I received a free copy of A DROP OF MAGIC (Book 1 of The Magicsmith) by L.R. Braden in exchange for an honest review. A war between fae and humanity ended with the fae being restricted to territorial reservations. Those with fae genetics are required to register and to obtain visas before traveling through human-ruled lands. Alex Blackwood was a child during the war, and her father perished while fighting on the side of humanity. Because Alex’s mother died shortly thereafter, Alex grew up in foster care. Accustomed to being abandoned and discarded, Alex struggled to remain independent and to reject emotional ties. However, starting with two friends in college, she slowly let her guard slip and formed emotional ties to a small community. Alex’s heart breaks when one of her friends becomes the latest victim of a serial killer tormenting her area. Suddenly, Alex is under siege by the supernatural world; both paranormals and law enforcement repeatedly demand she turn over an artifact they think her friend had in his possession. Before the end of the story, uncomfortable truths will be revealed both about Alex and her friends, Alex’s community will be broadened, alliances and enemies will be made, an artifact will be recovered, and a serial killer will be discovered.

I liked this book. I thought it did a good job of establishing the basic world building and framework for a new series without distracting from the story presented. At the conclusion of the tale, the book makes it clear that more world building will be provided as Alex’s familiarity with the supernatural community grows. I recommend this book to fans of urban fantasy. I look forward to the next novel in this series.

#AdropOfMagic #NetGalley

This novel was an enjoyable read to the start of a new series. It brings humans in contact with magical creatures like the far and shifters and magic. Alex Blackwood has kept to herself and a few close friends. When her best friend is murdered, Alex wants to get justice. After a cryptic message, Alex begins getting visitors and threats. Alex learns she is a half fae, with a particular skill set that is needed to solve the murders that have been happening as well as magical artifacts that have gone missing. Alex learns more about the supernatural world, including her own heritage. However, she is afraid of discovery. Partnered with a full blooded fae named Kai, they work together to track down the killers, which leads Alex into dangerous situations. There are many secrets and lies of omission, and this is only the beginning for Alex.

**I was provided an electronic ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**

LR Braden's debut novel, A Drop of Magic, is part murder mystery, part preternatural fantasy, and one solid good time.

The reader follows the perspective of metalsmith Alex Blackwood as she learns about the recent murder of her friend, Aiden. Alex is quickly drawn into a tangled web of secrets about Aiden himself and how the fae may or may not be involved in how he died. In the process, she learns some shocking truths about herself and has to adapt quickly to avoid death herself as she seeks justice for Aiden.

While the pacing of the story seemed a little disjointed to start, the approach that Braden took to magical artifacts, magical beings, and the overall world was one that I really enjoyed. Alex was an accessible main character whose naivete and ignorance about the fae realm gave Braden opportunities to educate the reader on the world as well. That being said, I found myself more invested in the "side" characters (Malakai, Marcus, James) than I was in Alex herself. Shout out for a glimmer of LGBTQ rep in David as well! I think Cat might be my favorite :)

I liked that Braden had a couple twists thrown into the story, and that not everything flowed perfectly for Alex and Malakai as they completed their investigation. Braden's writing style lends itself toward an authentic vibe that made it easy to lose yourself in the story. Was this a unique take on the concepts or creatures in this novel? Maybe not, but certainly Braden's version of preternatural mystery was done well and was an absolutely respectable debut.

Overall, I found A Drop of Magic to be an entertaining read that left me smiling. I will definitely be on the lookout for more from Braden, and would absolutely recommend this book to Laurell K Hamilton fans or anyone else looking for a fast paced fun read.