Magic on the Hunt (Allie Beckstrom, #6)

Feb 03, 2012 Sandra rated it 2 of 5 stars

I found Zay to be an almost completely different character in this book and I am getting a bit tired of the never ending complicated plots, particularly those of Allie's father. I would like to see a some resolution and a break of more than 3 days before Allie is thrown into yet another save the world from the dire magic situation which is linked to the previous 500 other times. Rather than more twists caused by her father's complicated plotting I would like to see Allie get some real concrete i...more

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May 30, 2011 The BookWhisperer rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: series

The Allie Beckstrom series has been a well loved favorite personally for The BookWhisperer over the past few years. Allie is a very entertaining character; that while obviously not bullet proof she has the courage and power of even the strongest characters. With the circumstance of the fifth book I had concerns as the the future of Allie and Zay, and just what would be the repercussions of giving her magic for his life. It appears with this novel that she is not at a disadvantage with the lack o...more

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Aug 17, 2012 Dangerous Romance Book Reviews rated it 4 of 5 stars

Another book I’ve been dying to get my grubby little mitts on. I’ve been a huge fan of this series since book one. The world Devon Monk has built is masterfully created with magic a part of technology in a way you rarely see in fantasy.

The relationships have built over time to the point where it is like hanging out with your good friends while they live a life of danger that is exciting, yet not one you’d want to experience in reality by a long shot because it beats the hell out of the heroes bu...more Another book I’ve been dying to get my grubby little mitts on. I’ve been a huge fan of this series since book one. The world Devon Monk has built is masterfully created with magic a part of technology in a way you rarely see in fantasy.

The relationships have built over time to the point where it is like hanging out with your good friends while they live a life of danger that is exciting, yet not one you’d want to experience in reality by a long shot because it beats the hell out of the heroes but it sure is a fun ride.
In Magic at the Gate, Allie successfully went into death to get Zayvion back and paid a bitter price. This book starts up after just a few days later. Zay is exhausted after just coming out of a coma. They are just beginning to rest up from all they went through in the last book when things go from bad to worse.

A home invasion and a shooting leaves more questions than it does clues. An attempt to remove Allie’s Father from the situation fails miserably, so she is stuck with him roosting in her head (although he does save her repeatedly with his abilities that excel her own). Someone has kidnapped Sedra, the leader of The Authority, and Zayvion, Allie and Shame go against direct orders from Victor, which in part leads to a crazed magic user escaping prison. An authority higher than “The Authority” is coming to town to clean house, putting everybody in jeopardy, and when you get fired by The Authority, you don’t just get a pink slip, you get your memory washed. Allie already has more gaps in her memory then she wants, from the price that using magic charges.

Zayvion is famous for his zen like calm but he’s rattled in Magic on the Hunt. He nearly died, and his city is being torn apart, as is his very organization. He’s stressed and snaps at Allie occasionally, trying to tell her what to do, which she’d be more patient with except his demands go in direct opposition to her desires for her Hounds. They have some really good fights and let’s face it, if you are going to have a couple stay together through a series, it is good to have them stand up to each other and still disagree, otherwise it could get boring. Boring is the furthest thing from what is going on in this relationship, however.

I especially liked seeing the character development of Terric and Shame and the way they have responded to all the outside pressures the two of them experienced. Putting your life on the line day after day, and only able to count on your magical skills and those of the people you trust who fight beside you, would obviously add to the depth of closeness the Soul Compliment would cause. Now that Shame isn’t constantly afraid to be in the same room with Terric after accidentally almost killing him and acting like an ass to cover up his guilt, their relationship has grown closer.

I think this was the most exciting of the series yet, and while some of the characters barely make an appearance, the focus on the four friends kept the action moving and the tension high, while delivering a satisfying emotional payoff. So much time is spent with the four of them in a car racing from one part of town to another, trying to put out magical fires, that it creates an almost claustrophobic feeling ratcheting up the tension.I do look forward to seeing what happens next though, but then with this series, I always say that.
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Mar 30, 2012 Star (The Bibliophilic Book Blog) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed

Allie's still reeling over losing her small personal well of magic - an emptiness that can't be filled. But she and Zayvion have a lot more to handle right now than they thought. Sedra, the leader of the Authority, is gone - abducted - and the rest of the Authority is in shambles. No one's at their best and no one is what or who they seem. It's going to take all Allie's got to get through the troubles ahead...

