I recently read two books from the same author and wanted to review them. In case you weren’t aware, reviewing books you read can help others find them. The books I read were in the Smoke and Magic series of which only two are out. The author is AE McKenna.
I’ve known the author a long, long time. We used to game together. D&D, Cyberpunk, WhiteWolf, probably others as well. When I decided to read a book by someone I know, the biggest issue I have is: will I like it. I want to like everything my friends write, and for the most part, I have. Which is good. That is true with Bad Luck Genie and Death Rite Genie.
The books are in first person, which I used to hate reading. Turns out if the writing is bad, I hate it. If the writing it good, I don’t have a problem with it. (I am rolling my eyes at this.)
The books take place in our world, but have magic, djinnis and fae and I’m sure more things will come along as the books progress. Overall, I enjoyed the books. There is no ‘but’ to that. They are decent books. Go purchase them!
The main character finds out fairly quickly that she is, in fact, a djinni. Her parents hid this fact from her for reasons revealed in the book. The way she finds out is rough and heartbreaking. It’s also not a way I’ve ever head of, therefore I’m chalking that up to the writer’s mind. It’s cool even though it’s heartbreaking.
After finding out she’s a djinni, Lucy is thrown into the world of the fae and stumbles on the man that will be her love interest. Hijinks ensue. I don’t want to give away too much. A lot happens, but not enough to be overwhelming. The book has a good pace and kept me interested throughout.
The adventures continue! Lucy is worried as her mother and grandmother are missing. She and her best friend Malware try to find them and get attacked by her house, essentially. I liked what happened. Again, not trying to tell spoilers. When they find out what happened, they get themselves into more hijinks! The book sets a good pace and has a good amount of action without being overwhelming. AE McKenna does well with details and allows the story to tell itself. I look forward to the next one.
Overall, the books are easy to read and have a nice pace. Though I have read some fantasy, the way magic, djinnis and fae are used throughout these novels are new to me. That does not mean they will be new to you, but the books are still worth a read. I included the links to the books in the titles of each. Go pick them up!
Cat Stark 