Review - Spellbent by Lucy A. Snyder (5/5 stars)

Reading level: Adult
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Del Ray
Release Date:  December 29th, 2009
ISBN-13: 978-0345512093
Stand Alone or Series: 1st in Spellbent series, at least two more books planned
Source: Bought
Rating: 5/5 stars


I have been wanting to read this book, it sounded right up my alley and I had heard great things about it in the reviews I read.  This book is incredibly creative, action packed, and relentlessly paced the whole way through.  I read this book in just about one sitting, had trouble putting it down, and loved every second of it!  There are going to be at least two more books in this series, Shotgun Sorceress releases tomorrow, and the third book, Switchblade Goddess is slated for release some time in 2011.

Jessie is a witch of sorts who is in a hot relationship with her teacher, (also a wizard) Cooper.  When they go to perform an incantation to bring some rain to the area things go horribly wrong.  Cooper is pulled into Hell and Jessie is left horribly injured.  Jessie will stop at nothing to hunt Cooper down, even when big-wig wizard Benedict makes her anathema to the magic community.  Now with next to no resources and awful injuries, Jessie is left with only her familar Palimpsest (a rather mouthy ferret) to help her in her quest to get back her boyfriend.

This book was one awesome ride.  It's not a book for those who are squimish at heart, some of the descriptions are pretty gory and detailed...even the sex scenes are down and dirty.  It is definitely non-stop action from beginning to end though, and the action scenes are very, very well done.  For example in the first 30 pages or so Cooper gets pulled into Hell, Jessie faces off a demon with a dagger and a shotgun, Jessie gets horribly...uh...eaten up, and saves the whole city.  That's just the first 30 pages, now imagine what the rest of the book is like.

Jessie is not the most likable character; she doesn't have a lot of respect for the law, her relationship with Cooper is a bit off (that whole student-teacher thing is a kind of wrong), and she is definitely not miss perky.  Still you have to admire her; the girl has guts and is darn determined to get what she wants.  She will let nothing, not even Hell itself, get between her and her goals.  She ends up having so little to work with that I admired her resourcefulness...even if it did border on distasteful at times.

Her sidekick, Palimpsest, is another awesome character.  He is an incredibly intelligent familiar that is willing to go out on a limb for Jessie; and he really is a steadfast friend to her.   The book is filled with interesting characters that have interesting stories behind them.

The world Snyder has created is an interesting one.  There are different ways to do magic and different systems for them; it is a creative and interesting system that I enjoyed learning about and am curious to learn more about in future books.

The book ends on a very satisfying note and does a great job wrapping up the story.

Overall a wonderful urban fantasy series with great characters, loads of action, a creative world, and a well thought out plot.  I loved this book and can't wait to read Shotgun Sorceress.  If you are a fan of Kate Daniels, Jane Yellowrock, Elemental Assassin, or Jaz Parks check this out.  It is a bit more on the gory side than some of the aforementioned books, but very well done.

This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
- Speculative Fiction Reading Challenge Book List
- The 100+ Book Reading Challenge