Ms. Monk has got a solid hit series and every book keeps getting better! I love Allie's...more

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May 14, 2011 Cathy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: twitter-author, read-in-2011, fantasy, magic-users, urban, people-of-color

It was one of those books that I wanted to race through, and yet savor at the same time. The action was non-stop, but it was totally plot-based and added to the story, not just running around and fighting for the sake of adding excitement like in some books. The action doesn't take the place of character development, although most of that was focused on Shamus and Terric in this book. Allie and Zayvion were still the stars, but they are a bit more settled in this one, no major emotional revelati...more

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Apr 05, 2011 Kt from A Book Obsession.. rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: hardcopy

They say there is no rest for the weary and this holds true as Allie and Zayvion can't ever seem to catch a break. With only three days of rest since the last book's fiasco, and Zay's almost death, they get attacked. This is only the start of a whirlwind of catastrophes that threaten everything they have worked so hard to protect. A very dangerous undead man has found a body to possess down in the depths of the Authority's maximum security prison. Between tracking down the man that attacked them...more They say there is no rest for the weary and this holds true as Allie and Zayvion can't ever seem to catch a break. With only three days of rest since the last book's fiasco, and Zay's almost death, they get attacked. This is only the start of a whirlwind of catastrophes that threaten everything they have worked so hard to protect. A very dangerous undead man has found a body to possess down in the depths of the Authority's maximum security prison. Between tracking down the man that attacked them, and cleaning up the mess the possessed is making, Allie and Zayvion can barely hold things together. Luckily they have a little help from Terric and Shame, but even they might not be enough to stop what is coming.

From the start, Allie and Zayvion have been warned to keep some semblance of a distance from each other, as being soul complements can be extremely dangerous. In this book they get a further glance as to why that is. I think that as time goes on it will become even more difficult for them to keep their souls separate. I could be slightly delusional, but A, I don't think they will ever lose the ability to separate themselves if they join again, and B, I just don't think they will take the crazy train like the rest of the soul complements they have known. They just really seem to have a connection that will beat the odds, and somehow get the happily ever after that has been denied to so many others. One can only hope.

Things that have been hidden are really starting to unravel, and the ones responsible for the insane mess the Authority has been dealing with recently have finally been revealed. To be honest I had some suspicions early on as to who was truly behind things, but even so some of the revelations still caught me off guard. So many people were really not who everyone thought they were. The good guys are actually bad and some of the bad ones are actually trying to do good. Everything has been shaken up, and the repercussions will have to be dealt with. Things have been escalating for several books, even now that Allie and friends know who is actually to blame, they are still a long way from being able to stop everything once and for all.

I really loved this book, and how everything seems to be coming together, or at least a little more clear. I've had the sense that the past few books have been leading to something big, and while I am not quite sure we have seen that "big" thing yet, I think this book really paved the way. The only thing that worries me about this is that could also mean that the series is starting to wind down. I certainly hope that isn't the case as I love these characters too much to say goodbye to them yet. Congratulations to Ms. Monk for yet another great installment in the fantastic Allie Beckstrom series.(less)

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Apr 19, 2012 Theshrewedshrew rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: allie-beckstrom

About 2 books ago, I realized why I had stopped reading after book 1, and then kept reading later on after finishing book 2...

I HATE THIS AUTHOR!!! I mean, don't get me wrong, I love the idea of this book, I am hung on the plot. But Zay is weird... Allie is in control of her father... And what is the only thing she does with that control... the things the Authority wants her to do.

This girl is the ULITMATE sub, I mean she is broken, on sooo many levels.

Her father has been molding her, she fin...more

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Apr 22, 2011 Karissa rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is the sixth book in the Allie Beckstrom series by Monk. There are at least nine books planned in this series. This was a very enjoyable book in the series, it picks up pretty much right where the last book left off.

Allie and Zayvion are recovering from all of the craziness in Book 5, Magic at the Gate. Things are pretty much at an all out low for the series; the Authority is splintered, their leader Sedra captured by Jingo Jingo. Gates are opening up everywhere completely out of control. R...more This is the sixth book in the Allie Beckstrom series by Monk. There are at least nine books planned in this series. This was a very enjoyable book in the series, it picks up pretty much right where the last book left off.

Allie and Zayvion are recovering from all of the craziness in Book 5, Magic at the Gate. Things are pretty much at an all out low for the series; the Authority is splintered, their leader Sedra captured by Jingo Jingo. Gates are opening up everywhere completely out of control. Right at the beginning of the book Dane shows up and tries to kill Allie and Zayvion; meaning that there is yet another member of the Authority that has gone rogue. Now they need to hunt down Dane, figure out what the shadow Leander is up to and do it all before the powers that be Close the Authority in the city for their incompetence.

I would definitely recommend reading previous books before reading this one, there is a lot going on in this series at this point. You can tell though that the main story arc dealing with Leander and Isabella is drawing to a climax in this book.

It was wonderful that Allie and Zay get at least a little down time. I also loved the fact that Zay played such a prominent part in this book. We also spend lots of time with Shamus and his Soul Companion, they are some of my favorite characters so I enjoyed that. Allie's dad continues to partially possess her and he always makes stuff interesting.

The plot whips forward at a fast pace. There are a lot of things revealed and revelations made in this book that start to draw a lot of little things from previous books together. This book is definitely a must read for fans of the series. I also enjoyed how the power structure outside of the city is explained to the reader; we are finally gaining a better understanding of the world as a whole rather than being stuck with just a city-wide understanding.

The book ends well and you can kind of predict what the next book will be about. This is a series that I never find myself absolutely in love with, but I always enjoy reading. It is a solid urban fantasy that is always engaging, but never really blows me away with its creativity.

