Review: On the Edge by Ilona Andrews

Rose Drayton lives on the Edge, between the world of the Broken (where people drive cars, shop at Wal-Mart, and magic is a fairy tale) and the Weird (where blueblood aristocrats rule, changelings roam, and the strength of your magic can change your destiny). Only Edgers like Rose can easily travel from one world to the next, but they never truly belong in either.


Rose thought if she practiced her magic, she could build a better life for herself. But things didn't turn out how she planned, and now she works a minimum wage, off-the-books job in the Broken just to survive. Then Declan Camarine, a blueblood noble straight out of the deepest part of the Weird, comes into her life, determined to have her (and her power).

But when a terrible danger invades the Edge from the Weird, a flood of creatures hungry for magic, Declan and Rose must work together to destroy them—-or they'll devour the Edge and everyone in it...

I saw the cover for Bayou Moon at Lurv a la Mode.  I can't really say what drew my eye, but it did.  I've all but stopped reading urban fantasy and/or paranormal romance (except for a select few authors), so I'm always hesitant when I read the cover copy and discover a book I'd like to read is in either one of those genres.  After discovering Bayou Moon was the second in an inter-connected series -- or that's what I believe anyway, since I cannot find a blurb for Bayou Moon -- well, it had me at "series".

I am so glad I took a chance. 

On the Edge sucked me in from the first line, and lines like these kept me reading:

"I, Declan Riel Martel, ade Dominik, ade Logran, ade Rotibor, Earl of Camarine, Lord of Longshire, Svyator, and Veres, hereby swear to fulfill three tasks given to me within the next two weeks by..." He looked at her.

"Rose Drayton."  He owned more titles than TitleMax. 

...

"Rose," he said, as if tasting her name in his mouth.  "Let me in."

She simply shook her head.  It was all she could do.

"Shall I strip and try to entice you with my manly body?"

...

"That's the other thing I don't quite understand about you.   You're an earl.  You have money.  You're not ugly."

"I'm quite handsome, actually," he said.

Handsome was for ordinary mortals.  She rolled her eyes.  "And so modest, too.  Why are you here trying to get me to marry you?"

Despite being mired in fantasy, Rose could have been one of my neighbors where I grew up.  (This small-town feel has brought so many books to my attention, so I'm glad when authors decide to "write small," regardless of how big or developed their world is.)  She was real, a smart-ass, and I wanted to know more about her, wanted to spend more time together.  Her problems are magical, yes, but also fact-based.  Who doesn't understand living paycheck to paycheck and fighting to keep your family (and town) safe? 

I cannot wait to read Bayou Moon in September.