Sunday, May 4, 2014

Review: Clean Sweep by Ilona Andrews


Title: Clean Sweep (Innkeeper Chronicles, #1) 

Author: Ilona Andrews

Rating: 4 Stars

If the distasteful rumors of an impending love triangle within this new series wasn't enough to steer me away from the latest Ilona Andrews, my disappointment following Magic Rises certainly was. Months after the last Kate Daniels release, however, I found myself - quite inevitably - in the mood for Ilona and Gordon's work. With the Edge Chronicles inconveniently checked out of the e-library, I was left with Clean Sweep to borrow. A resigned sigh, the click of a mouse, and the title was downloaded onto my Kindle.

And, lo and behold, I really, really liked it.

First and foremost, allow me to dispel any - and all! - rumors of a love triangle within these pages. While there are, admittedly, two love interests for Dina, our protagonist in question, it is clear just who Dina has feelings for. Moreover, the second love interest - who only makes an appearance a little over half-way through the book - fails to display the same level of romantic interest in Dina. Although he could, very well, be a true contender for her heart as the series progresses, I am keeping my fingers and toes crossed that Ilona Andrews steers clear of that path. It hasn't been their style in the past and I certainly hope they do not adopt it for the future.

While Clean Sweep is certainly a stronger introduction to a promising series than Magic Bites ever was, it still lacks the epic nature of a Kate Daniels installment. Nevertheless, Dina is a formidable heroine; strong, resilient, and determined to carry out her job. Dina, the owner of a magical inn, is duty-bound to protect her residents when danger comes knocking on her doorstep. Moreover, as the daughter of two innkeepers who have mysteriously gone missing, Dina has taken it upon herself to maintain neutral territory on her grounds, all while enticing more visitors in the hopes that someone, someday, will know what happened to her parents. With unknown dangers lurking around the corner however, Dina will need all the help she can get - even if it's from her frustratingly handsome neighbor - to keep her community safe.

It seems Ilona Andrews can still be relied upon for a quick, pick-me-up Urban Fantasy read. Though Clean Sweep starts off a little shakily, it quickly gains momentum and maintains a solid pace throughout. I cannot wait to see where Ilona and Gordon take this series next. With such a lot of promise, originality, and heart captured within the pages of this first installment itself, I have no doubts that Dina's books will soon become just as memorable and adored as those of Kate Daniels as well.

14 comments:

  1. It's so, so good when a book surprises you, lucky you gave this a chance!

    And, I think sometimes people are too quick to lump a book with the love-triangle label, when really there isn't one ;)

    Mands @ The Bookish Manicurist

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  2. I enjoyed it, pretty cool and original :)

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  3. I so loved this one! You know it's the first book by Ilona Andrews I read that isn't one of the Kate Daniels series and I was really surprised by it. The ideas, the originality, it was so fun! I can't wait to read book 2.

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  4. I still have not read any Ilona Andrews book yet but I've heard great things from you and other blogger peeps . Glad to hear this series is promising

    I think I'll give magic bites a try for tugs year is done

    Lovely review , keertana

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  5. Yay for no love triangle! I hope it stays that way. You're right, IA usually doesn't do a love triangle. I read the first book in the Edge Series and there wasn't any there either. I'll add this to my must read list. Great review, Keertana! :)

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  6. Oh, I'm glad there's no love triangle! It's always wonderful when an author sets the stage for one but allows her protagonist to choose from the get-go. I've yet to read anything by this author, but I love UF, and you make a strong case for this one, Keertana! Lovely review :)

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  7. I need to read this Keertana! I'm glad to hear it's a far stronger start to this series than the first Kate Daniels book, I was so lost in that one but of course am glad I stuck with it. I'm looking forward to meeting Dina and I'm so happy to know you have a good feeling about the series moving forward!

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  8. This looks absolutely interesting! For some reason, I thought the cover was more science fiction than Urban Fantasy. There's just something about that "electriciy-ish blue" that feels so scifi for me :) In any case, thanks for bringing this under my radar. Jessica from Rabid Reads told me about this one before, and I completely forgot about it. I'll have to prioritize this one! Thanks again!

    Faye at The Social Potato Reviews

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  9. I came *this close* to getting this one on audio. Now I'm so bummed that I didn't do that! So many good reviews on this book... and frankly her other series as well which I still need to devour. Yep, you pushed it up the wishlist!

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  10. So glad you enjoyed this one! She isn't an author I've read before. Maybe because UF isn't my genre, but I do sometimes step out of the safety of my world to the adult world. I'll put this one on my TBR but will remember that you loved the Kate Daniels series more!

    Heather

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  11. I really really want to read this one. I admit I have not read her other stuff before so I wouldn't know how to compare it, but the plot sounds enchanting.

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  12. I really need to read something by Ilona Andrews, especially since you seem to enjoy her books so much. And I'm always up for a good fantasy. Plus, this story sounds intriguing. Great review, Keertana!

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  13. I don't mind love triangles when they're done well, and I would think/hope that IA would handle that sort of thing better than most. I'm happy to hear that you enjoyed this despite your initial misgivings! A new series is something to celebrate.

    What is UP with that cover image, though? <.<

    Wendy @ The Midnight Garden

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  14. First, does the Kate Daniels series have an end number of books projected? These never ending series make me nervous. Second, I was all set to read those, until the negative reviews for the most recent installment came in, and now I'm nervous about it. But I'm hoping that the new book coming will make it all worth it.

    I'm going to wait on this one to make sure no love interest is to come at all, but I'm glad it doesn't seem that's the direction this series is going to take. Glad that this ended up exceeding your expectations. That is always a very wonderful surprise.

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