Overall an excellent addition to this series. Allie still isn't my favorite character, but I am finding myself liking her a bit more and I really enjoy the characters surrounding her. This book was pretty much solid urban fantasy; there is a touch of romance here but not a lot. Lots of great action scenes, lots of revelations, and a fast moving plot too. Fans of this series should be pleased. I am not sure when book 7 is due out, I do know that Monk is starting a new series of which the first book Dead Iron, will be out later this year.(less)

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Jul 27, 2011 Amanda rated it 3 of 5 stars

Book #52 of 2011

The last of the (so far) published Allie Beckstrom novels and thankfully it wasn't a cliff hanger ending! I mean, there's a little bit of a cliffhanger, but not a "end one book and pick up the next 2 min. later" kind of cliffhanger.

For some reason it took me this long to realize that Allie may not be the most reliable narrator. She does, after all, have a lot of memory problems... (I mean, I'd realized that her memory problems probably effect her relationship with the people arou...more

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Dec 10, 2012 Lisa King rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: liked-it-but-not-great

A nasty enemy is lost in Portland and targets a magical prison. Allie and the gang ride to the rescue but nothing is as it seems. Surprises abound, magical battles flare and bits and pieces of the overarching story are revealed. Power plays are made and trials are held. Lots of things happen to move the main story along nicely.

I do like this series and it's mostly the characters and what they endure that hooks me. Still love Shame and Terric. There are tidbits about Allie that are humanizing. Sh...more

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May 27, 2011 Ami rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy-paranormal-futuristic, 5-stars_rating

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This series is just so addictive by each book. This one easily becomes my favorite so far, because of four reasons

MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD

1) More information is revealed, most importantly about Leander and Isabelle, and their evil plan. It's getting clearer and the same time the problem that Allie and her friends must face just get escalated. Not to mention, there seems to be new "leaders" emerge, with the change in the Authority. I also like the progress that Allie has with her Dad. This time, she...more This series is just so addictive by each book. This one easily becomes my favorite so far, because of four reasons

MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD

1) More information is revealed, most importantly about Leander and Isabelle, and their evil plan. It's getting clearer and the same time the problem that Allie and her friends must face just get escalated. Not to mention, there seems to be new "leaders" emerge, with the change in the Authority. I also like the progress that Allie has with her Dad. This time, she is able to take control. Daniel makes me unease. I still don't know his true agenda. However, there are few moments that make me feel that Daniel is just a human, being ripped of his happiness -- especially near the end, with Violet having the baby boy.

2) Zavyion is back!! I miss him so much in book #4 and #5. He has been part the gang, that it feels weird without him around. I know that he is acting like a jerk several times here, but at the same time, I can understand his frustration. He was practically dead (and Allie went all to the death to save him) and now he was shot and couldn't protect his girl. His city is falling apart. Of course the guy loses it. I'm glad that Allie stands her ground. They might fight but they know that they're still strong. Hey, even the most loving couple fights sometimes.

3) Allie and her Hounds. It's so good to see Allie taking charge of the Hounds and use them to track Dane.

4) THE BEST OF ALL, SHAME AND TERRIC!!! I'm shipping them so hard, it borders near obsession. I'm just happy that I read this series altogether because I can read how Shame and Terric's relationship progress. Sure, sure, they're not a couple (Shame said he wasn't gay), but the bond that they have is just as strong IF they're a couple. I'm glad that Shame no longer runs whenever Terric is in the shame room. Not to mention that small gesture in the end, after the extreme situation that the two men must face when Mikhail possesses Shame's body to fight Leander/Isabelle. Now, if only Shame gets over his denial, that even untested, Terric is his true Soul Complement (just like Allie and Zay), and Terric kisses him senseles ... I will be a happy girl *lol*

Of course now I have to wait until November for book #7. Damn it!
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Apr 12, 2011 Kelly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Magic on the Hunt begins with a cute domestic scene; Allie and Zayvion play rock-paper-scissors in bed. The loser has to get out of the nice warm bed and make breakfast for the other. It’s such a sweet moment, and the two characters are so constantly in crisis mode that we don’t get nearly enough of these.

Unsurprisingly, the idyll doesn’t last very long, and it’s business as usual for the embattled magic users of Portland. And by business as usual, I mean “mortal peril.”

Devon Monk moves the ser...more Magic on the Hunt begins with a cute domestic scene; Allie and Zayvion play rock-paper-scissors in bed. The loser has to get out of the nice warm bed and make breakfast for the other. It’s such a sweet moment, and the two characters are so constantly in crisis mode that we don’t get nearly enough of these.

Unsurprisingly, the idyll doesn’t last very long, and it’s business as usual for the embattled magic users of Portland. And by business as usual, I mean “mortal peril.”

Devon Monk moves the series forward by leaps and bounds in this installment. The amount of development in the overarching plot is fantastic. First we learn more about something that was hinted in Magic at the Gate: Allie’s memory losses aren’t just side effects of magic use, but something more deliberate and sinister. Then, there’s a very welcome development on the Dad-in-Allie’s-head front. From there, we move to the main plot of this book: Leander, the legendary undead sorcerer, is wreaking havoc in the city in his quest to gain a physical body and reunite with his Soul Complement, Isabelle.

