On the Edge by Ilona Andrews

On the Edge by Ilona Andrews (The Edge, Book 1)

There’s a reason we visit bricks and mortar bookshops, and at the top of the list is finding great books like this one.

Rose Drayton lives with her 2 much younger brothers in the ‘Edge’, a world between worlds: the ‘Broken’ or normal everyday earth; and the ‘Weird’, a supernatural kind of place not unlike faerie. She possesses a power normally reserved for bluebloods of the Weird, and that power has been both a blessing and a pain in the arse. Mostly a pain in the arse.

One day, this hot, kick-arse blueblood named Declan shows up at her doorstep, ostensibly to marry her so they can breed children who have her power. He also has a few secrets (of course), and he knows more than what he says (of course). Then the baddie shows up in town, trying to do away with Rose’s brothers. Rose now has to get together with Declan and save them and the whole town from whatever the baddie really wants.

At the risk of sounding like a male skateboarding preteen who reads Alex Rider novels (good books!) I have to say this is a really cool book. I had never read an Ilona Andrews book before and had been putting it off, despite having already read 2 chapters at the bookshop, ’til I was persuaded by Mark from Galaxy Bookshop, who loved the book so much he kind of nagged me about it every day that I was there (try everyday, period) until I got it! And I am glad that I did.

Oooh, baby, it’s a wild world…

Andrews does a fantastic job of world building, taking elements that you may or may not seen before and shaping them into her own unique world. The Edge is a fantastical place to live, with many of the trials and tribulations of a mundane existence slightly complicated by the use of magic. Andrews blends the two and making everything rich and believable.

Rose is instantly likeable—under her tough exterior there’s an edge of vulnerability and her need to survive and raise her kid brothers. Every character comes with his or her own motivations, development, and a certain likeability (except the baddie, naturally). I really liked the secondary characters—Rose’s brothers, gradnmother and even the minor characters at the end.

Overall, On the Edge is a neat and tidy, easy-to-read little book that speeds through to the end—you can read it in one go without stopping, it flows so smoothly and it is angst-free. It’s been a long time since I could say that about a novel, urban fantasy/paranormal romance or not.

Despite being sucked again into a new series, I really don’t mind. I look forward to reading the next book, and this even made me go back to the store the next day and buy the first book in her other series, Magic Bites, though I have yet to read it.

Yay or nay?

I would very much recommend this book. It’s an easy read that will draw you in and leave you feeling satisfied. The characters are relatable, the plot is straightforward and the world building is excellent. I can’t wait for the next one.

This book was first released in the US on September 29, 2009.

Title: On the Edge (excerpt)
Series: The Edge (Book 1)
Author: Ilona Andrews
ISBN: 9780441017805
Release date: September 29, 2009
Publisher: Ace (Penguin)
Format: Mass market

Where you can buy this book

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