Source: Personal library
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If there’s one thing I loathe, it’s being told what to do.
I was kept ignorant and sheltered my whole life. Now that I’m free, I’ll never be coddled again. Even if the smoking hot werewolf king thinks coddling is perfectly acceptable. Because something’s hunting humans in my city. Something that kills like a werewolf, but displays those kills publicly–as if taunting the authorities. Thanks to my spiffy new agreement with the police, it’s my job to figure out just what that something is. But whoever is hunting the good citizens of Durham is also taunting me.
When my investigation takes me to the local werewolf pack–and the overprotective male in charge–I know I’m in trouble. Can I solve these murders without losing my freedom... or my life? Or will the creature make me regret ever thinking I was strong enough to be out in the world alone?
MY THOUGHTS
After finishing Stacia Stark’s Deals with Demon series some time ago, I found myself thinking often of the Deals with Demons universe. I was thrilled to discover that the author had launched a spin-off series, Bargains with Beasts, focusing on Danica’s sister, Evie. In Unnatural Magic, we journey alongside Evie as she grapples with her newfound power, hunts down villains, and contends with the HFE group. While the original series revolved around demons, Evie’s story delves deeper into the territory of werewolves.
Evie shares many traits with Danica—stubbornness, independence—but she carries additional burdens stemming from her discovery of being part of a genetic experiment and her coven's betrayal. Yet, it was annoying how often Evie compared herself to Danica or strives to differentiate herself from her sister. One can't have it both ways. Furthermore, I found the chemistry between Evie and Nathaniel forced; despite being told they're fated mates, it never felt authentic. While neither Evie nor Nathaniel particularly resonate with me, I found the side characters and the wolves' perspective intriguing.
In contrast to the Deals with Demon series, I found Unnatural Magic to be an okay read. It was a struggle to get through, although my interest finally peaked towards the end. Despite my reservations, I intend to continue with the next and final Evie installment, especially to delve into Kayla’s story. For the full experience, I highly recommend starting with the Deals with Demon series to fully appreciate the world-building, then circling back to explore the Bargains with Beast series.
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