Giveaway Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Mystery: Shadow Sight by E. J. Stevens — 4 Stars

by SofiaWren June 2, 2014

a Rafflecopter giveawayCheck out the following excerpt and enter the book giveaway!! Shadow Sight, the first novel in the Ivy Granger urban fantasy series, goes on sale in trade paperback and ebook editions July 24, 2012. Read on for the review by Wren Doloro.

     I sniffed the air and smelled a whiff of sulfur. Oh, Mab’s bloody bones! My hand snagged a crucifix off the desk and I started muttering the Lord’s Prayer. I may not follow any particular faith, but Kaye had taught me a trick or two. Ten to one odds my client wasn’t bothered by today’s intense heat.
     Color me pixed—the guy sitting on the other side of my desk was a demon. My hand, the one holding the crucifix in a white-knuckled grip, was starting to shake.
     “You seem to have some inkling as to my lineage, however I am not here for myself,” he said. “Hell has no interest in you…yet. I represent a client, someone very powerful who requires your special services.”
     “You’re telling me that you’re some other dude’s lackey?” I asked. My hand steadied as I held the crucifix out before me.
     “Attorney,” he said, shooting me a narrow eyed glare.
     “Lower than a lackey then,” I said.
     I was playing with fire, or brimstone. I should order the demon to leave, but there was something intriguing about his story. I couldn’t help becoming curious. Someone had made a deal with a devil, literally, to gain my services. I wasn’t sure if I should be flattered or die of fright.
     At least I knew my instincts were good—this was definitely going to be a long day and this really was a client from Hell.

Review

Ivy Granger isn’t a character from Harry Potter, she is a specially skilled detective in a town brimming with unusual creatures. Others may see an old man collecting bottles or a rasta smoking a joint, but she sees the monsters hidden behind the glamor. More importantly, Ivy has the gift of psychometry, the ability to sense visions from touching an object. As soon as her skin touches people or objects, she may be victim to seeing horrible happenings from the past. These talents are what gives an edge to Private Eye, the private detective agency run by Ivy and her *rockabilly friend Jinx.

In Shadow Sight, the first book of the series, Ivy Granger comes face to face with a demon. Worse a demon lawyer. He wrangles her into an early morning meeting the next day (a Saturday rrrr), and drops the bomb that Ivy better start looking for clues or the entire town will be under attack from beasties.

Ivy’s best friend Jinx has rockabilly style (like above)

The number of creatures introduced throughout the book is staggering. Because each creature tends to have a way to hide it’s appearance, these fae and demons lurk in plain sight. I found the way this is done to be very clever. Props to the author for including species I have never heard of before. However, I could have used a pronunciation guide for the dark horses each uisge.

*UPDATE: The author E.J. has informed me that an index with pronunciation guide will soon be in the books!*

I like the main character Ivy, she seems to have her head on her shoulders. Why she would be wearing three inch heels in the cover is beyond me, as those aren’t included in the two pairs of shoes she owns in the book. Cross trainers and a pair of Doc Martens–so no, not really a heels chick. Practical, she wears gloves in the heat to avoid nasty visions. Since often being sarcastic and grumpy seems to be part of Ivy’s personality, she could have been a little more edgy.

Shadow Sight is a quick read. I found myself zipping blithely along in the grocery aisle. Overall it was a good story with excellent images, mythos, action, and pacing. The romance subplot could have been integrated a little better throughout the book so it was less out of the blue. I wished Ivy’s character was a little meatier, but there’s nobody else quite like her. Her gifts make Ivy Granger and her detective agency truly unique.

Check out E.J. Steven’s blog

Ivy Granger Series website

Amazon

Smashwords

Wren received a free copy in exchange for review