On the Edge by Ilona Andrews

Rose Drayton has lived all her life in the Edge - a small strip of land stretching between the Broken (the world as we know it and completely non magical) and the Weird (magic, magic everywhere). Edgers usually possess a little magic and can travel freely between both worlds, but usually stick to themselves. Living in the Edge will make you tough all by itself without compounding the fact that Rose has had to raise her two younger brothers all alone while defending herself from bride-hunting bluebloods and Edgers alike who simply would like her as a brood mare due to her impressive magical abilities. To say she has some trust issues with males and outsiders in general would be an understatement. So when an imposing blueblood Lord Declan Camarine shows up on her land declaring Rose to be 'his' and demanding three challenges to win her hand, Rose is less than enthusiastic. Her response is to shoot Declan with a cross-bow. Not that she hits him, but still, my kind of girl. Rose is already feeling a little out of her league, when some truly nasty creatures begin showing up in the Edge and fighting them off might become the hardest thing she's had to do yet...besides accepting Declan's help.

Out of all the characters in this novel, Rose's two younger brothers, Jack (a shape shifter) and Georgie (a boy who can raise the dead), were obvious standouts. They trust Rose implicitly and even though they sometimes don't follow instructions explicitly (they are boys) they stole my heart. Both Rose and Declan are fighters and their relationship morphed into something very believable even if I sometimes found myself giggling over Rose's effusive descriptions of Declan's rippling abs since it reminded me so much of Hugh Jackman's 'shower' in Australia. Other than that, Rose is smart and knows how to take care of those she loves which totally rocks in my book. To be honest, I'm not really sure where Ilona Andrews is planning on heading with the next installment, but my hopes firmly rest on a story for William, Declan's shape shifter army buddy. The man has Potential in spades.

Can I talk about the cover a moment here? If they had left off the Highland Warrior (he is SO not Declan) I would have totally dug it. Rose against the old truck with a rifle slung carelessly over her shoulder and magic swirling around? Super. But Mr. Piercing Gaze just ruins it for me. This was a fun book, but I'm not going to lie that the teaser for Magic Bleeds, the much anticipated fourth Kate Daniels book, had me squealing for joy.

Because Everyone Likes a Second Opinion:
Angieville review
Beside the Norm review
Bibleeohfile review
Book Love Affair review
Book Pushers Anonymous review
Lurv a la Mode review

Back on the Shelf

Like many other readers, I have a TBR pile that is never-ending and threatening to overtake me at any moment (personally I think of it as creative book storage). I enjoy nothing better than opening a book for the first time and not knowing what to expect from a new author. Sometimes, I'm immediately drawn into the lives of soliders, shapeshifters, or even a depressed robot. Others, I'm left feeling decidely underwhelmed and have a hard time even finishing the book. When that happens, I'm more than tempted to put it right back on the shelf becuase I feel like there are so many other books crying for my attention.

I recently started Aprilynne Pike's debut Wings, which has received some mixed reviews, and am having a heck of a time finishing it. It's most recent and perhaps dubious honor is that it is to be slated for the big screen starring Miley Cyrus as the confused teen Laurel. Miley? Understand now why I'm having trouble getting through it? After starting and stopping for the last couple of days, I've officially decided to label it as a DNF. Sad yes, but necessary. And now I'm onto bigger and better things: like Fire or Ilona Andrews latest, or maybe even Fragile Eternity..

What makes a book a DNF for you? Do you finish books no matter what or do you have a Must Read at Least 70 Pages Then Discard policy?