Customer Reviews

Magic in the Shadows (Allie Beckstrom, Book 3)

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I liked this book enough to decide to write my first web review about it but I have to admit I was intimidated by the length of the other reviews that are posted. Ultimately I decided to go ahead and forge ahead even tho I feel I'm a bit out of my depth. The "Magic to the..." series has become one of my favorites. I'm just your normal run-of-the-mill reader and don't really look at books critically, I look at them for the enjoyment they give me. Allie Beckstrom is a smart, intrepid main character with a distinctly vulnerable side that I find appeals to me. When I am reading Devon's books basically my life goes on hold because I don't want to do anything else except find out what's going to happen next. She has slowly developed Zayvion's character in such a way as to make him unutterably appealing as well, which makes him and Allie as a couple all the more perfect. The situations that girl gets herself into crack me up and keep me on the edge of my seat at the same time. And speaking of cracking up - the saracasm and wit woven into tne book provide just the right amount of balance to all the danger and tension. I love that there are many Portland landmarks prominent in the books, which gives it a certain credibility in the midst of the fantasy. Who knows what the future holds? Maybe magic might truly run beneath our feet someday....! I appreciate all the new characters that were introduced in this book and look forward to seeing where she's going to take all of them. Anyways, it's my humble opinion that these are great books and I would heartily recommend them to anyone as a very good read. I'm anxiously awaiting the next one!!

I've read both the previous books, and really love the way the author describes magic. It's utterly fascinating worldbuilding, and Devon Monk deserves every kudo for it. But this book only gets two stars from me, because it was terribly thin on plot, being mostly Allie's squicky internal struggles with the dead father who has possessed her. As in the previous two books, I can guess the whole "mystery" by the end of the first few chapters. And, most of all for me, because of the failure of the author to make a sympathetic, compelling main character.

Unfortunately, Allie Beckstrom is really starting to ruin this series for me. I don't believe I'll be continuing the series after this offering, because Allie just seems to get more annoying with every book. And since the books are written in the first-person POV, it's just impossible to get away from the increasing stupidity of this girl. There's no escape. We're stuck in her head along with her ol' dead daddy, and it is a frustrating, exasperating, and silly place to be. I like an urban fantasy heroine to have a little intelligence to go along with her (inevitably) hot body. She doesn't have to be some kind of uber-tough psychopath anti-hero, like Anita Blake has become, but an out-an-out ditz? It wouldn't annoy me so much if Allie was presented as being IQ-challenged by the author, maybe a little retarded, but the implication is that she's hot stuff on all levels, and she just doesn't demonstrate much intelligence in her actions. Also, her internal dialogue is just TOO cutesy-snarky. I know the author is trying to be funny, but it just makes Allie sound even sillier to me. Frankly, I have no idea what a hot, smart magic-user like Zayvion Jones sees in someone like her, other than her looks. I guess the whole Soul Complement thing trumps all--he's stuck with a ditzy, immature, impulsive, suicidally stubborn know-it-all who seems determined to kill herself in some spectacularly dumb way. And it's too bad, because the Soul Complement concept, and the way Devon Monk describes Allie and Zayvion's growing relationship, would have such potential for excellence and enjoyment for me...if only Allie wasn't one half of the Complement.

Since the books are first-person, it's no wonder that I can guess the solution to the mystery way before Allie. Bless her heart, she just is not very bright.

I like it when a main character is flawed--it makes for a realistic story. But in a series like this, one hopes that the character will grow over the course of the stories, and in Allie's case, one wishes she would develop a little as a supposedly adult character and grow out of her childish stubborness. Maybe all the Hounding doesn't just strip away memory, but IQ points. Allie seems incapable of learning anything, and doesn't seem to want to, anyway. I have now come to expect that every time Zayvion or some other more knowledgeable person tries to warn Allie against some course of action, she will do it anyway and endanger herself and everyone else in the vicinity because her daddy issues won't let her listen to anyone but herself.

For such a promising premise and world, it's too bad we couldn't have a better main character. Sadly, this is the end of the series for me.

I wasn't entirely convinced I would continue reading the Allie Beckstrom series after this book. I liked Book 1, but was frustrated by Book 2 (I don't want to say anything more specific because I don't want to spoil it for anyone, but I think those who have read through Book 2 will understand what I'm referring to).

Anyway, today I missed my bus stop because I was so sucked in to the climax of the book, I didn't even realized I was two stops passed where I needed to be. Needless to say, I will continue reading this series and am very interested to see where the author is going to take the storyline!

Ever since I read Devon Monk's debut book (Magic to the Bone) I've loved reading her books. When I finished reading the second book, (Magic in the Blood) I wanted to read it again. With this book I felt the same.

