Genre: Urban Fantasy

Series: Arcadia Bell #1

Rating: ★★★★1/2

Synopsis: Meet Arcadia Bell: bartender, renegade magician, fugitive from the law. . . . 

Being the spawn of two infamous occultists (and alleged murderers) isn’t easy, but freewheeling magician Arcadia “Cady” Bell knows how to make the best of a crummy situation. After hiding out for seven years, she’s carved an incognito niche for herself slinging drinks at the demon-friendly Tambuku Tiki Lounge.

But she receives an ultimatum when unexpected surveillance footage of her notorious parents surfaces: either prove their innocence or surrender herself. Unfortunately, the only witness to the crimes was an elusive Æthyric demon, and Cady has no idea how to find it. She teams up with Lon Butler, an enigmatic demonologist with a special talent for sexual spells and an arcane library of priceless stolen grimoires. Their research soon escalates into a storm of conflict involving missing police evidence, the decadent Hellfire Club, a ruthless bounty hunter, and a powerful occult society that operates way outside the law. If Cady can’t clear her family name soon, she’ll be forced to sacrifice her own life . . . and no amount of running will save her this time.

REVIEW

Second time's the charm!

I originally started Kindling the Moon several months ago, but only made it about 15% of the way through before setting it aside in favor of other books that stole my attention. Thankfully, I was smart enough to keep it in my TBR pile, and boy, am I glad I did, because Kindling the Moon turned out to be a thoroughly enjoyable read.

The book was a bit slow to get off the ground for me, as the stage was set and key players were introduced. It was interesting, and I liked Cady's narration, but I wasn't fully engaged. It's a common problem I have when reading books about witches - or, in Cady's case, magicians - because no two authors write magic the same, and trying to figure out how this brand of magic works in this particular novel can be distracting for me as a reader. Fortunately, in Kindling the Moon's case, the story kicked into gear at just the right time. And that, as they say, was that.

There is plenty to love about Kindling the Moon. A spunky heroine, solid world-building, near-perfect pacing, and enough nifty little plot twists to keep you on your toes. And for you readers who demand a hero worth swooning over, you can't do better than Lon Butler. (Think Johnny Depp, looking all gorgeous and scruffy. 'Nuff said!) Now put Lon and Cady together, sit back, and savor the sizzle. The chemistry between these two is palpable - and for those of you who demand more than mere sexual tension, have no fear, author Jenn Bennett will not let you down. Trust me on that.

For me, though, the best part of the whole book was the relationship between Lon, Cady, and Lon's teenage son, Jupe. Including Jupe in the story was, in my opinion, a stroke of sheer brilliance on the author's part. Unlike soap opera children, who only exist to look cute in the background, once you meet Jupe, you will not be able to imagine the story without him. He not only adds depth to Lon's character, allowing us to see Lon as more than just a love interest, but he shines the spotlight on Cady's awesomeness as well. They are, all of them, so easy together, their interactions so funny and natural....it's beautiful, that's what it is.

In short, my dears, this is an incredible book and one you should definitely check out. The only reason I docked half a star was because it took a couple of chapters for me to really get into - and that's more me than the book itself.

4.5 Stars ★★★★1/2