Title: Steel’s Edge
Author: Ilona Andrews
Series: The Edge #4
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal fantasy, Paranormal romance, Strong women
Pace: Fast
Format: Novel
Publisher: Ace Fantasy
Year: 2012
5th sentence, 74th page: Whatever it was, she could use a distraction, and he was the man for the job.

The Edge lies between worlds, on the border between the Broken, where people shop at Wal-Mart and magic is a fairy tale – and the Weird, where bludblood aristocrats rule, changelings roam, and the strength of your magic can change your destiny…

Charlotte de Nay is as noble as they come, a blueblood straight out of the Weird. But even though she possesses rare magical healing abilities, her life has been filled with nothing but pain. After her marriage crumbles, she flees to the Edge to build a new home for herself. But when Richard Mar is brought to her for treatment, Charlotte’s life is turned upside down once again.

Richard is a swordsman without peer, the future head of his large and rambunctious Edger clan – and he’s on a clandestine quest to wipe out slavers trafficking humans in the Weird. So when his presence leads his very dangerous enemies to Charlotte, she vows to help Richard destroy them. The slavers’ operation, however, goes deeper tahn Richard knows, and even working together, he and Charlotte may not survive…

This was a great finale (so far, I hope) to The Edge series. I’m still hoping that more books will be written based in this amazing world, but if it doesn’t, then this is a pretty damn good story to end with. Following Richard Mar as he tries to right the wrongs of Sophie’s past and heal his own wounds. This novel gave everyone a happy ending and a hope for a better future, something that all good series should end with – a sense of hope.

Although Steel’s Edge keeps in the strain of the rest of the series, it’s a beautiful urban fantasy, paranormal romance that follows two dysfunctional characters as they slowly fall in love. Yet, Charlotte’s position as one of the bluebloods, the upper echelon of Andrews’ worlds gave it a nice new spin. Both Richard and Charlotte have had past marriages and past tragedies, in a way that I don’t understand, they are damaged. Yet, the united cause of stopping slave traders helps to bring them closer together and finds a way in which they can both overcome their horrible pasts.

Of all The Edge books, this had the best finale and ending to the story. Richard and Charlotte’s admittance of their feelings and the ways in which they show their love is completely different to the other three couples in this series. Yet, I found their relationship that sweetest and the ending with the family that they create the most endearing.

Steel’s Edge helps to tell more of Sophie’s story. Her, George and their compatriots have more of their adult life told in Sweep in Peace, but how Sophie becomes a master swordswoman isn’t really told. Sophie’s relationship with Charlotte is really sweet, but her attitude towards her surrounds is a little overwhelming and intimidating.

Image source: Goodreads

Title: Fate’s Edge
Author: Ilona Andrews
Series: The Edge #3
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal fantasy, Paranormal romance, Strong women
Pace: Fast
Format: Novel
Publisher: Ace Fantasy
Year: 2011
5th sentence, 74th page: His voice trembled slightly.

The Edge lies between worlds, on the border between the Broken, where people shop at Wal-Mart and magic is a fairy tale – and the Weird, where bludblood aristocrats rule, changelings roam, and the strength of your magic can change your destiny…

Born into a family of con men, Audrey Callahan left behind her life in the Edge for an unmagical existence in the Broken. Audrey is determined to stay on the straight and narrow, but when her brother gets into hot water, she takes on one last heist and finds herself matching wits with a jack-of-all-trades.

Kaldar Mar is a gambler, a lawyer, a thief, and a spy with some unusual talents that guarantee him lucrative work. His latest assignment has him tracking down a stolen item, and Kaldar doesn’t expect much of a challenge – until Audrey turns up to give him a run for his money.

But when the missing object falls into the hands of a lethal criminal, Kaldar realizes that in order to finish the job and survive, he’s going to need Audrey’s help…

I always love it when there is a character that is cheeky, mischievous and a bit of a trickster. Kaldar’s presence in Bayou Moon filled this urge perfectly – he’s a bit of a trickster, but with a deadly edge to his every move. The fact that he spent the majority of Bayou Moon purposely going out of his way to irritate William just made me love him even more. So, an edge novel all about him – and his partner… I was ridiculously excited to jump into this series.

Audrey was an interesting change from Cerise and Rose – she isn’t a killer or able to physically defend herself. Instead, she is constantly finding ways to con herself in and out of situations. Which, surprisingly at the end of the story, is what helps to save the day. Although Kaldar’s humour shines through in his past appearances, it’s his deadlier side which is highlighted in Fate’s Edge, and it is this aspect of himself that I took a little while to understand. Not in his characterisation, but in how Audrey and he would be able to end up together. After all, he’s a spy and although a conman, it’s his swordsmanship and cutthroat familial ethics that shine the brightest. But, somehow, it all just works. Audrey is able to see through his bullshit, and, although she isn’t able to fight, she still has an amazing tough inner-core.