A huge revelation follows. This is the kind of revelation that will rearrange the whole series in your head after you read it. I’m seriously tempted to do a reread of all six books — including the fourth one, which I missed before — and experience the story again, this time in light of the new information we’re given here.

It’s increasingly clear, too, that Allie and Zayvion court danger every day by being together; not just because murderous magic users are always after them, but because their Soul Complement bond comes with a high risk of insanity. Three Soul Complement couples in their lives illustrate the danger: two of the pairs have gone horribly wrong, while the third is trying desperately not to. I hope Allie and Zay won’t have to part ways to stay sane. They’re an interesting couple and I’m rooting for them.

The ALLIE BECKSTROM series consistently delivers tension and excitement, and Magic on the Hunt is one of its strongest books, what with the plot bombshells and the increased degree of free will accorded to Allie. I look forward to book seven, Magic on the Line. And, having visited Multnomah Falls, I have to say that — if magic existed — there would absolutely be scads of it there. Absolutely.

See this and my other Devon Monk reviews at Fantasy Literature.(less)

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Jan 31, 2012 Lindsay rated it 3 of 5 stars

Allie Beckstrom and her lover and Soul Compliment, Zayvion Jones, have returned from Death - wearied and beaten, but alive. Though perhaps not for long - an ally in the Authority, the group who determines how magic is used, tries to kill them; the head of the Authority is kidnapped; and three magical prisoners have escaped from the most secure prison in the world. When allies become enemies, and enemies are not who you think they are, it's no wonder that even the leaders of the Authority are und...more

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Jan 14, 2013 Ali rated it 4 of 5 stars

Book 6 of the Allie Beckstrom is starting to finally get closer to the nut of this series. You learn more about what's really been going on and how what was thought as the big picture, well, it wasn't quite big enough!

I like how Allie seems to be finally be growing deeper as a character. She's not as whiny and always hating on life, she's more a team player and even though she still gets the crap beaten out of her, it's not all about her in this segment.

There is a lot of really good tension, cha...more

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Jun 13, 2011 Jennifer rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is the sixth book in a series I just finished reading. If I could I would give it 3 1/2 stars. The books are about tough girl and magic user Allie Beckstrom and her fight, along with her boyfriend the ultra cool Zayvion Jones and other secret magic users of Portland, to keep the city safe from various other evil magic users. I love the innovative ideas in the stories, but find the writing is sometimes bogged down and convoluted. I also kept wishing Allie would have developed a little farthe...more

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Oct 07, 2011 Hope rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ghosts, magic-users, urban-fantasy

Members of the Authority help Allie quarantine her father's spirit so that he cannot keep taking control of her at will. Shame and Terric, "untested" soul mates, prove to be a true pair in the fight scenes and their aftermath. Zay goes vigilante with Shame, Terric and Allie, breaking from his absolute, unquestioning obedience to the Authority in previous novels.

Allie decides to bring the Hounds into the search for Leander, is the biggest bad magic users have ever faced down. We begin to find ou...more Members of the Authority help Allie quarantine her father's spirit so that he cannot keep taking control of her at will. Shame and Terric, "untested" soul mates, prove to be a true pair in the fight scenes and their aftermath. Zay goes vigilante with Shame, Terric and Allie, breaking from his absolute, unquestioning obedience to the Authority in previous novels.

Allie decides to bring the Hounds into the search for Leander, is the biggest bad magic users have ever faced down. We begin to find out whether Allie and Zay could be as powerful together as Leander and Isabelle had been, five hundred years before. Like Shame and Terric, they seem to have enough strength of self identity to resist the temptation to merge completely, which led to the insanity of Leander and Isabelle, as well as the less powerful Chase and Greyson. (view spoiler) On the whole, the book does a great job of tidying up aspects that had been frustrating: Shame's childish sulking, Terric's martyred mooning, Allie's separate allegiances to the Hounds and the Authority, Zay's inflexibility. Excellent. Even Victor is being (temporarily?) shelved it seems to open the way for dynamic new plot developments.

As for the secondary cast, who make the urban fantasy so rich, Nola and Cody come to Portland where Stotts, Nola's boyfriend, is a high ranking detective in the magical enforcement division of the city's police force, known as MERC. The organization doesn't factor into plot developments other than the reassurance for a freaked out Allie that Nola and Cody are in good hands. The more convincing factor is that Stone finds Cody, who it turns out created him, and the protective gargoyle saves him from an attack by Leander. Allie and the reader by extension don't worry about Cody after that.

Mikhail becomes a crucial player in the novel's climax, when our four main characters, the former guardian of the gate, Mikhail and Daniel face down Leander at the Well of Life in a do or die (in some cases, again) situation. (view spoiler) For now, the spirits of Mikhail and Daniel appear to be a misunderstood force for the greater good. The exoneration of Sedra doesn't entirely work if one thinks back to what we see of her before Leaner and Isabelle are introduced to the plot.

I'm pretty much fine with suspending disbelief here. It feels as though Monk received a new contract and room to expand the series beyond its original limits. Good by me. I enjoy reading them.

