"In a world where magic runs beneath the city, there are always those who will abuse it."

By: Devon Monk

Genres: Fantasy Urban

Posted: February 25, 2009

Modern day Portland, Allie Beckstrom has been given the best training possible in detecting the misuse of magic and the opportunity to work with her father in a large corporation he founded. Instead, Allie has turned her back on her father and his fortune. She works for anyone who needs her help to expose those who misuse their magic to make someone else bear the burden of that use.

Portland discovered that magic could be harvested and retained. Those with the ability to use it also must accept that cost of that use. Whether the cost is in the form of a physical illness or the loss of some memory. There are those who want to use magic without paying the cost; and there people who they can hire to pass that cost onto some unsuspecting individual.

When Allie is called to the aid of a young boy who is dying from an offload of magic, she finds her fathers signature all over it. Even after father denies it, Allie is convinced that he lied to her.

When Allie's father is killed and her signature is all over his death, Allie will have to prove her innocence while discovering who is abusing the magic. Allie will only have two people to depend on. One a friend she trusts implicitly and the other is a man she doesn't know if she can trust.

Zayvion has several reasons for keeping an eye on Allie. First, he was hired by her father to try and bring her back to the company. He also works for her stepmother. His final reason is the disturbance in the magic that has been wrought lately.

MAGIC TO THE BONE is a fantastic book. Well-written with characters that are so real you'd swear you'd met them. The story is compelling and it's very hard to put down. If you like urban fantasy, you will want to search this one out. I can't wait for the next installment.

Book Summary

Everything has a cost. And every act of magic exacts a price from its user--maybe a two-day migraine, or losing the memory of your first kiss. But some people want to use magic without paying, and they offload the cost onto an innocent.

When that happens, it falls to a Hound to identify the spell's caster--and Allison Beckstrom's the best there is.

Daughter of a prominent Portland businessman, Allie would rather moonlight as a Hound than accept the family fortune--and the many strings that come with it. But when she discovers a little boy dying from a magical offload that has her father's signature all over it, Allie is thrown back into the high-stakes world of corporate espionage and black magic.

Now, Allie's out for the truth--and the forces she finds herself calling on will overturn everything she knows, change her in ways she could never imagine...and make her capable of things that powerful people will do anything to control.

Magic to the Bone by Devon Monk

Magic to the Bone

by: Devon Monk

Allie Beckstrom #1

Roc
November 1, 2008
On Sale: November 4, 2008
Featuring: Allison Beckstrom
368 pages
ISBN: 0451462408
EAN: 9780451462404
Paperback

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