Magic on the Storm (Allie Beckstrom Novels) [Mass Market Paperback]

This is probably my favourite of the Allie Beckstrom series so far. Like the books before it there is a lot going on, with many hidden agendas and you can never be completely sure who to trust or what's going to happen next. I had a really hard time putting the book down, particularly towards the end. There were a few big shocks and the more intense it got, the more difficult it was to put down! I love the magical side to these books, the way it works, the price it costs, and the plots surrounding it and the Authority. It's cleverly crafted making a lot possible, but more impossible. But more than that I love the interplay between Allie, Zay and Shame. This book sees the addition of several new characters and one of them is Terric, who became a new favourite within a couple of pages. He's got a fair bit of history with Zay and Shame, add him to the mix and things got really interesting.

Likewise, I love the growth of the characters, Allie in particular, and the way we gradually learn more about them though the books. Allie has a lot resting on her shoulders already but she's always willing to throw herself deeper in trouble to help her friends, even though she's often terrified and doesn't really know what she's doing. She's capable and learns from her mistakes. I also love how Allie isn't afraid to ask tough questions, particularly of those she loves. She can push too far, but she does it in an attempt to understand them better, to better help and support them, if she can. Allie faces huge new battles in this book, both personal and with the Authority. I like how she handles them, not without fear or worry but with the determination to do the right thing.

Aside from the Authority, there is the continuation of Allie with her Hounds, and the fall out Davy is having to deal with from the blood magic Greyson and Tomi worked on him. And Greyson is someone Allie needs to worry a lot about. The Authority have him contained, but Allie's convinced that doesn't stop him being dangerous. And now that Zayvion and Allie know for sure they're Soul Complements, things between them are a little more complicated than before.

The ending was intense and explosive. It just kept growing with new twists. It answered some questions and left a whole lot more in their wake. Lots of shocks and drama and sadness. It did some nice setting up for the next book, but left with Allie in a place where I was desperate to know what happens next. Another well written, entertaining, intense Allie Beckstrom book and I am really looking forward to the next book, Magic At The Gate, in November.

Urban fantasy is fun. Instead of medieval knights running around with their magic swords (don't get me wrong, I really like that stuff too) we find ourselves in an alternate modern universe.

Allie Beckstrom is born with magic, unlike most of the other residents of Portland. In this book a magic storm is getting close to Portland and the magic community has to figure out what to do. Her father is still residing in her head giving her advice that she is sceptical to, to say the least. Zavion Jones is still her "great love".

Allie will have to face all three of these parts of her life as they challenge her magic abilities and desire for integrity. The action is great and I like Devon's sense of humor. Shame is the court jester in this series and he does a good job.

We get to meet the old cast along with some new members.

This is litterature that fulfills its goal, it entertains. Enjoy yourselves.

This was an okay instalment. The first three quarters of the book were pretty average but the end was a great climatic scene. Be warned it has one stinker of a cliffhanger. You're going to want to have the next one in hand.

To be honest, if it were not for nearly every book so far ending in some kind of cliffhanger, I might have walked away from this series by now. There's nothing wrong with it, exactly, but it doesn't rock my world by any stretch of the imagination. This cliffhanger ploy is something that's definitely starting to aggravate.

Allie's character still isn't the badass I want her to be. For someone that has the unique ability to channel as much magic as she wants you'd think she'd be more helpful in a crisis, but as far as I can tell, whenever there's a dangerous situation, Allie is more of a liabilty than anything else. She either just rushes in half cocked and gets in the way, or she has a Too Stupid To Live moment and makes everything worse.

The romance element is still only luke warm for me, too, but its definitely better in this book. It's nice to see Zayvion training Allie to better defend herself. This should help with the above.

The most interesting thing at the moment for me is the subplot between Shane, the lovable, if slightly annoying, Irish rogue, and a blast from his past that turns up by the name of Terric. There is some question as to whether or not the two are soul complements. Something that both are uncomfortable with as it usually is something that that happens between a male and female pair and can be a highly pleasurable thing to experience during sex. So for two straight guys? Well they react pretty much as you'd expect them to react. They try and out-man each other and piss each other off as much as possible rather than deal with it like a grown up.

I am going to read the next one ('cause of the dang blasted cliffhanger) but it's with reservation. I really hope for an improvement in this series, or I'm out.