sarcastic, funny and while yes she was incredibly hotheaded she didn't act brash. In fact most of the time she responded to situations in realistic and rational, a bit of a welcome change from what seems to be a trend in other fantasy series.

I also enjoy that Lex was a veteran. There are not too many Veterans represented in books and also the fact that Lex was a female veteran was even more surprisingly and enjoyable. It gave her knowledge and understanding that seemed practical and not just a boom she knows for reason kinda deal. The side characters were okay, although there were moments that I felt they were just there for filler, that was mostly with Lex's family.

A couple of things I did not like. First, the romance was entirely predictable and not at all setup. It was something that just kinda was there suddenly. Did it add to the story, not really besides a bit of unnecessary drama that I felt the book didn't need. Secondly, this fell into the trope of the protagonist has dormant magical power that she has never used in her life but instinctively knows how to use. It's a bit over used in my opinion by a lot of fantasy writers and it just needs to be stopped.… (altro)

3.5 stars.

This was the first book I read by the author and I liked it. It was nice reading about someone who can work her magic on vampires instead :D

Worldbuilding was good, it's an urban fantasy so it takes place in the here and now, with the only difference being that there are witches, werewolves, and vampires (though still in the closet). Scenes and environments were well described.

Character building was good, Lex finds out she's a boundary witch while trying to keep her baby niece safe. She's a very down to earth woman so this news pretty much met with ridicule until faced with clear evidence. I would like to say she took her time getting used to the idea, but she didn't really have the luxury of time since her niece was still in danger. So she took it head-on, I liked that about her :)
Quinn, I like where he is going. Now only to find out how far his feelings go for Lex or if it's just the death in her blood that attracts him.
Simon and Lilly are great, they're not as rigid as their mother in their dealings with Lex, I expect a solid friendship between the three of them. Though, that said, I wonder how Simon will react when he finds out what Lex really did...

Pacing and flow, this is where it (for me) wasn't as good. Beginning and end were super, but there was a part in the middle that slowed down too much, and if I hadn't gotten that far already, I would have put it aside to read again in the future. The balance between action and conversation throughout the book was good.

The book itself was well written with no (noticeable) errors.

All in all, an enjoyable read, shame though that the middle of the book slowed down too much, but with such a good plot and great characters I will be reading the next book :)… (altro)

After her twin sister’s brutal murder, former US Army Sergeant Allison “Lex” Luther vowed to protect her niece, Charlie. So when two vampires try to kidnap the baby, it quickly turns into a fight to the death—Lex’s death, that is. She wakes up to two shocking discoveries: she has miraculously survived the fight, and baby Charlie is a “null,” gifted with the ability to weaken supernatural forces...and a target for creatures who want to control that power. Determined to guarantee her niece’s safety, Lex makes a deal with the local vampires. She sets out with the mysterious—and undead—“fixer” Quinn to track down whoever’s responsible for the kidnapping, sharpening her newfound magic skills along the way. But the closer she gets to the truth, the more dangerous her powers become. I admit it, I really enjoyed this. This was released in May, so it's the first book of the series. There was a touch of swooning, but that's about it. Read it this morning, included because I enjoyed it. ;) You know that shitty feeling you get when you read a book, then realize the next book won't be out until next year? Yeah. That's me today.
… (altro)