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Saturday, March 21, 2015

Book Review: Dark Alchemy by Laura Bickle

Dark Alchemy
By: Laura Bickle
Pages: 271
Urban Fantasy
Plot:
Some secrets are better left buried …

Geologist Petra Dee arrives in Wyoming seeking clues to her father's disappearance years ago. What she finds instead is Temperance, a dying western town with a gold rush past and a meth-infested present. But under the dust and quiet, an old power is shifting. When bodies start turning up—desiccated and twisted skeletons that Petra can't scientifically explain—her investigations land her in the middle of a covert war between the town's most powerful interests. Petra's father wasn't the only one searching for the alchemical secrets of Temperance, and those still looking are now ready to kill. Armed with nothing but shaky alliances, a pair of antique guns, and a relic she doesn't understand, the only thing Petra knows for sure is that she and her coyote sidekick are going to have to move fast—or die next.


The one and only thing this story could have possibly needed? More pages!?

Laura Bickle has once again brought me to my knees. I wish she would stop, I'm getting to old to bounce back up! Anyone who knows me, knows that I am not a big fan of UF. The genera as a whole is lacking all kinds of romance and sex, it's fact and I have zero love life. So romance I need! But regardless of the lacking personal love life this reader has, I frelin loved this story!

The first chapter starts out dark and mysterious, you get a really great feeling of what's to come. The suspense only builds from there as you meet some freaky ranch hands that could use some badly needed days off. Overworked and not paid a dime, I would have run for the hills years ago. But in walks Petra and out walks anything normal or mundane they were used to.

She's spitfire, sass and gusto all wrapped up in a loving heart. Once she makes a decision on someone's character, she stops at nothing to protect and look out for that person. She is flawed and even though life has not thrown her rainbows and kisses, this chick gets back up and keeps moving forward.

Her handy coyote sidekick is one lovable guy, where this story takes them in future books is sure to be amazing. It's dark and twisted with magics, evil is all around you and finding out the endless stream of gibber gabber to uncover it all was one hell of a ride! Every element of this tale had just what the reader needed and some added surprises you can chew on after the dusts settles. What's going to happen with Petra and Gabe, I guess we will need to find out in future books!

If you love reading a well thought out mystery, laced with darkness and magics while set to the country backdrop then grab this one and dive in!

Getting 5 Sheep
KD




About the Author:
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Laura Bickle grew up in rural Ohio, reading entirely too many comic books out loud to her favorite Wonder Woman doll. After graduating with an MA in Sociology – Criminology from Ohio State University and an MLIS in Library Science from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, she patrolled the stacks at the public library and worked with data systems in criminal justice. She now dreams up stories about the monsters under the stairs, also writing contemporary fantasy novels under the name Alayna Williams.

Her work has been included in the ALA’s Amelia Bloomer Project 2013 reading list and the State Library of Ohio’s Choose to Read Ohio reading list for 2015-2016.

7 comments:

  1. Sounds good to me, Katie. I've got it on my review pile too, plus an interview with her on my own blog this Wednesday. Weird westerns for the win.

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  2. The book sounds fantastic but I'm not sure how I feel about the cover. I probably wouldn't pick it up without a recommendation like this. ~Mandie

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  3. So is this a stand alone or the first in a new series? I really enjoyed both Anya Kalinczyk books.

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  4. I am not sure I want to read this. I really did not like her Oracle series, and DNF-ed the second one after a few pages of horror. Also the cover puts me off bigtime.My friend is a big fan though, and I still have some more of her books on my shelves.

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  5. Your review makes me want to add this to my "wish list " of books. And personally I love the cover....reminds me of Stephen King's "the Gunslinger" which draws me in!

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