Cursed by Fire (Blood and Magic, #1)

by Danielle Annett

[Berls]

This review appeared first at Fantasy is More Fun.

4.5 stars

**I received this book for free from Author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.**

I've had my eyes on Cursed By Fire since I helped with the cover reveal this past summer. I'm an Urban Fantasy die-hard and this one had my name all over it. And Cursed By Fire did not let me down! It's a great start to what I expect will be a great series.

It has several of my favorite elements.. For one a kick ass heroine, but one who's got serious growth potential. It's called Cursed By Fire for a reason! Aria's fire magic is awesome, but since she doesn't have full control or understanding of it, there's definitely a bit of a curse to it. I loved seeing her struggle to control her magic and, I have to admit, I probably loved it even more when she lost control because that was one awesome, kick-ass scene! I whooped aloud!

And then there's the paranormal side - vampires and shifters on the brink of war, no to mention those with pysch abilities like Aria's (she's pyrokinetic) and those we haven't seen much of yet like witches and mages (I hope for them on future books). It was all well done and there were some fun fresh twists to the world. I think Danielle Annett's world has taken staples - such as the pack heirarchies, vampirism, magic, and some sort of Lyconthropy Virus - that you see in any UF series and given them their own unique twist and voice.

I enjoyed the action and the twists and the hints at future romance - there was a little, but (as I expect from UF) it was understated. I really liked the relationships - from romantaic interests to friendships - and I see a lot of potential for growth along several different lines. My favorite side character was probably the Harpy, a friend and neighbor who's love of causing mischeif led to quite a few laughs. While there were some moments where I felt the characters acted in stupid ways, that they should have known better, just for the sake of the plot, that certainly was overshadowed by how much I enjoyed Cursed by Fire. I'm really looking forward to more!