Happy Saturday all 😀 Today I wanted to share with you the first two books in Sarah Fine‘s Reliquary. I love this series. I read both books in two days and I’m anxiously waiting on Mosaic, the series conclusion which will be out Nov. 15th. So I thought today I’d fangirl a bit over this series. If you’re a fan of urban fantasy and paranormal romance, I highly suggest you grab a copy.
I received this book via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.
Reliquary by Sarah Fine Series: Reliquary #1
Published by 47North on 2016-06-14
Length: 331 pages
Reviewing eARC from Netgalley
Rating:
Reading Challenges: 2016 New Release Challenge
Mattie Carver’s engagement party should have marked the start of her own personal fairy tale. But when her fiancé, Ben, is violently abducted the next morning, her desperate quest to find him rips her away from small-town life and reveals a shattering truth: magic is real—and Ben is hooked. It’s not the stuff of storybooks. It’s wildly addictive, capable of producing everything from hellish anguish to sensual ecstasy almost beyond human endurance.
Determined to find out who took Ben and why, Mattie immerses herself in a shadowy underworld and comes face-to-face with the darkly alluring Asa Ward, a rogue magic dealer, infamous hustler…and her missing fiancé’s estranged brother. Asa has the power to sense magic, and he realizes Mattie is a reliquary, someone with the rare ability to carry magic within her own body, undetected. Asa agrees to help find Ben on one condition: Mattie must use her uncommon talent to assist his smuggling operations. Now, from magic-laced Vegas casinos to the netherworld clubs of Bangkok, Mattie is on a rescue mission. With Asa by her side, she’ll face not only the supernatural forces arrayed against her but the all-too-human temptation that she fears she can’t resist.
Reliquary by Sarah Fine is an interesting take on the world of magic. Mattie Carver’s life is planned out and the engagement party should have been the start of her wonderful life. Instead it ends with her fiancé Ben’s violent abduction and Mattie following him down the rabbit hole.
I like Mattie and at times I wanted to scream at her. She is a strong, independent woman who loves fiercely and is loyal to a fault. When she learns of the world Ben has been hiding from her, she’s equal parts appalled and intrigued. When she finds his brother who she’s heard nothing but bad things about, she’s confused. Is this the man she’s heard about? I like the character’s reactions to everything she encounters. It’s real and honest, and her reactions are justified.
Now as much as I liked Mattie, I LOVE Asa. Asa is Ben’s older, absent brother. He’s rough around the edges, brutally honest, and spares no one’s feelings. Yet he’s got a soft side, one that rarely comes out but when it does, it’s gorgeous 😀 He’s deep into the world of magic and he knows his way around. He’s cunning and protective. Honestly I want an Asa!
So the plot of this book really sets up the series in my opinion. Mattie is new to the underworld of magic. Her fiancé has hid it from her and now with him gone she has to learn it on her own and fast. Not only that but she learns this is in her blood. She has a special ability that allows her to hold magic inside of her, hiding it from others who seek it. Asa plans to use this power to save his brother if she’s willing. The people who took Ben send Asa and Mattie across the world in search of ancient magic. It’s up to them to bring it back in exchange for Ben.
Overall I loved the imagery and world-building. I loved the tense romance, the loyalty shown by Mattie and the emotions portrayed by Asa. I loved every word. It’s a little slow to start, and I’ll admit even a little confusing which is why it lost one star for me. If you enjoy urban fantasy, paranormal romance, I highly recommend it!
I received this book via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.
Splinter by Sarah Fine Series: Reliquary #2
Published by 47North on 2016-08-02
Length: 306 pages
Reviewing eARC from Netgalley
Rating:
Reading Challenges: 2016 New Release Challenge
Mattie Carver has relinquished the world of magic, with all its dark temptations. In six weeks, she’ll marry Ben Ward and claim the safe, small-town life she craves. But Mattie’s talents as a reliquary—someone able to smuggle magic within her body—make her a valuable commodity, even to those she trusts the most. Forced out of retirement by a painful betrayal, she must seek the help of the man she’s tried desperately to stay away from: Ben’s estranged brother, Asa.
Asa, a sensor and magic dealer, may have saved Ben months ago, but he’s complicated Mattie’s life beyond imagining. Trailed by lethal mobsters through Chicago’s seamy magical underbelly and an eerie traveling carnival, Mattie struggles to endure the priceless magic she’s holding and her feelings for Asa. Once, she thought she’d chosen her path. Now the only option may be to succumb to the destiny that’s choosing her, and hope she’s strong enough to survive.
As much as I enjoyed book one of Reliquary by Sarah Fine, I LOVED Splinter! In six weeks, Mattie will get the happily ever after she’s dreamed of. She and Ben will be married and everything that’s happened can go away. But she’s sick. She knows deep down the something is wrong. She’s losing weight, her chest feels like it will split open and that doesn’t even begin to touch the emotional trauma at having made her choice over Asa. Did she chose wrong?
Mattie is distraught to say the least this book. She’s struggling to survive, day to day. These anxiety attacks that aren’t really anxiety keep coming and there’s no way around it. The clinic, Ben’s clinic, is bankrupt and now he’s forcing her back to the world of magic to make some quick money. Except she doesn’t want to and when he betrays her in a way she could never anticipate, there’s only one person she can turn to.
Asa…Asa comes to the rescue but he’s angry. He believes that Mattie has been fooling with magic all along and now it will kill her. He plans to help her and then leave but there’s always more to the story. He’s loyal and protective of her and so easy to fall in love with. I fell for him in the first book but his gentle care of Mattie, even his tolerance of Ben puts him on a pedestal in my eyes!
The plot revolves around Ben’s gross betrayal of Mattie and a splinter of magic still trapped inside her. I love the continued world-building in this book. Asa takes them to a carnival of fellow magic users and I’m amazed at the gypsy life they live. I loved it! The intense action, the fantastical elements, and even the romance that continues to add tension to the story drew me in. If you’re a fan of the series or looking for a good paranormal romance/urban fantasy, I highly recommend you grab a copy and start today!
About Sarah Fine
Sarah Fine is a clinical psychologist and the author of the GUARDS OF THE SHADOWLANDS series, as well as other young adult novels and the adult fantasy novel MARKED.
She was born on the West Coast, raised in the Midwest, and is now firmly entrenched on the East Coast, where she lives with her husband and two children.
These books sound fabulous – I’m not a HUGE fan of romances in general, so is the romance the main part of the story, or does the fantasy element drive the story? Thank you for sharing.
It’s actually not the focus. It’s more urban fantasy driven. In fact the romance is near nonexistent in the first book.