Review: Under a Spell by Hannah Jayne

Under a Spell by Hannah Jayne

Publisher: Kensignton
Series: Underworld Detection Agency #5
Pages:  416 Pages
Genre: Urban Fantasy, PNR
Release Date: August 6, 2013
Summary:

Count your blessings, guard your curses—and watch your back…

Sophie Lawson was seriously hoping life at the UDA would get back to relative normal now that her boss Pete Sampson has been reinstated. Unfortunately, her new assignment is sending her undercover into a realm where even the most powerful paranormals fear to tread…her old high school. Being a human immune to magic is no defense against soulless picture-perfect mean girls—or a secret witch coven about to sacrifice a missing female student. And Sophie's Guardian, uber-proper Englishman Will, is determined to convince Sophie he's the kind of temptation she should indulge in permanently. Now, as the clock ticks down to apocalypse, he and Sophie will have to summon every trick in the book to battle devilish illusion, lethal sorcery—and betrayals they'll never see coming…

Rating:


Review: 

FUN FUN FUN!

Definitely the best way to describe this is just saying it over and over again. I really had fun reading this. It's one of those books you just read in one sitting, smirk allot and are thoroughly entertained.
And honestly that's that. It's not one of those books that leaves you in awe of the writters skills or amazed by the worldbuilding nor does it stay with you for days.. it's just good old fun. 

I never read any of the previous books,  but that actually didn't matter. I caught up really quickly with what's going on. And this could just as well work as a standalone. 
I have in fact marked the series as a to read, for when I feel for some lighthearted Paranaormal Action that's loads of fun.

As I said the world building was not exactly awe inspiring. It's the usual in many ways, but it's solid enough to pass as good. The series is definitely not driven by world building, so it doesn't have much of an impact. Still this is well enough constructed to go with the fun theme the author has injected throughout the book and has a innate quirkiness, which I found endearing.  

The character building is similar to the world building, good enough. Not amazing. I found myself laughing and smirking at Sophie's ditzyness. She is clumsy, silly, angsty and quite all over the place. But it's just enough to make one smirk, not too much that it put me off.  She stands in contrast to the oh-so-perfect paranormal support-cast, that are so eccentric they make Sophie look perfectly normal and sane.  I think part of the fun of the book is those contrasts, Jayne did a great job at walking the tightrope between funny and silly. 

The book is definitely plot driven.  And it's a non-stop action ride. There is never a dull moment, which suited me just fine.
There is a love triangle - and for some reason I - who usually really loathes them- didn't care about it, in fact I chose a camp and even more surprising, got invested and enjoyed it. 
The book ends on a cliffy... so be warned.  Which left me looking for the release date of the next book- yeah I wanna know what Sophie and Co. are up to next- oh and more importantly I need to know where the love triangle will go. I'm team Will, btw. 

This is your big-bang fun action paranormal. Not a book that boasts any subtle moment or great writing, but as I said it is packed with fun. A quick, entertaining read for one of those evening that you feel like quirky fun.


ARC was provided by Publishers through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

(click on the name for more reviews of this geek)