Title: A Drop of Magic
Series: The Magicsmith Book #1
Stand Alone Title: yes
Author: L.R. Braden
Genre: Fantasy, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Urban Fantasy
Blurb: The war isn’t over . . .
With the world clinging to a fragile peace forced on the Fae by humanity after
the Faerie Wars, metalsmith Alex Blackwood is plunged into the world of the half-fae
who traffick in illegal magical artifacts. Her best friend’s murder and his
cryptic last message place her in the crosshairs of a scheme to reignite the
decade-old war between humans and fae.
Worse, violent attacks against her and the arrival of a fae knight on a mission
force Alex to face a devastating revelation of who and what she is. To catch a
killer, retrieve a dangerous artifact, and stop a war, Alex will have to accept
that she’s an unregistered fae “halfer” with a unique magical talent—a talent
that would change everything she believes about her past, her art, and her
future.
Her world is crumbling around her, and Alex will have to decide who to trust if
she and the world are going to survive.
Thoughts: This was a very interesting book and I enjoyed reading it immensely. The vibe of it reminds me a bit of Diana Pharaoh Farris and her Diamond City Magic series. Alex lives in a world after a war between the Fae and humans, one in which Fae – and even the half-fae or ‘halfers’ – has to register with the government. Alex receives a visit from to Fae, then discovers one of her best friends has been murdered. After that, she keeps getting caught up in one crazy thing after another – and learns way more about herself than she ever expected!
This was a wild ride from start to finish – with a lot of suspense and who-done-it mystery. At times, my husband laughed at me because I had such an intent look on my face while reading it (which has been deemed my Sherlock Holmes face…LOL) But honestly, the story was so interesting and engaging that I was quickly wrapped up in it and just had to see how it ends. The world is very complex, with numerous events going on that kept you on the edge of your seat. I devoured the book in a couple of hours – it was just that great!
Can’t wait to see where the second book takes us! Courting Darkness is due to be released on August 30, 2019.
Rating: A
