I adore Diana Pharaoh Francis’ Horngate Witches Series, so I jumped at the chance to read her new Diamond City Magic series. And, boy, do the books live up to my expectations! Urban fantasy mixed with magic, romance and adventure…what’s not to love!
Title: Whisper of Shadows (The Diamond City Magic Novels)
Author: Diana Pharaoh Francis
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Bell Bridge Books
Release date: April 2016
Pages: 218
ASIN: B01DLGC7OQ
Rating:
DESCRIPTION:
War is coming . . .
When the FBI uses an anti-magic law to arrest and torture Riley’s boyfriend, they have no idea what hell they are about to unleash. If Riley can’t rescue Clay before he breaks, the result will be a disaster of epic proportions.
With time running out, Riley and her family must rely on two people more likely to stab them in the back than actually help. And, even if Riley manages the rescue, she’s still got to deal with two kidnappings and the return of her dad from the dead–the same dad who’d been willing to see her dead to protect his secrets.
What’s a girl to do? Kick ass, take names, and protect those she cares about at all costs.
REVIEW:
Whisper of Shadows begins where book two ended, right in the middle of Riley confronting her mobster-like father for abandoning her as a child…or about how he set a magical trap in her brain that nearly killed her. But things become sidetracked when the FBI raid the house and arrest her boyfriend Clay on suspicions of having some fictional magical talent that could put the whole city at risk if triggered. The law has a week to file charges, during which time they will use any means they deem necessary to discover Clay’s hidden talent and pry out his every secret. Unsure if they were truly after Clay or trying to bring down his brother’s criminal dynasty, Riley and her family are determined to rescue him, but they never excepted the pure hell they’d have to endure just to survive.
Diana Pharaoh Francis has a talent for crafting an intricate world of magic and mobsters. The non-stop action kept me at the edge of my seat, and I absolutely loved the pure grittiness and violence of the story. While I enjoyed learning about the many fascinating magical talents, things became a little convoluted as Riley tried to figure out the limits to her gift. I applaud Riley’s never quit attitude, but it left me with mixed feelings…there didn’t seem to be anything that she couldn’t fix. That said, the storyline was just so good, I didn’t mind. While I enjoyed this book, it wasn’t as strong as the previous two. Whisper of Shadows ended on a cliffhanger, where only part of the mystery was solved. It left me feeling that the book was unfished…or maybe I just desperately waited to find out what happens next!?! These books need to be read in order.
Previous books in the series:
