Cassie Scot: ParaNormal Detective by Christine Amsden
Age Group: New Adult
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: May 15, 2013
Buy Links:
Amazon
Book Description:
Cassie Scot is the ungifted daughter of powerful sorcerers, born between worlds but belonging to neither. At 21, all she wants is to find a place for herself, but earning a living as a private investigator in the shadow of her family's reputation isn't easy.
When she is pulled into a paranormal investigation, and tempted by a powerful and handsome sorcerer, she will have to decide where she truly belongs.
When sorcerers call the shots, what's a girl without powers to do? Get ready for a ripper of a murder mystery full of romance and intrigue, where magic potions bubble, passions spark and vampires are definitely not your friend. Cassie Scot: ParaNormal Detective
When I
was first sent "Cassie Scot: ParaNormal Detective" by Christine
Amsden to review, I was excited. I've read detective series in the past that
focused on the world of the supernatural, and I was eager for more. Thankfully,
I can say that Amsden did not disappoint, and I enjoyed the first book in her
detective series.
This is
the story of Cassie Scot, who is the oldest of seven children and the only one
in her family of sorcerers who seemingly does not have any magical powers. Her
lack of special ability leaves her with feelings of inadequacies, and makes her
believe her family sees her as a disappointment. Since the reader is stuck in
her point of view, we are left wondering if this is what her family really
thinks of her and want to know more about their family dynamic.
Even
though she may be seen as a "weak link" in her family, Cassie Scot is
still a strong female character. At times she can be a bit pigheaded with her
need to prove herself outside of her last name, but Cassie is also smart enough
to ask for help when it's truly needed.
Cassie
took a chance by starting her own detective business when she stopped working
for the sheriff, and knows that this is something she wants to see through. I
respect Cassie as a character because she knows what she wants out of life, and
she also knows that it is going to take work to achieve her goals.
The
detective aspects of this book mixed well with the urban fantasy element, and
Amsden did a great job of drawing the reader into her world of sorcerers, vampires,
and mysteries. Cassie Scot is able to act as a tour guide to the audience by
taking us through all of the rules of the magical world she lives in, even
though she is just as "normal" as us.
At first
the world building was a bit sketchy for me. The town where Cassie lives
apparently acknowledges and accepts sorcery among them, but I wasn't sure if
that was the norm for the world as a whole, or just this small town. However,
as the story went on, the rules of this supernatural world were slowly revealed
for a better understanding of where Cassie was coming from.
While
this is a story about sorcery, it is the detective mystery that is driving the
plot. Cassie is trying to hunt down leads on a mystery that hit their town, and
although it turns out to be a supernatural problem, she has to use old fashion
detective skills as well as her magical contacts.
Although
there is a romantic subplot, it doesn't overpower the story. This is not just a
young woman finding love, but this is a story about a young woman trying to
make a name for herself and proving that she can go out and do things on her
own. However, when the romance does rear its head, I'm not left complaining.
The characters have definite chemistry, and dance around each other and their
feelings while the reader cheers them on.
When the
book ended, I was left with the overwhelming gratitude that I already have the
second book in the series ready to read (I actually had to force myself to type
up this review instead of just automatically reading the next book). This is
definitely a story that I want to stick with to see what happens next with
Cassie, Evan, and the Scot family, and I recommend it to anyone who loves a bit
of the supernatural with their mystery.
Christine Amsden has been writing science fiction and fantasy for as long as she can remember. She loves to write and it is her dream that others will be inspired by this love and by her stories. Speculative fiction is fun, magical, and imaginative but great speculative fiction is about real people defining themselves through extraordinary situations. Christine writes primarily about people and it is in this way that she strives to make science fiction and fantasy meaningful for everyone.
At the age of 16, Christine was diagnosed with Stargardt’s Disease, a condition that effects the retina and causes a loss of central vision. She is now legally blind, but has not let this slow her down or get in the way of her dreams.
In addition to writing, Christine teaches workshops on writing at Savvy Authors. She also does some freelance editing work. Christine currently lives in the Kansas City area with her husband, Austin, who has been her biggest fan and the key to her success. They have two beautiful children.
Thanks so much for hosting and I hope book 2 lives up to your expectations!
ReplyDeleteGreat looking book. Thanks for sharing.
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