In this installment Allie Beckstrom deals with having her brain inhabited by her father. She also acquires a sidekick (one of my favorite characters in the book). She is tested by the Authorities, has other-worldly beasties after her, and is trying to keep the Hounds safe, together and organized- something she had promised Pike she would do. Not all of the members of the Authority are happy to have Allie around. Some of them want to have her "closed", her magic use taken away, along with memories of magic. New human (as opposed to her new sidekick) characters are introduced. All of the characters in Devon Monks books are interesting-like real flawed people (except they use magic).

The conversations between Zayvion Jones and Allie are fun to read. I enjoyed Allie's adventures, even when she does something incredibly stubborn and stupid. There's a moment during a dangerous situation that Allie does something she's been warned - very strongly- not to do. The moment she does it, she's thinking she should have listened. There are moments with the Daddy presence in her head when they are both being incredibly stubborn - foolishly so- fighting over control of her body.

I enjoyed very much revisiting the world that Devon Monk has created with this series and I am already looking forward to the next book, Magic on the Storm. In the back of my head, I'm also already planning when I might re-read all three books (maybe this coming summer).

I only have 4 words to describe what I am feeling right now........ALLIE, ZAYVON, SHAME, AND STONE,STONE,AND MORE STONE!!!!!! Its like the dynamic duo only times 2!! I am so addicted to this series. I read many series books and I must say that Devon Monk has won my heart. I have read books that made me smile or kinda giggle. Allie and her little band of heros never fail to make me laugh out loud or worry or yell at many of people. For anyone who has reservations about this series.....DONT!!! Give Devon Monk a chance and she will win your heart and your soul while she is at it.

Is it strange that I'm knee-deep in this series and one of my most prominent, recurring thoughts is, "Argh, Allie, buy a car already!" I mean, the girl is a billionaire or near enough to it - even if her father's will is processing slowly, you'd think she'd have the spare cash to get herself a set of wheels? Instead she's always taking cabs or cadging rides off of people and it's really starting to get on my nerves.

So far I have a love/hate relationship with this series. There are a lot of things in it that I love, a lot of others - some nitpicky like Allie needing a car, others more substantial - that get on my nerves. Some of them are essential to the series and probably make it better. For example: Allie's relationship with her father. She spends all this time trying to get him out of her head...but a couple of times she gets a real opportunity to kick him out and doesn't take it. That drives me crazy, but it's realistic. It's hard to hate a parent, or condemn a parent's soul to the endless torments of hell.

I did NOT like the storyline centered on Allie joining the Authority. Allie seems really casual about it, like, "Guess I have to join, oh well," a little mocking and suspicious but that's all. I found the Authority increasingly awful as the book went on and I didn't understand why Allie was even going through the motions to join. All the Authority people seem high-handed and mean, more like villains than allies.

Allie seem to have a highly variable level of intelligence. One second she's smart and strategic. The next she's dumb as a box of rocks. There's one scene where she tries a spell on a bad guy and the spell doesn't work at all. So Zavion warns her: don't use that spell, it will only make the bad guy stronger. Then, a few chapters later, she ends up in a situation with the same bad guy. She promises to stay back and observe, and then she gets another warning: remember, that kind of magic won't do any good, don't use it! So Allie's like, sure, of course not! What does she do? Yep, she tries the same stupid useless spell and gets herself into trouble.

Stuff like that drives me bonkers. And when you compare scenes like that one, where she only seems to know a grand total of three spells and doesn't apply them very well, verses other scenes where she does incredibly complex magic and achieves seemingly impossible things, I start to wonder if the world building and characters are properly constructed and consistent.

Lastly...much as I like Zayvion Jones as a character and a love interest - three and four books down the line he remains really fascinating and mysterious and charismatic - the opening scene where they go on a fancy date was really boring. Usually Allie and Zayvion have pretty snappy, funny dialogue but that whole sequence dragged like nobody's business. So boo to that.

This is the third book in the Allie Beckstrom series by Devon Monk. The sixth book, Magic on the Hunt, is due out in April of 2011. This book was an excellent addition to the series and really broadened and complicated Allie's world. So far this book has been my favorite of the set.

In the last book Allie's father forced himself into her mind. In this book Allie is trying to figure out how to cope with that. Her father is there giving her advice she doesn't want and constantly pleading with her to find the disks. Then on her first date with Zayvion Allie senses something in the alleyway; it is a creature unlike anything she has ever encountered and it is hunting the streets of the city. Allie is also taking on new responsibilities; she is leading the support group for the Hounds and is thinking about signing on with the police department as a permanent consultant for Hounding.

This was the best book in the series so far. Allie is put in contact with the Authorities through Zayvion and actually decides to go through some training to learn how to use her magic better. It was great to see a heroine actually taking the time to get training to learn how to use her powers in the best way possible. As a reader we also get to spend a lot more time with the other Hounds and all of them are interesting characters. We meet more members of the Authorities (another really interesting group of people).

There was a lot of action in this book, which was great. Allie and Zayvion actually progress in their relationship some and get more information on how their two magic types Compliment each other. We learn a ton more about the Authority and the struggle for magic that is happening behind the scenes. In general this was a fun read.

