Author: Jennifer Estep
Publisher: Kensington/Pocket
Rating: 5 stars
Buy Links: Amazon
Type: Novel in Series
Provided by Publisher
Blurb: Bad Things Always Come In Threes…
As a thief, I’m good at three things: hiding in the shadows, getting in and out unseen, and uncovering secrets. I put these skills to work for the Sinclair Family, one of the magical mobs that run the tourist town of Cloudburst Falls.
Everyone knows Victor Draconi wants to take over all the other Families–and kill every last Sinclair. What they don’t know is that I’m on to him, and no way will I let the man who murdered my mom get away with hurting all the other people I care about. Especially when I’ve got places to break into, stuff to steal, and Devon Sinclair fighting right by my side…
Review: Ms. Estep packs nail-biting suspense into a familiar yet unique paranormal urban world canvas that resides in Cloudburst Falls, WV, similar to “the Southern metropolis of Ashland” (Elemental Assassin Series) and Big Town, NY (Big Time Series). Her skill in this series lies in the relationships she builds, the haunting environment that becomes its own character, and the characters as they develop into finely honed warriors fighting to keep their world safe from the evil plans of a megalomaniac gone mad.
In this third book in the series (and please don’t let it be the last), the division between the leading families in Cloudburst Falls has come to a head. In a powerful ploy to gain the upper hand, Victor Draconi invites the leaders of all the major familys to a meeting–sort of an invitation they couldn’t refuse.
Once there, Victor unveils his latest and biggest grab for power in a horrible act of depraved violence that immediately throws them all into a terrifying gangland war–at the heart of which stands our heroine.
Having lost her mother at the hands of Victor Draconi, Lila Sterling isn’t about to back down from a fight. Uniting with the other families, Lila and the Sinclairs battle it out in the streets of Cloudburst Falls for the ultimate prize–their lives.
This series is young adult, but as with all her work, it’s excellent. If you haven’t read her before, do it now. The sheer imagery and the world building are only a beautifully contrived scaffolding for the clever wordplay and carefully developed characters that grow up in this series. Well worth the time to read!
