Review: Bright Blaze of Magic by Jennifer Estep

Bright Blaze of Magic

Author: Jennifer Estep

Series: Black Blade

Pages: 368

Publisher: Kensington

Release date: 26^th April 2016

Source: Netgalley

Synopsis: The characters are as fantastic as Estep fans have come to expect." – RT Book Reviews

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… 

"An adventurous ride you will never want to get off." --#1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout on Cold Burn of Magic

Review: 5 out of 5 stars

Bright Blaze of Magic is the final instalment in the Black Blade trilogy and was a riveting, engrossing addition to what has been a wonderful series.

These books need to be read in order, the events that take place and the build-up are all pivotal in getting to this point. In this instalment we see Claudia Sinclair, the head of the family working with her son Devon, the family bruiser, Felix and Lila Merriweather as well as Draconi’s daughter Deah to attempt to foil Victor’s plan in taking over Cloudburst Falls and eliminating all families in order to lead. A lot has happened to get to this point and the action and thrills kept it all extremely entertaining.

Lila continues to be a fantastic heroine, she doesn’t sit on the sidelines, she is in on all the plotting, planning and the action; she is resourceful, skilful yet still sweet and has fit into the Sinclair family beautifully, I admired her character. Devon was the sweetest; I loved his interactions with Lila and his loyalty to his whole family. All of the secondary characters played an important role in this book; I didn’t fully trust Deah in the last instalment so I was pleasantly surprised by how everything worked out with her.

The romance in this series has been drama free and is slow to build, it isn’t at the forefront of the story but it is sweet and enjoyable.

We are finally given the much needed answers about Lila’s mother and Victor’s purpose. The magical world Estep has created is complex and filled with a variety of unusual paranormal creatures which I have really appreciated and her writing continues to hold me captivated, she surprises me with enthralling plot twists and developments, just as I think the families could take a breather something would always pop up. The battle scenes were brutal and filled with surprises and I liked the good vs evil elements.

Bright Blaze of Magic is a thrilling, action-packed and satisfying conclusion to the Black Blades trilogy.

Thank you to Kensington via Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review Bright Blaze of Magic.

About the author: Jennifer Estep is a New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling author, prowling the streets of her imagination in search of her next fantasy idea.

ELEMENTAL ASSASSIN SERIES
Jennifer writes the Elemental Assassin urban fantasy series. 

The books focus on Gin Blanco, an assassin codenamed the Spider who can control the elements of Ice and Stone. When she’s not busy killing people and righting wrongs, Gin runs a barbecue restaurant called the Pork Pit in the fictional Southern metropolis of Ashland. The city is also home to giants, dwarves, vampires, and elementals – Air, Fire, Ice, and Stone.

BLACK BLADE YOUNG ADULT URBAN FANTASY SERIES
Jennifer is also the author of the Black Blade young adult urban fantasy series. 

The series focuses on Lila Merriweather, a 17-year-old thief who lives in Cloudburst Falls, West Virginia, a town dubbed “the most magical place in America.” Tourists come from around the world to tour all the magic-themed shops and attractions, as well as see monsters like tree trolls, copper crushers, and more in their natural habitats.

Lila does her best to stay off the grid and avoid the Families — or mobs — who control the town. But when she saves a member of the powerful Sinclair Family, Lila finds herself caught in the middle of a brewing war between the Sinclairs and the Draconis, the most powerful Family in town. 

MYTHOS ACADEMY YOUNG ADULT URBAN FANTASY SERIES
Jennifer is also the author of the Mythos Academy young adult urban fantasy series. 

The books focus on Gwen Frost, a 17-year-old Gypsy girl who has the gift of psychometry, or the ability to know an object’s history just by touching it. After a serious freak-out with her magic, Gwen is shipped off to Mythos Academy, a school for the descendants of ancient warriors like Spartans, Valkyries, Amazons, and more.

BIGTIME PARANORMAL ROMANCE SERIES
Jennifer is also the author of the Bigtime paranormal romance series. 

The Bigtime books feature sexy superheroes, evil ubervillains, and smart, sassy gals looking for love.

VISIT JENNIFER'S WEBSITE
Excerpts, free short stories, and more information on Jennifer's books can be found at http://www.jenniferestep.com.