Quick Review: On the Edge by Ilona Andrews

From the Back Cover:

Rose Drayton lives on the Edge, between two worlds: on one side lies the Broken, a place where people shop at Wal-Mart and magic is nothing more than a fairy tale; on the other side is the Weird, a realm where blueblood aristocrats rule and the strength of your magic can change your destiny. Only Edgers like Rose can easily travel between the worlds--but they never truly belong to either.

Rose thought that if she practiced her magic, she could build a better life for herself. But things didn't turn out the way she'd planned, and now she works an off-the-books job in the Broken just to survive. Then Declan Camarine, a blueblood noble straight out of the deepest part of the Weird, comes into her life determined to have Rose (and her power).

But when a terrible danger invades the Edge--a flood of creatures hungry for magic--Declan and Rose must overcome their differences and work together to destroy them, or the beast will devour the Edge and everyone in it...

My Thoughts:

With the Edge, a world between worlds, Andrews has created an imaginative, magical, and dangerous place that's fun to read about, and a story that kept me turning the pages till the very end. I enjoyed both of the lead characters, especially Rose. Rose possesses magic that's unheard of in the Edge, and she is simultaneously shunned by those who are afraid of her and hunted by those who would use her power. Forced to fend for herself and her brothers from a young age, she's tough, brave, wary, and lonely. When handsome and mysterious Lord Declan shows up she wants nothing to do with him, but he makes her an offer she can't refuse. And when some seriously evil beasties invade the Edge and start targeting its inhabitants, Rose is forced to admit that Declan's desire to protect her family comes in handy. But as the danger grows and she comes to rely on Declan, she has to ask herself, does he really care, or is he just someone else who wants to use her?

I really liked this book. The story flowed naturally, the plot was well-constructed--never over-the-top or silly, and actually rather scary at times. The romance built up slowly and believably, and Rose and Declan proved to be perfect complements for each other. Great cast of supporting characters, too. A lot of times I find myself rolling my eyes at kids in romance novels who, more often than not, seem to exist just for the cutesy-factor. But in this case Rose's young brothers, Jack and George, were great characters who played integral roles in the story and really tugged at my heartstrings. I think On the Edge has it all: it's an imaginative, exciting, sexy, and sweet novel, and I'm definitely going to start making my way through the rest of Ilona Andrews' books.

My Rating:  4 Stars out of 5