Allie is still not my favorite heroine ever, but I am getting more attached to her. Zayvion is awesome and we learn so many neat things about him in this book. This book also packed in more story than the previous two and I really felt like Monk had found a better writing groove.

Overall an excellent addition to this series. It was a fun book to read and I am enjoying all the complexity added to the magic world. I will definitely continue to read this series. I would also recommend Kate Daniels by Ilona Andres, Jane Yellowrock by Faith Hunter, and Elemental Assassin by Jennifer Estep which are all wonderful urban fantasies featuring strong women.

I really liked the first book in the series and loved the second book; but I adore Magic in the Shadows.

Allie goes on a date, interrupts a kill site, almost gets killed, gets in a fight with her date, overloads on magic at the restaurant, trips and accidentally frees a gargoyle, and gets a good night kiss at the door. This girl knows how to be an interesting date! And that's just the start.

At a breakneck pace, situation after situation unfolds itself. Allie has assumed authority over the hounds. Peripheral characters shine and we are introduced to three of the most fascinating and lovable sidekicks ever: Shamus, Stone, and Grant, all of whom excel at staying under the radar. Ms. Monk expands on each character in depth. Allie's formal magic training continues; but it is interrupted when a challenge is issued forcing her to prematurely undergo the formal test for acceptance into the Authority. She is brought up against the most powerful magic wielder in the Authority because they fear that she will defeat all the others. Allie hasn't a clue about her power because she is in too much awe of the other members. If she fails this test, they will take away her magic and her memories will be wiped clean. Worse, they could execute her to eliminate her as threat. She is fighting the fight of her life against a shocking opponent.

Her father is now as active as he pleases in the back of Allie's mind, sometimes taking control of her thoughts and her body. Occasionally, Allie must listen to how to cast a spell or what step needs to be taken next and it galls her no end. She really wants to get dear old Dad out of her head and in the grave where he's already been buried twice. Through her interactions with her daddy dearest and his late wife Violet, we begin to ever so slightly question Allie's impression of her father. We have a fairly good understanding why he shielded her from the Authority and left her untrained in magic. Violet's perceptions of the man she married are contradictory to Allie's experience, too, and Violet paints an entirely different picture of an honorable and loving man. In spite of her father's presence in her head and his desire to "rule the world" with Allie at his side, everything he does is in Allie's best interests. He takes over her body and mind when her rebelliousness drives her into almost being killed. This is worth reading about just for the times when Violet is in the room and Allie's father starts talking love words to her out of, or wants to kiss her with, Allie's mouth.

In the meantime, Allie is being hunted by a necromorph, part human and part something else. The human part is one of her father's murderers. The monster is after her father's soul and knows that Allie is housing it in her brain. It will do whatever it takes to suck her father from Allie into its body if it means killing Allie. Turns out that the half human is a former member of the Authority and boyfriend of Zayvion's ex-girlfriend, also a powerful magic user of the Authority. The necromorph has blood bound a hound to him to perform deadly blood magic.

We begin to suspect that Allie has been closed on one or more occasions, which could account for her memory losses.

A breach among the Authority members has occurred and they are uneasy with each other. Wild magic is on the wind. It all plays together for a breathtaking ride that I couldn't put down.

I don't usually read and when I do I have a hard time finding a good book I can stay interested in. When my husband put the first book (Magic to the Bone) in my hands I couldn't put it down. I'm usually not too into magic and fantasy, but the Allie Beckstorm series puts a nice twist to it and I was always wondering what would happen next throughout each book. I bought the second book (Magic in the Blood) immediately after reading the first and couldn't put it down just like the first one. The second book continues the first book nicely with interesting twists and turns like the first. The third book (Magic in the Shadows) has some new characters I'm not so sure about, but it still follows the previous books nicely and is just as addictive as the others. I love this series, I can't wait till the next book (Magic on the Storm) comes out, and I hope Devon Monk continues to write.

Wow I mean wow. Let just suffice to say that I LOVE THIS BOOK. This is the third book in the Allie Beckstrom series, and chosen to be my absolute favorite of this series. Magic in the Shadows turned a corner in the series with this book. Allie is no longer following a endless tunnel of uncertainty. She has found friends and build relationship that have not failed with her memory loss. Devon Monk appeared to have become comfortable with her writing in this book, and soared through this amazing novel with grace. Allie and Zayvion maintain a relationship that can leave you breathless, and continue to raise the bar with every book. I was very impressed by the change of character for Zayvion in this book. I think Monk as maintained the great guy persona for Zayvion through the beginning of this series, but with the turn of magic in this book he has turned to the kick ass and take names bad boy; that we all know and love. Although, the overall feel of this book shifted moderately for me series has continued a sorrowful feel for Allie and her situations, but I have to say I did not feel this at all with this novel. I felt uplifted upon concluding Magic in the Shadow, and I can not wait for the next book.