Bitten by Books
Working as a belly-dancer in a burlesque bar in the poisoned-magic city of Pittsburgh suits cursed-jinni Lyla just fine, especially since the clock on her curse (a thousand years) nears its end. Unfortunately for Lyla, one night at work, just a week away from her curse being broken, returning her to human, a magi spots her in the club, chases after her when she flees, and successfully binds her to him. Given that Lyla must be unbound to a magi at the time her curse expires, she finds herself none too pleased with having a new Master.
For his part, Oz, the magi, states that he needs Lyla only to help him track down the daughter of a family he befriended while on active duty in Afghanistan, after which he promises to free her. Not quite believing Oz, since in her experience magi are power-hungry and not the least bit trustworthy, Lyla nonetheless realizes she has no choice and the two enlist the aid of Lyla’s colleagues/friends to help. The seemingly straightforward task becomes muddled when the group discovers missing friends and family, as well as incursions of beasties from Sideways, the supernatural parallel plane, meaning Lyla and company have their work cut out for them.
Well-known for her spot-on facility with humor, Peeler also deserves attention for her characterization and world-building talents. The likeable and intriguing primary characters, Lyla and Oz, receive support from a cast of quirky and distinctive secondary players ranging from slightly kooky to more than a little creepy, with Lyla’s friend and compatriot, Charlie, a seer, injecting an air of calm into the mix. The premise of Pittsburgh’s contaminated magic providing a haven of sorts for the supernatural world’s misfits seeking to coexist with humans proves an effective method of exploring both that society and the dangerous Sideways.
The fast-paced and entertaining Jinn and Juice should delight urban fantasy readers, and this reviewer very much looks forward to what Lyla’s creator has in store for her next.
Book Stats:
- Paperback: 384 pages
- Publisher: Orbit (April 7, 2015)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0316407356
- ISBN-13: 978-0316407359
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Books in the Jinni series in the order they should be read:
Jinn and Juice
Review Overview
Overall Rating
Total
Summary : Well-known for her spot-on facility with humor, Peeler also deserves attention for her characterization and world-building talents. The likeable and intriguing primary characters, Lyla and Oz, receive support from a cast of quirky and distinctive secondary players ranging from slightly kooky to more than a little creepy, with Lyla’s friend and compatriot, Charlie, a seer, injecting an air of calm into the mix. The premise of Pittsburgh’s contaminated magic providing a haven of sorts for the supernatural world’s misfits seeking to coexist with humans proves an effective method of exploring both that society and the dangerous Sideways.
I’m intrigued by this one. I might pick it up on payday.
Thanks