That said, some narrative quibbles annoy me. Allie could *become* magic and on her own make it do things beyond the small consciousness of most magic practitioners. Her status as a savant and her small magic are not explicitly locked together as being one and the same. It's frustrating that we've regressed from Allie as special snowflake to Allie as rookie trailing behind Zay, Shame and Terric, and who only does something spectacular now if her father is in control, wielding his immense knowledge of magic, rather than some rule-defying off the map beauty that Allie and Cody managed to do.

Somewhat related: characters keep puzzling over the amount of activity in St John's; readers of the series know from book one that a huge hidden well of magic exists there. In book six, we're still listening to characters say "gosh, that's weird." Obviously we're not supposed to forget about Mama's hidden magic, (view spoiler) but it's frustrating to have a placeholder and nothing else. We have intimations of machinations by Daniel, Mikhail and Jingo Jingo; some counterpoint hints about Mama's game would do me for one a lot of good. It feels too chauvinist, the way Allie, Maeve, Mama and Sadira, heck, even Violette, aren't in the forefront of power dynamics.

But hey, my frustrations with Shame, Terric and Zay have been smoothed out with developments in this novel, so it is quite possible that my grumbling about other things will also be sorted out as the plot continues to develop.

Lovin' the series. (less)

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Apr 30, 2011 Stacy rated it 4 of 5 stars

reviewed by http://urbanfantasyinvestigations.blo...

The series just keep getting better and better. We learn about Allie and her memory loss not being because of her using magic, Zay shows a side of him we have not seen before, he seems harder then he used to be and a bit more harsh. Allie and her relationship with her dad seems to have changed a little bit and there isn't as much bickering going on. The Hounds get involved a bit. The only thing I am upset about is Allie still not having her per...more

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Apr 11, 2011 Ratkin rated it 4 of 5 stars

I had a love/not love (but never 'hate') relationship with this book as I was reading it. I've enjoyed the Allie Beckstrom books since the beginning of the series. They're well-written, smartly plotted and have fully alive characters, and this one was no different. That, however, was also the cause of my unease with it. The series is starting to feel a little formulaic, at this point. You have the ghastly villain, the teamwork and cameraderie of the hunt for said villain, the things-keep-getting...more

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Dec 03, 2011 Shawna rated it 2 of 5 stars

Well, I am done!!!, This series started off good for me, by book 3 I thought it was a nice series and I made the decision to continue.... But now that I am at book 6, I didn't even finish the book, in my opinion the book has not evolved at all, it seems as if the characters are on a rinse and repeat mode. How many times must I hear "disbursement" and "Miss Mary Mac", I can't do it anymore. It's just taking to long to learn about the characters and every book is redundant. I even read the spoiler...more

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Apr 30, 2012 Tami rated it 4 of 5 stars

SPOILERS!!!!

Magic on the Hunt; the hunt being EVERYONE bad we've read about so far. But mostly Leander and Isabel...
I still love the series so far as well as all the characters (flaws and all).. but this book really irritated the crap out of me.. I really wanted to throw my book across the room at the end of the prison scene.. How dare Zay get so mad at all for that. He never really SHOWS his feelings about Allie in any real way, yet he shows great feelings toward Chase (the bitch who helped KI...more SPOILERS!!!!

Magic on the Hunt; the hunt being EVERYONE bad we've read about so far. But mostly Leander and Isabel...
I still love the series so far as well as all the characters (flaws and all).. but this book really irritated the crap out of me.. I really wanted to throw my book across the room at the end of the prison scene.. How dare Zay get so mad at all for that. He never really SHOWS his feelings about Allie in any real way, yet he shows great feelings toward Chase (the bitch who helped KILL HIM!!!) And of course, typical, Allie just 'goes with it'.. Forces herself to understand that he loved her blah blah blah.. I would have understood the way Allie treated the situation better had Chase and her boyfriend not actually KILLED Zay.. but they did.. and he still got extremely upset about what happened.. I still find Zay and Allie's relationship strange. STILL only physical..

Her dad is STILL in her head, though MUCH more helpful. I love that he is now spelled to do everything Allie tells him to. The part that bothers me is that she never has him do anything.. well, nothing worth doing. sure she has him help during their hunts and whatnot.. but the important stuff she just blows off. Like the fact that she has reason to be at least 98% sure that he's the one that's been wiping her memories, but she never asks him about it. She could make him give them back, but she never thinks about it. (obviously her memory loss doesn't piss her off as much as she says).

Things are FINALLY starting to unravel and get figured out, only to twist back up and become more confusing again. And Allie is completely scatterbrained. Sure she has memory loss, but the stuff she remembers, she still gets funky about. She's really good at 1+1, but she can't seem to figure out 2+2 to save her life. She's funny and smart and when she's hounding, she does a really great job.. BUT, when it's important stuff, she never has a clue, even though she'd know if she just thought about it for 5 minutes.

Allie STILL doesn't have a mode of transportation, (irritating)..

The humor in the series is still GREAT!!.. I love the characters and their personalities. And they all mesh so well together. Though I found some parts extremely irritating in this book, I'm still a huge fan.

