Sugar and Sin

Astrid is a powerful witch who has not seen the guy who made the biggest impression upon her for about a year now. Some things have changed in that time. She is moving her shop Crypt to Shadow Heights in New York and she has acquired a roommate in her friend Ash.

Half-demon Fallon is very good at what he does. He is a teleport demon with a talent for torture, interrogation and other useful things. His partner Feyd and he are friends and team members with a reviled team leader whom they don’t trust.

There is vacation time due to these friends soon. Two separated lovers plan to reconnect and perhaps set their respective friends up, too. But first the current mission is to find the ex-girlfriend of a dearly departed werewolf thief and to retrieve a rare and valuable spell.

The situation goes mildly awry when the lovers unexpectedly run into each other. Things between Astrid and Fallon solidify but the task at hand is now rather complicated.

This is a dark fantasy world which much resembles our own except that it is also populated by demons and the like. We learn about the different types of demons in existence and a bit about reality as they know it. There is a fair amount of information to take in but simply enjoying the story and having the patience to allow the authors to unfold the plot at their own pace will grant you your reward.

The urban street feel and the firmly entrenched anti hero stance welcomes the reader to take a seat in a very dark corner and to watch the interplay amongst those who often prefer not to draw too much attention. These are the people who live on the fringe of society with codes of loyalty that they account only to themselves and yet the bonds between them are strong.

One may not normally feel much sympathy for characters that walk such a close line to that of villains yet there is an undeniable pull to rally for Astrid, Fallon and their friends.

A bit of a plot inconsistency jars and one would have wished for a more careful editing of the book. However, the fresh feel and the enthralling voice of this author team cannot be denied.

SUGAR AND SIN is a fascinating introduction to the Eververse and the wonderful characters that exist in that world. Those who enjoy reading about a darker reality with a steamy playfully gritty tone will enjoy plumbing the depths of this one.

March 2007