Review: “Inked”
I was blown away by this author’s other books that I’ve read (see links below), so I eagerly lapped up this ARC once I got a notification that it was available.
The Premise
In a moment of desperation when she runs out of ink, Talia uses her missing boss Zayn’s deluxe ink locked away in his office. The resulting tattoo — a rattlesnake cobra on her client — magically springs to life, which becomes the catalyst for Talia learning about her boss’ double life as a magical fae and Runemaster who can slip between worlds once he hops into his inter-dimensional filing cabinet. Even more shocking is the knowledge that she herself belongs to this world — she has “gold blood” highly valued by the lethal flora, fauna and fae she encounters when she and Zayn’s familiar Biscuit join Zayn on a magical quest he is obligated to fulfill. With an undeniable connection bubbling between Zayn and Talia, and Talia’s penchant to find herself in sticky situations, it’s bound to be a wild — and, of course, insanely colourful — ride!
The Pros & Cons
This was a fast-paced adventure with characters that I loved from the moment they entered, all the way to the end — particularly Biscuit (rechristened from “Hibiscus”)! Talia’s zany bumbling personality is easy to fall in love with, and Zayn is appropriately frustrating as he struggles to fulfill his mission and fight his incubus urges — among others — while still trying to protect Talia. The descriptions were vivid and engaging, and there are laugh-out-loud moments that will stay with you! I especially loved a few of the fae that were a little *too* human in their deceptive, manipulative, and/or lecherous ways. And, of course, there was the steamy factor with the smoking hot tattooed boss (who disappointingly wasn’t on the cover! Lol! Not the point, I know, but still!)
My only teeny weeny con was that there were moments that seemed a wee bit all over the place — major life/plot events we learn about in “throwback” memories smack dab in the middle of the action… not my personal preference, but I soon forgave these as I got lost in the wild magical adventure! Also (not a con, but worth mentioning for this genre), in terms of world-building, I’m not entirely sure I understood the hierarchy of fae in terms of powers/abilities — though I’m sure we’ll learn more about this in later books, as it is the first of a series.
Conclusion
This was a great book, and I would highly recommend to other adult readers (as there are some raunchy scenes). The characters are amazingly developed, and it is hilarious and engaging — not to mention sexy! — all the way through. As this is my sixth book by this author, I’m thrilled that I am in no way disappointed, and I eagerly await the rest of this series — or anything else she puts her hand to again!
