Lila Merriweather is now in a position to finally avenge
her mother's murder and stop her killer, Victor Draconi,
from committing further horrors. He is more determined
than ever to exert his dominance over all the Families in
Cloudburst Falls, and will literally stop at nothing.
With the help of her friend Felix, her boyfriend Devon
Sinclair, and a new unexpected ally, Lila is on the
warpath, will the full support of the Sinclair Family.
Lila senses Victor will strike soon, only the where, how
and when remain...
BRIGHT BLAZE OF MAGIC is darker than the previous books,
and Jennifer Estep hits us with everything she's got in
the explosive conclusion of the Black Blade
trilogy. Ms. Estep's superb worldbuilding doesn't falter
for a moment, and the characters demonstrate sides we
hadn't seen previously. The author's eloquent prose
effectively conveys the most spectacular images, so vivid
it feels like watching a movie. The writing is crisp and
clear, and positively lyrical at times, the dialogues are
spot-on, and the story moves at breakneck speed. I still
haven't gotten over my issue with the overuse of
onomatopoeias though, especially as they are in italics:
I feel as if I'm running full speed and I suddenly hit a
pothole; I find it quite distracting, still it's the only
negative thing I have to say against the whole Black
Blade trilogy.
I really liked how the teenage friends worked together as
a team, without any silly bickering, and also that the
budding romances don't take any more place than they
ought to. It's more realistic, as Lila and her friends
have other things than romance on their mind, such as
staying alive! This series was meant to be action-packed,
and it remains that way until the end. Another highlight
is that no one, except the horrid Victor, is entirely
good or bad, and that also contributes to a feeling of
authenticity even with the supernatural angle, and the
magickal elements are outstanding, even better than in
the two previous instalments. But what I appreciate the
most is that it is about female empowerment: Lila is a
real heroine, and a true leader. BRIGHT BLAZE OF MAGIC
was exactly the ending I wished for this exciting series!
Bad Things Always Come In Threes…
As a thief, I'm good at three things: hiding in the
shadows, getting
in and out unseen, and uncovering secrets. I put these
skills to work
for the Sinclair Family, one of the magical mobs that run
the tourist
town of Cloudburst Falls.
Everyone knows Victor Draconi wants to take over all the
other
Families--and kill every last Sinclair. What they don't
know is that
I'm on to him, and no way will I let the man who murdered
my mom get
away with hurting all the other people I care about.
Especially when
I've got places to break into, stuff to steal, and Devon
Sinclair
fighting right by my side…