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Jan 24, 2012 Novels On The Run rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fave-books

MICHELLE'S REVIEW:

RATING: 4.5 SHAMUS, TERRIC AND STONE STARS!

I am rather addicted to this series. Devon has such a great cast of characters. I am truly in love with Shamus Flynn aka Shame.

This instalment in the series has Terric, Shame, Zay and Allie pretty much together the whole book and I likey.

I just love how loyal Shame is. He is such a great guy, smart mouthed, funny and will do anything for Terric. Now this whole thing that’s going on between these two Soul Compliments.....well...what is...more

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Jan 24, 2012 Michelle novelsontherun rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fave-books

RATING: 4.5 SHAMUS, TERRIC AND STONE STARS!

I am rather addicted to this series. Devon has such a great cast of characters. I am truly in love with Shamus Flynn aka Shame.

This instalment in the series has Terric, Shame, Zay and Allie pretty much together the whole book and I likey.

I just love how loyal Shame is. He is such a great guy, smart mouthed, funny and will do anything for Terric. Now this whole thing that’s going on between these two Soul Compliments.....well...what is going on? I think...more

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May 06, 2011 Jessica rated it 5 of 5 stars

Devon Monk's Magic on the Hunt picks up the action with Allie and crew right away. After a very brief quite moment, Allie and Zay are already ambushed by the enemy and the fun begins. Without so much as a week to rest and relax Allie and Zay are trying to track down a very dangerous and powerful magic user. Only he's supposed to be dead. It seems no one in this world stays dead once they're killed!

Allie and Zay's relationship is one of the most intense ones that I've read and I love it! One minu...more

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Jun 24, 2011 Julie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-2011, urban-fantasy

"Magic on the Hunt" is the sixth book in the Allie Beckstrom series by Devon Monk. This review contains spoilers for previous books (no way to avoid it), so if you don't want to be spoiled, please don't read any further.

This book picks up three days after "Magic at the Gate" left off. Allie and Zayvion have been recuperating from the battle at the end of MatG at Allie's apartment, when Dane - the kidnapped Sedra's right-hand man - shows up and demands information from Allie's father. Allie's fa...more "Magic on the Hunt" is the sixth book in the Allie Beckstrom series by Devon Monk. This review contains spoilers for previous books (no way to avoid it), so if you don't want to be spoiled, please don't read any further.

This book picks up three days after "Magic at the Gate" left off. Allie and Zayvion have been recuperating from the battle at the end of MatG at Allie's apartment, when Dane - the kidnapped Sedra's right-hand man - shows up and demands information from Allie's father. Allie's father, if you'll remember, is possessing her and Dane knows this. Allie is able to fight Dane and his men off. Dane gets away, and thus the hunt is on for him.

Allie is increasingly irritated with having her father in her head. Victor attempts to remove her father and send him on his way to...wherever the dead go, but is only able to contain him and put him under Allie's command. He is too tightly attached to her to remove completely. Still, this is a big step forward because Allie's father knows a lot of secrets - about the disks, about Leander (the shadow figure), Sedra, Mikhail, etc. - that he reveals during the course of the book when he is questioned by Allie. These secrets shed much-anticipated light of the mystery around the events that have occurred over the last few books and finally Allie and the others know who/what they are fighting and why.

At the same time, Victor and Maeve, as the remaining Voices (leaders) of the Authority after the schism and slaughter two books back, are now faced with a visit from their bosses, who call them to account for said schism and slaughter.

This book follows as Allie and the others search for Dane and Leander, attempt to rescue Sedra, and try to save Victor and Maeve from an unpleasant fate.

I've really enjoyed this entire series, and this book is no exception. Allie and Zayvion are a good match. I like that Allie stands up to Zayvion's - albeit infrequent - attempts to tell her what she can't do (it's too dangerous!). She doesn't cave in, and Zayvion comes around quite quickly and supports her. The dynamic of this relationship seems real and seems healthy. Zayvion can be an alpha male without being a jerk about it; he can let Allie be in charge sometimes. And Allie listens to him, too, when it's necessary.

And on that note, it was nice to have Zayvion back. He spent most of the last book in a coma, so there was not a lot of interaction between him and Allie. Nola and Cody are back in this book as well, with Nola considering a move to the City to be nearer to Paul Stotts, the detective that Allie works for sometimes. Allie's and Nola's friendship is tested by the Allie's recent decisions to keep Nola in the dark about the dangers in the city.

Overall, this was a good entry in the series, but I particularly liked it because the reader finally got some answers. (less)

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Apr 04, 2011 The BookWhisperer rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: series

The Allie Beckstrom series has been a well loved favorite personally for The BookWhisperer over the past few years. Allie is a very entertaining character; that while obviously not bullet proof she has the courage and power of even the strongest characters. With the circumstance of the fifth book I had concerns as the the future of Allie and Zay, and just what would be the repercussions of giving her magic for his life. It appears with this novel that she is not at a disadvantage with the lack...more

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Apr 11, 2011 Littlechoo rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy-reading-challenge, reading-challenge-2011, reviewed

It'd only been a few months since I read the first 4 books but I really do hate waiting. I pre-ordered this to ensure I recieved it straight away, and even marked in my diary so I wouldn't forget. So as you can see I was just a little excited.

