Hell Bent (Broken Magic, #1) in SOS: Serious Overload of Series

Aug 20, 2015 Steph rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: author-웃, series-ended, series-book1, series-spinoff-or-same-world, year-read-2015, sos-games-bsb-r12

Hell Bent is Monk's Allie Beckstrom spin-off. It features Shamus Flynn, Death magic user and Terric Conley, Life magic user. The two are Soul Complements or "Breakers" who, when using magic together, are able to break magic and make it do whatever they want. The story picks up three years after the events in Allie's finale, Magic for a Price. It is not necessary to read Allie Beckstrom first or at all, though I recommend reading it if you enjoy Hell Bent because it will give readers further Hell Bent is Monk's Allie Beckstrom spin-off. It features Shamus Flynn, Death magic user and Terric Conley, Life magic user. The two are Soul Complements or "Breakers" who, when using magic together, are able to break magic and make it do whatever they want. The story picks up three years after the events in Allie's finale, Magic for a Price. It is not necessary to read Allie Beckstrom first or at all, though I recommend reading it if you enjoy Hell Bent because it will give readers further background into the world and characters, some of which overlap in both series.

If Shame and Terric had a Facebook page, their relationship status would most definitely be: 'It's Complicated'. They each struggle to contain their individual magics while dealing with the consequences. Shame is ... starving for life. The Death magic inside [him] demand[s] to be fed life. Any life. [His], if there was nothing else to devour. It [grows] stronger, more uncontrolled, the more [he] denie[s] it. Conversely, each time [Terric] used Life magic, it took him longer to come back to being [himself] ... when [they used magic together] Terric wasn't Terric anymore. He wasn't human. And [Shame fears] one of these days [Terric] wasn't going to recover from that.

"Soul Complements are in a unique position. When they work magic together, they are able to briefly break magic into its dark and light states, and cast it once again with the full force and effect it once offered."

The gang has recently learned that Soul Complements are being targeted by the government. Since the every-day magic user's magical impact has weakened, the government wants to use the power Soul Complements possess as a weapon. Upon learning of this news, some pairs decide the flee, but Shame and Terric as well as Allie and Zayvion are not runners they're fighters. To make matters worse, an old enemy resurfaces and is killing with magic.

I really enjoyed the first book in the Broken Magic duet. From the start, Shame has been one of my favorite characters, so I was happy to have the opportunity to learn more about him and his Soul Complement, Terric. And, it was great catching up with characters from Allie Beckstrom. Monk, always good at creating intriguing side characters, has introduced several very likable, new characters. One book remains, Stone Cold, then I'll finally be forced to say farewell to this magical world and its strong characters. ...more

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