Rating: 3⭐️
This was a book I saw advertised on FB, maybe that was a clue. I have had some good finds that way but by 55% of the story, I’ll admit I was struggling to continue reading. Each chapter, especially from the middle on when I saw Jax’s character development stays basically where it was at the beginning, I’m wavering between a DnF and keep page flipping.
It comes down to the main character, Jax, a magical woman whose powers are channeled through her emotions, primarily from her pain.
Rated Magus 10, a scale from her first Council kidnapping, she’s been crafted by Lawrence as an unappealing mess of a paranormal being. A private investigator of paranormal cases, once hired, by her methods, she doesn’t actually investigate anything. Instead she accepts intense, highly charged case after case, then without actually sitting down and thinking about each one of them and prioritizing the work, she just runs off.
No research into her cases or investigative work that would make her credible. Instead plunging into dangerous situations, often turning things worse instead of better. The people who have hired her end up worse off in every instance. She ends up constantly being caught, beaten up, losing objects or breaking things she was supposed to find. And is always surprised when things go sideways. Or that people she trusted are not trustworthy. Every single scenario is full of TSTL moments where, at least me, starts flipping pages even faster.
“I don’t understand,” I said again”
That’s a constant refrain from Jax. And I’m on Chapter 37. I’m thinking I don’t understand why I’m still reading this book.
Honestly I kept thinking surely she has some plausible plan in mind, nope. Or backup. Again no. She’s the mindless equivalent of the ball in a pin-ball machine, endlessly ricocheting around the table. As it is, I’m sympathizing with Jax’s client’s when they look at the unmitigated disaster she’s made of their lives and cases, threatening her when the damage she’s left by not paying attention or getting things done or even making the right decisions, have left death in her wake. And theirs.
Are we supposed to be on her side? Really? I have run into several authors who craft their characters in this manner and it always leaves me astonished. Give me a well written competent, ingenious , intelligent person, no matter what gender, who is capable of researching and investigating their cases, with or without any magical abilities. And I’m happy. In other words, a well thought out, multi dimensional, intelligent person.
And giving them a ghostly companion (who they often berate for cleaning their apartment, oh no, and a magical albino ferret, neither of which has any background history or foundation to them), doesn’t enhance her character. It’s empty layering for her the most part.
There’s some interesting aspects to this story. Outside of how she wields her powers, there’s also the facts that the world’s magical and non-magical realms are divided into floors accessible by a elevator, humanity is one floor, otherworldly beings and creatures and their realms are on others. I guess the world is flat? Idk It’s a neat idea , although not exactly new, that needs further exploration here. And all the magic is done with Latin words. And wands. “Illumino”.
Btw, going back, at Chapter 26, Jax has just now remembered she’s got two prior important cases to be solved, one of which is for her best friend about the death of that friend’s neighbor who just happened to Look Oh no. SMH
So , I’m not going further here. I just can’t with characters like this. I have zero tolerance for them and their stories.
If you do, here’s a series for you.
Blood Magic: An Urban Fantasy Action Adventure (Complete 6-Book Series) (6 book series):
The HighFire Crown (Book 1)
The Dream Drinker (Book 2)
The Witch Hunter (Book 3)
The Ember Isles (Book 4)
The Chaos Jar (Book 5)
The New Dawn Throne (Book 6)
Buy links:
Single book – see below
The HighFire Crown: An Urban Fantasy Action Adventure
Book 1 of 6: Blood Magic: An Urban Fantasy Action Adventure (Complete 6-Book Series)
Blurb
It’s a case she can’t refuse.
Spell-slinger. Vampire-slayer. Magical albino ferret-rescuer.
Meet Jacqueline Denna Knight, the best wizard detective in the city.
Jax turns vampires to ash and pain into magic. She also has a knack for finding things. So when a distraught—and obscenely wealthy—elf calls Jax at midnight to hire her for an intriguing job, she grabs the opportunity with both hands…
But what Jax doesn’t know is that this case is going to unravel her life. She’ll get tangled up with a host of intriguing characters, most of whom are not who they appear to be.
As Jax speeds down a path toward the most powerful vampire clan in the country, she’ll have to put everything on the line.
Will she be able to use her unique brand of magic to save the Realm?
This complete Blood Magic series contains the following books:
The HighFire Crown (Book 1)
The Dream Drinker (Book 2)
The Witch Hunter (Book 3)
The Ember Isles (Book 4)
The Chaos Jar (Book 5)
The New Dawn Throne (Book 6)
Fire Finch Press
Publication date
August 28, 2024
Language
English
Print length
288 pages
Book 1 of 6
Blood Magic: An Urban Fantasy Action Adventure (Complete 6-Book Series)
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 