Sterling (Mageri, #1)

by Dannika Dark

[Melanie]

My review and an extended sample of the audiobook are posted at Hotlistens.com.

This book had me going back and forth. There are parts of the story that I really liked and parts that I didn't. We start the story with Zoe going out partying with a friend. There is a decent amount of effort into introducing you to Sunny, Zoe's best friend and even Zoe's cat, Max, only to have them both leave the story in less than twenty minutes into the book. Zoe is attacked and left for dead after leaving the bar. She then wakes up and runs into a guy name Adam.

Adam is probably my favorite secondary character in the book. He helps Zoe after her attack, even though there is something going on with her. She just travels with him and meets Justus, who she learns is like her. Justus explains what she has transformed into, takes her under his wing and offers to train her.

After some time with Justus, the man who transformed Zoe appears and tries to claim her. After some arguments, the council agrees that her maker has a right to her. This does not go over well with Justus or Simon, one of Justus's Magi friends. They plan to get her back.

My problem with the book is we spend time learning about Max, the cat. Then the cat leaves the story. Then we meet Sunny, Zoe's best friend, then she is gone. We meet Adam, who is around much longer, but then he is gone when Justus comes into the picture. Do you see the pattern here? I just felt like there was too much effort spent on details on minor characters that would disappear quickly.

What I enjoyed was the world. I loved this world of magic, even if it a feudal system that these magical being live in. I love the powers that these magical creatures have and the fact that they are created. They are almost like magical vampires in the way that they are turned. I do like the characters and want to learn to more about them. I will be trying book two in the near future to see where things are going for Zoe/Silver.

Narration
Nicole Poole does an okay job. I think her voice worked for the main character. I think her male characters could be more masculine, but they weren't horrible. She did a couple of different accents and they weren't bad.

I like to thank Tantor Audio for providing me with a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.