I moaned about about Allie a lot in my review of the last book. She was driving me crazy with all the dad hate. So I'm glad to say I didn't have any issues with this instalment. It was a great read. I'd even go as far as saying it was back to it's best but...more

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Apr 28, 2011 Kristen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: magical, romance

GENRE: Urban Fantasy
THEME: Magic
RECEIVED: Bought
AUTHOR: Devon Monk
PUBLISHER: Feiwel & Friends
MY BLOG: http://seeingnight.blogspot.com

QUICK THOUGHTS:
Oh how much I love Devon Monks’ Allie Beckstrom series. I have never missed a beat with her amazing Urban Fantasy. Once again Allie and the gang are trying to track down some magical baddies, with the head of the Authority missing a lot of chaos is happening. Allie is still dealing with her father possessing her body and with all the danger that...more GENRE: Urban Fantasy
THEME: Magic
RECEIVED: Bought
AUTHOR: Devon Monk
PUBLISHER: Feiwel & Friends
MY BLOG: http://seeingnight.blogspot.com

QUICK THOUGHTS:
Oh how much I love Devon Monks’ Allie Beckstrom series. I have never missed a beat with her amazing Urban Fantasy. Once again Allie and the gang are trying to track down some magical baddies, with the head of the Authority missing a lot of chaos is happening. Allie is still dealing with her father possessing her body and with all the danger that lies ahead; it’s actually a good thing he’s there. This is one series that I can’t get enough of and I really love how kick butt Allie is.

REVIEW:
Book number 6 in the series, I swear sometimes I feel the need to wrap Allie in bubble wrap to keep her safe. She is always in the middle of the magic craziness and she doesn’t always get out unharmed.
Allie is a strong lead character and having her father possessing her body is not an easy thing to get use to. Her father was pretty powerful and knew some tricks that make Allie that much stronger. She lost a bit of magic in the last book but gained something else from the death side of things. I felt bad for her this time around because she is the protective type and when her friends are in trouble she really tries her best to protect them, sometimes asking for her father to help out. But no matter what she does sometimes people she loves get hurt.

Zayvion is back of course; Allies lover and magical man extraordinaire, he and his crew Terric and Shame are working for the Authority. They are to take down an undead magic user who is determined to possess a body. Meaning he will stop at nothing to do so and with them in the way a lot injuries are sure to follow. Zavyion frustrated me a bit this time around because as much as he loves Allie he really puts her down sometimes like she’s a child and she is definitely not. I’m waiting for the day when she gets crazy powerful.

Shame and Terric are big key characters this time around and I love it. Their bickering and sarcasm I can’t get enough of. Shame always wants some whiskey, where Terric is always making sure Shame doesn’t do anything stupid. They are a fantastic pair.

RECOMMENDATION:
This is an adult novel with lots of violence but not gruesome. If you’re a fan of Jennifer Estep and Chloe Neill you’ll love this series! I highly recommend this, so what are you waiting for!
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May 01, 2011 Jen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: my-favorites, x-read-in-2011

And Allie and Zayvion do it again :) I was not disappointed at all! I LOVE this series!
I wish there was more Stone in there - but I'm happy to see he has mastered Jinga :) One of my favorite block games with my kids - even though I suck at it :)

Allie, Zayvion and Shame and Terrik are back - well Terrik is mostly trying to follow the rules (of course) but once Shame stops obeying the rules, Terrik has no excuse but to follow and help clean up after his mess :)

Allie and Zay and Shame head out...more And Allie and Zayvion do it again :) I was not disappointed at all! I LOVE this series!
I wish there was more Stone in there - but I'm happy to see he has mastered Jinga :) One of my favorite block games with my kids - even though I suck at it :)

Allie, Zayvion and Shame and Terrik are back - well Terrik is mostly trying to follow the rules (of course) but once Shame stops obeying the rules, Terrik has no excuse but to follow and help clean up after his mess :)

Allie and Zay and Shame head out to the secret prison that only the Authority knows about (and Shame, and Allie's dad) to find Leander (an undead magic user soul) while there, 3 of the prisoners escape, and the head of the Authority is coming to town to find out why everything is falling apart in Portland.

It's Zayvion's job to find the prisoners and bring them back.. before the Authority takes them to trial and "Close" Victor and Mauve (the only Authority's Voices Left) and start fresh with new members of the Authority

We have gone through 5 books before this one, and each one we get to know more and more about the magic wells that are under the city, we have learned that people must proxies their magic (each little spell costs a little pain). We have learned from the Magic Storm that the spirits/souls can walk around unattached to a body, but must have a body to cast magic - some of the greatest magic users are coming back and looking for revenge.

We know that Allie's Dad is still possessing her body and can take over her body and mind at will, but in this book, he lets her have the lead a lot more, and takes a side step next to her so they are both working together.

In this book, it's more of the same - they're throwing around magic and mouthing off to the authorities - but it still keeps getting better and better with each book.