George, Jack and Gaston have a great role to play in this story – predominately George and Jack. I love the brothers, the fact that they are polar opposites (like myself and my sister), but also have this same inner core. The fact that they actually make an appearance as adults in Sweep in Peace just made my jaw drop and I am completely, totally and utterly in love with their storyline now. I actually want to find out more about their lives and hope that they show up in Steel’s Edge a little more. But, even if they don’t, the ways in which they’ve already grown throughout this series has been fun – beautiful and effortless.

Image source: Goodreads

Title: Bayou Moon
Author: Ilona Andrews
Series: The Edge #2
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal fantasy, Paranormal romance, Strong women
Pace: Fast
Format: Novel
Publisher: Ace Fantasy
Year: 2010
5th sentence, 74th page: A tiny light flared in her eyes.

The Edge lies between worlds, on the border between the Broken, where people shop at Walmart and magic is a fairytale–and the Weird, where blueblood aristocrats rule, changelings roam, and the strength of your magic can change your destiny…

Cerise Mar and her unruly clan are cash poor but land rich, claiming a large swathe of the Mire, the Edge swamplands between the state of Louisiana and the Weird. When her parents vanish, her clan’s long-time rivals are suspect number one.

But all is not as it seems. Two nations of the Weird are waging a cold war fought by feint and espionage, and their conflict is about to spill over into the Edge—and Cerise’s life . William, a changeling soldier who left behind the politics of the Weird, has been forced back into service to track down a rival nation’s spymaster.

When William’s and Cerise’s missions lead them to cross paths, sparks fly—but they’ll have to work together if they want to succeed…and survive.

I loved the love story of Rose and Declan in On the Edge. It was sweet, and like all of Andrews’ lead females, filled with someone who wasn’t willing to just give herself away to a man and love. And Bayou Moon wasn’t any different. Cerise is competent, capable and incredibly independent. She is the matriarch of her family and completely driven to find a way to rescue and restore them. Plus, Cerise’s family is kind of insane and mental. Everything that you both want and don’t want in a family – large, loud and filled with love. The perfect place for William to finally find his own family.

Although On the Edge was about Rose and Declan, William really plucked at my heartstrings throughout their story. He was so obviously alone and an outcast. It was nice that he gets his happy ending in Bayou Moon. Plus, it was a great way to not only discover more about his past, but also to understand his loneliness and drive. His quest for revenge may start out a little dark, but, Andrews manages to weave in the humour and wit that makes her work so enjoyable.

The Edge is an interesting dichotomy between worlds. There are the laws that we all recognise, but they are overlayed by a lawlessness and savagery that goes beyond my understanding. It was overwhelming enough in On the Edge, but Cerise’s home in the Mire is much worse and more cut throat. It’s a fantastic method through which to deliver the idea of what could happen in a lawless world. The Broken is about the rules and guidelines that govern us in this life, the Weird is a throw back to ancient understandings of honour, mages and knighthood (with a modern twist). But the Edge? It’s an intimidating and cutthroat world that raises the stakes of any story.

Image source: Ilona Andrews

Title: On the Edge
Author: Ilona Andrews
Series: The Edge #1
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal fantasy, Paranormal romance, Strong women
Pace: Fast
Format: Novel
Publisher: Ace Fantasy
Year: 2009
5th sentence, 74th page: If I meet him, I’ll have to discourage him from courting you.

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 have no words for how amazing an introduction to this series On the Edge was! This is the exact reason why Ilona Andrews is one of my ALL TIME favourite authors! She creates a great, dynamic world and takes you on a journey with a sassy, spicy woman who knows her on mind. As the second series by Ilona Andrews that I have read, there are certainly a few stark differences between The Edge and Kate Daniels. For starters, there is a lot more steam and romance in The Edge. Which, since I’ve been in the mood for that, is completely desirable. I have no idea what to expect from Bayou Moon, but I can’t wait for it regardless!

This is such a typical Cinderella-type story. Girl who works hard and is from the ‘wrong’ part of town is swept off her feet by a noble. From the very first meeting, you know that they will end up together, and hope deliriously for a happy ending. But, it’s the journey that makes it fun. For starters, Rose isn’t all that willing to go along with the plan. And Declan has a huge hidden agenda. Plus, there’s the children, and the crazy things going bump in the night and killing everyone… so maybe not that “Cinderella” after.

One of my favourite things about Rose is her loyalty to and care for her brothers. No matter what happens throughout their journey, Georgie and Jack come first. Even when Rose finally agrees to upend her life, it is with strict stipulations on how the boys shall live. And for this, and this alone, I really want to continue to follow Rose through the Edge and back again.

Image source: Urban Fantasy Wiki