Helpful Score: 2
Great book, but read it in order with the others. This is one of my favorite series. If you like a long story arc, with lots of mystery slowly revealed, you will like this.
Lisa C. (tarheelcoin) reviewed Magic in the Shadows (Allie Beckstrom, Bk 3) on + 84 more book reviews
Enjoyed this book - lots of action and great characters. The thing that kept me from giving it 5 stars is the stubbornness of Allie. It's constant, and it gets annoying at times. That is not a deal-breaker though. I'm looking forward to the next in the series.
Karissa E. (ophelia99) reviewed Magic in the Shadows (Allie Beckstrom, Bk 3) on + 2527 more book reviews
This is the third book in the Allie Beckstrom series by Devon Monk. The sixth book, Magic on the Hunt, is due out in April of 2011. This book was an excellent addition to the series and really broadened and complicated Allie's world. So far this book has been my favorite of the set.
In the last book Allie's father forced himself into her mind. In this book Allie is trying to figure out how to cope with that. Her father is there giving her advice she doesn't want and constantly pleading with her to find the disks. Then on her first date with Zayvion Allie senses something in the alleyway; it is a creature unlike anything she has ever encountered and it is hunting the streets of the city. Allie is also taking on new responsibilities; she is leading the support group for the Hounds and is thinking about signing on with the police department as a permanent consultant for Hounding.
This was the best book in the series so far. Allie is put in contact with the Authorities through Zayvion and actually decides to go through some training to learn how to use her magic better. It was great to see a heroine actually taking the time to get training to learn how to use her powers in the best way possible. As a reader we also get to spend a lot more time with the other Hounds and all of them are interesting characters. We meet more members of the Authorities (another really interesting group of people).
There was a lot of action in this book, which was great. Allie and Zayvion actually progress in their relationship some and get more information on how their two magic types Compliment each other. We learn a ton more about the Authority and the struggle for magic that is happening behind the scenes. In general this was a fun read.
Allie is still not my favorite heroine ever, but I am getting more attached to her. Zayvion is awesome and we learn so many neat things about him in this book. This book also packed in more story than the previous two and I really felt like Monk had found a better writing groove.
Overall an excellent addition to this series. It was a fun book to read and I am enjoying all the complexity added to the magic world. I will definitely continue to read this series. I would also recommend Kate Daniels by Ilona Andres, Jane Yellowrock by Faith Hunter, and Elemental Assassin by Jennifer Estep which are all wonderful urban fantasies featuring strong women.
In the last book Allie's father forced himself into her mind. In this book Allie is trying to figure out how to cope with that. Her father is there giving her advice she doesn't want and constantly pleading with her to find the disks. Then on her first date with Zayvion Allie senses something in the alleyway; it is a creature unlike anything she has ever encountered and it is hunting the streets of the city. Allie is also taking on new responsibilities; she is leading the support group for the Hounds and is thinking about signing on with the police department as a permanent consultant for Hounding.
This was the best book in the series so far. Allie is put in contact with the Authorities through Zayvion and actually decides to go through some training to learn how to use her magic better. It was great to see a heroine actually taking the time to get training to learn how to use her powers in the best way possible. As a reader we also get to spend a lot more time with the other Hounds and all of them are interesting characters. We meet more members of the Authorities (another really interesting group of people).
There was a lot of action in this book, which was great. Allie and Zayvion actually progress in their relationship some and get more information on how their two magic types Compliment each other. We learn a ton more about the Authority and the struggle for magic that is happening behind the scenes. In general this was a fun read.
Allie is still not my favorite heroine ever, but I am getting more attached to her. Zayvion is awesome and we learn so many neat things about him in this book. This book also packed in more story than the previous two and I really felt like Monk had found a better writing groove.
Overall an excellent addition to this series. It was a fun book to read and I am enjoying all the complexity added to the magic world. I will definitely continue to read this series. I would also recommend Kate Daniels by Ilona Andres, Jane Yellowrock by Faith Hunter, and Elemental Assassin by Jennifer Estep which are all wonderful urban fantasies featuring strong women.
I enjoyed the book just hope that Allie grows up in the next book.
This book is the best in the series so far. Well written, with a good plot. New characters were introduced and there were a lot of questions answered and some more questions raised. Looking forward to reading more about Allie and her adventures.
Really really good book. Just an overall good read. Good plot, great characters. Can't wait to get my hands on the next one.
Wendy H. (donkeycheese) -
Allie may be losing her mind, but she still has magic at her fingertips.
Allie Beckstrom is a Hound; she is able to trace magic back to its source. She does a lot of jobs for the police helping to stop practitioners from harming more innocents. Every time magic is used, it expends right back in some form. It could be a headache or sore muscles, but in Allie's case, her powers are so great she usually pays a higher price. She keeps a journal of her day-to-day activities because she never knows when she will wake up without her memories. Her mind has huge holes in it where her memories used to be due too using her magic. She also has beautiful scrolled artwork upon her body that the magic has created.
One of the problems with her memory is that since her last big job she doesn't remember Zayvion Jones, a gorgeous man who claims to be her soul complement. A soul complement is the act of a couple using magic together as one, a rare but powerful combination. Zayvion stirs deep desire in Allie, but she keeps holding her heart from him.
She saw her dad, Daniel Beckstrom, buried, but she keeps hearing him in her head. They never got along when he was alive, and Allie wants him gone for good. But the man who killed Daniel won't rest until he is truly gone, even if it means killing Allie. She wants to join the Authority, a secret organization of magic users, to learn how to control her magic and remove her father from her mind permanently. However, first, she has to pass their test, if she can live long enough with her dad's killer on her trail.
MAGIC IN THE SHADOWS is another riveting installment in the ALLIE BECKSTROM series. Allie is gutsy and stubborn and has no qualms about being herself or doing what she believes in. The romance between her and Zayvion is passionate and sensual. Action-packed, magical and topped with humor and romance, MAGIC IN THE SHADOWS is phenomenal!
Allie Beckstrom is a Hound; she is able to trace magic back to its source. She does a lot of jobs for the police helping to stop practitioners from harming more innocents. Every time magic is used, it expends right back in some form. It could be a headache or sore muscles, but in Allie's case, her powers are so great she usually pays a higher price. She keeps a journal of her day-to-day activities because she never knows when she will wake up without her memories. Her mind has huge holes in it where her memories used to be due too using her magic. She also has beautiful scrolled artwork upon her body that the magic has created.
One of the problems with her memory is that since her last big job she doesn't remember Zayvion Jones, a gorgeous man who claims to be her soul complement. A soul complement is the act of a couple using magic together as one, a rare but powerful combination. Zayvion stirs deep desire in Allie, but she keeps holding her heart from him.
She saw her dad, Daniel Beckstrom, buried, but she keeps hearing him in her head. They never got along when he was alive, and Allie wants him gone for good. But the man who killed Daniel won't rest until he is truly gone, even if it means killing Allie. She wants to join the Authority, a secret organization of magic users, to learn how to control her magic and remove her father from her mind permanently. However, first, she has to pass their test, if she can live long enough with her dad's killer on her trail.
MAGIC IN THE SHADOWS is another riveting installment in the ALLIE BECKSTROM series. Allie is gutsy and stubborn and has no qualms about being herself or doing what she believes in. The romance between her and Zayvion is passionate and sensual. Action-packed, magical and topped with humor and romance, MAGIC IN THE SHADOWS is phenomenal!