Allie and Zayvion are still my favorite couple - but I think Shame and Terrik are the best Soul Complements :) They really know how to throw their magic around :) And their personalities are just so different, it's fun to watch them bicker all the time , just to disagree on everything... even when they agree :)

There was a lot of action in this book - lots of possessed bodies and people not knowing who is whom anymore - I got confused a little over the end, But it fell into place when everything was over .. Or Is it??
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Feb 27, 2013 Daffodil rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-tbr, color-green, color-yellow

Monk's universe and characters are unique. The idea of higher costs for working stronger magics, anything from a headache up to and including death, is very interesting. Allie has paid a high price in lost memories in her defense of innocents, but she continues to fight those who would offload that price onto innocents or misuse magic in other ways. Her relationship with Zayvion has grown stronger, while her friendships have been threatened due to all the secrets she must now keep. This book rev...more

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May 23, 2011 Shelley aka Gizmo's Reviews rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-releases, urban-fantasy

Rating: 3.0 stars
Genre: Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy

Magic on the Hunt, by Devon Monk, is the sixth release in the Allie Beckstrom series. Next up: Magic on the Line which releases 11/01/2011.

It has been three days since the end of events of Magic at the Gate where Allie successfully was able to retrieve Zavy’s soul from the land of the dead but lost her small magic in the process. She now carries the mark of death on the palm of her left hand as a payment for Zavy’s soul, and is, of course,...more Rating: 3.0 stars
Genre: Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy

Magic on the Hunt, by Devon Monk, is the sixth release in the Allie Beckstrom series. Next up: Magic on the Line which releases 11/01/2011.

It has been three days since the end of events of Magic at the Gate where Allie successfully was able to retrieve Zavy’s soul from the land of the dead but lost her small magic in the process. She now carries the mark of death on the palm of her left hand as a payment for Zavy’s soul, and is, of course, still possessed by her father’s soul.

Naturally, there is no break for the weary, and they find themselves right back in the middle of things when Dane Lanister, Sedra’s bodyguard and a member of the Authority, shows up demanding answers from Daniel Beckstrom, Allies father. His cohorts manage to beat the stuffing out of Zavy, while Ally gets shot several times before her father comes to the rescue, yet again. Naturally, after getting the snot beat out of both of them, they just roll with it and pretend like nothing happened.

But, that is not all. Leander has found a way to crossover into this world, and is now looking for a new body. He is also looking to reunite with his lost love Isabella, and take over the world. The Authority under Victor is falling apart and there are Overseers taking a keen interest in what has been happening in Portland. There is the final end for Greyson and Chase who can’t live without the other because they are Soul Compliments like Allie and Zavy after Leander tries to take over his body and Zavy, Allie, Shame, and Terric intervene with Hayden.

We learn more about the conniving bastard Daniel Beckstrom and what he did to his own daughter since the age of 5. Is there no restraint to his madness? He actually “closed” or erased her memories so many times, that it left her with memory loss and a pathway for Daniel to take over control of her mind and body. He seriously has major issues that I don’t see being resolved anytime soon.

I really wish we would have had more participation from the Hounds in this book. Ever since Allie has got mixed up with the Authority, the Hounds have really been relegated to the afterburner and have suffered. She tries to compensate by asking them for help in tracking down Dane and offers them five thousand dollars for their help. Yet, Davy and the others are but a minor player in this story nothing more. Zavy really irritated me when Allie tried to rush to their aid. The Hounds are hers, and yet Zavy continues to manhandle Allie and she let's him. Maybe a swift kick in his manhood would change his mind about pushing her around.

I continue to enjoy the interaction between Terric, Shame, Zavy and Allie. They make a formidable team against Leander and his minions, as well as the Veiled. I love the fact that Stone, the gargoyle comes back into the story as well. Can’t help but love the lug.

One negative for me: I truly wish that the whole Daniel Beckstrom possessing Allies brain would come to an end soon. I am getting really tired of it actually, and don’t really care that Allie is angry and peeved at her father on a constant basis. If you call what Allie is doing whining, then you really haven’t paid attention to the pain and suffering he’s put her through. It’s too bad that Shame and Victor couldn’t have found a way to banish him permanently. For this reason alone, I have reduced my rating on this story to 3 stars.

I will say that when there is action, like chasing down the Veiled, and the fight with Isabella and Leander at the end, it was actually actually very good. The fight at the Authorities secret prison with Leander, Greyson and Chase was good as well. The unanswered question remains as to what will happen to the rest of the authority members remains to be sewn up now that the Overseers have stepped in and removed Victor.

There is a happy ending with Violet’s baby finally arriving and Allie rushing around like a chicken with her head cut off. Even Zavy finds the humor in her behavior. Ally previously got a surprise when Nola, her best friend, decides that she is moving closer to Allie and her boyfriend Detective Paul Stotts of the Magical Crimes Unit who Allie has previously worked with.

So, now we must wait until November to see if the Isabella/Leander storyline is sewn up, or will continue for another book. Here's hoping someone finds a way to exorcise Daniel from Ally's head.(less)

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Magic on the Hunt (Allie Beckstrom #6)

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