***This review has also been posted on The Social Potato

Last year, one of my favorite series--Mythos Academy-- came to an end. I, like many other fans was left feeling lost because I had fallen in love with the characters and wasn't ready to let go (but when are you ever ready?). So when I found out the author had a new series coming out (why I didn’t find out about it right away is beyond me), I was over the moon.  I was doing the monkey and prancing around, ready to dive into a new world. I, not for a second, doubted how much this book would please me and I am so glad I wasn’t let down.

If you’re a fan of the Mythos Academy series, it’s already a given that you gotta read this series, but for the rest of you, who make excuses and put the series off, or have never heard of it, I shall do my best to capture the geniussness of Jennifer Estep in my review.

For starters, her main characters are ALWAYS awesome. Lila is the very definition of badass but she also happens to be super clever and can take care of herself. She has issues because of her past and what she has had to live through, and is perhaps not the most open person, but given her circumstances it’s hard to blame her. Besides, she thinks things through and it’s hard not to cheer for her. I just love and admire her so much because her character is so interesting and complex. She has been living on her own too long to just succumb to the temptations of comfort so while some of her thinking process will frustrate you, it’s  also kind of nice knowing she isn’t ready to forget everything and throw caution to the air. It’s what I love about Lila.

Like all Estep books (including her adult series), this one comes with a fantastic entourage of secondary characters. From Claudia to Deah, they are all interesting and make you want to know more about them. They may seem very flat at first but when you learn more about them, you start to realize there is more to them then their face value. They are more complex and intricate than that. Unsurprisingly, I have a favorite and it happens to be Mo. I just really like Mo, okay? He has his faults but his greed for money and his awesome haggling skills just sold him as a character. Felix may be a highlight for others though with his adorable cockiness and horrifying flirting skills.

One of my other favorites, unsurprisingly, was the love interest-- Devon. He is such a sweetheart. Devon may have his own problems to deal with but he never lets them affect how he deals with the people around him and I adore that about him. I have to say, I am not as sold on him as I was on Logan (from Mythos Academy) but interesting things have happened and it’s suffice to say, I am DEFINITELY looking forward to being reunited with him in Dark Heart of Magic. 

I will say for those wondering about the romance, hold your horses, it’s much too early for us to expect much and do much besides ship the freaking heck out of the two.

Estep’s books, whatever faults they may have, will never leave you feeling bored (although maybe they will… I hope they won’t?). They are always so fast paced and get things moving. Estep just knows what she is doing. It’s an oh-so-sweet building of tension to the moment of climax where SHIT GOES DOWN. And given that it’s Estep, there will be action, mystery and intrigue. I will say that the mystery will never be unpredictable, but who cares if it is fantastically executed.

Suffice to say, I am 100% sold on this series and LOVE the new world that Estep has built. It is definitely set aside from the world of Mythos Academy in many ways (even if there are a couple similarities). We get mafia families, magical talents and monstrous creatures, all brought to life in an interesting way.

I am ready to dive into the sequel and can it just be October already? MY BODY IS READY FOR MORE. So while I suffer, you may or may not want to check out this awesomeness and devour it the same way I did.