Clean Sweep (Innkeeper Chronicles #1) by Ilona Andrews
What has always drawn me into any world the writing team of Ilona Andrews is their ability to draw the reader into the worlds they create with such ease. Clean sweep is a combination of paranormal and sci-fi, with mythical creatures and wormholes to other worlds. This is not a simple task for a writer, but for these guys, it’s a piece of cake. The world building is such that you are invested and emotionally tied to all the characters introduced. I am blown away yet again. The story is smart, funny and engaging from page one. It’s when I learned how Clean Sweep came about that I fell even more in love with this team.
It’s
a “for the love of it” project! Every week these guys would write and post a
chapter online - for free. In their words, it would be a “no second chances”
type project. No re-writes or changes would be made once posted; it would just
be out there to stay. Fans could read and leave feedback and comments, and it
was a total interaction during the writing process. Once Clean Sweep was finished, a desire from
fans prompted the duo to publish and release it out to the masses.
The
write up says it all if you want to know what Clean Sweep is all about. As for
me, I find the back-story of how Clean Sweep came to be even more reason to go
out and by this book. You can also read the first three chapters online over at
http://demo.ilona-andrews.com/
5
Stars for the story and 10 stars to the writing team of Ilona Andrew!
T~
www.ktbookreview.com
*ARC
given via Ilona Andrews
On
the outside, Dina Demille is the epitome of normal. She runs a quaint Victorian
Bed and Breakfast in a small Texas town, owns a Shih Tzu named Beast, and is a
perfect neighbor, whose biggest problem should be what to serve her guests for
breakfast. But Dina is...different: Her broom is a deadly weapon; her Inn is
magic and thinks for itself. Meant to be a lodging for otherworldly visitors,
the only permanent guest is a retired Galactic aristocrat who can’t leave the
grounds because she’s responsible for the deaths of millions and someone might
shoot her on sight. Under the circumstances, "normal" is a bit of a
stretch for Dina.
And now, something with wicked claws and deepwater teeth has begun to hunt at night....Feeling responsible for her neighbors, Dina decides to get involved. Before long, she has to juggle dealing with the annoyingly attractive, ex-military, new neighbor, Sean Evans—an alpha-strain werewolf—and the equally arresting cosmic vampire soldier, Arland, while trying to keep her inn and its guests safe. But the enemy she’s facing is unlike anything she’s ever encountered before. It’s smart, vicious, and lethal, and putting herself between this creature and her neighbors might just cost her everything.
And now, something with wicked claws and deepwater teeth has begun to hunt at night....Feeling responsible for her neighbors, Dina decides to get involved. Before long, she has to juggle dealing with the annoyingly attractive, ex-military, new neighbor, Sean Evans—an alpha-strain werewolf—and the equally arresting cosmic vampire soldier, Arland, while trying to keep her inn and its guests safe. But the enemy she’s facing is unlike anything she’s ever encountered before. It’s smart, vicious, and lethal, and putting herself between this creature and her neighbors might just cost her everything.
Ilona
Andrews is the pseudonym for a husband-and-wife writing team. Ilona is a
native-born Russian and Gordon is a former communications sergeant in the U.S.
Army. Contrary to popular belief, Gordon was never an intelligence officer with
a license to kill, and Ilona was never the mysterious Russian spy who seduced
him. They met in college, in English Composition 101, where Ilona got a better
grade. (Gordon is still sore about that.)
Gordon
and Ilona currently reside in Texas with their two children, and many dogs and
cats. They have co-authored two series, the bestselling urban fantasy of Kate Daniels and romantic
urban fantasy of The Edge.
Their books frequently appear on New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists,
with Magic Rises debuting at #1 on NYT, and have been translated into more than
ten foreign languages.
I have to admit I never read any of Ilona Andrews novels, but they are on my to-read list. I have many blogger friends who say Ilona Andrews books are must reads for paranormal/fantasy readers. So, I'm definitely picking up this one in the next month or so. :) Great review!
ReplyDeleteOh you must! Honestly this would be a perfect intro to their books. As it is short and gives you a great example of the writing style.
DeleteLooking forward to reading it! :) Thanks.
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