lindaunconventionalbookworms's review
5.0
The Edge series is the last Ilona Andrews series I haven't read yet. And my, oh my am I happy I waited! The world building and the magic are astounding, and the character development out of this world!
The overall plot and the story also appealed to me on every level. I'm so happy I get to binge now!
The overall plot and the story also appealed to me on every level. I'm so happy I get to binge now!
laurenjodi's review
4.0
On The Edge
4 Stars
Readers expecting a Kate Daniels type Urban Fantasy are bound to be disappointed as On the Edge is more paranormal romance than UF even though the writing style, world building, humor and characterization are all trademark Andrews.
Although set in modern times, the book has an almost historical romance vibe to it perhaps due to the construction of parallel dimensions and the conflict established between the main characters.
The setting consists of three co-existing realms: The Broken, a technological world like our own, the Weird, a feudal like society with nobles and retainers where magic abounds, and the Edge, a ribbon of land in between whose rustic inhabitants possess magic to varying degrees and are able to move between worlds with ease.
The heroine, Rose, is an Edger struggling to support her younger brothers in a society that views her as a commodity due to her powerful magic. In contrast, the hero, Declan, is a peer or "blueblood" from the Weird whose sense of entitlement and superiority immediately set Rose on edge. Their relationship gets off to a rocky start but the sparks are definitely there and he becomes more likable once his actions, motivations and personality are fleshed out.
The underlying plot revolves around a dangerous threat from the Weird which forces Rose and Declan to work together to save the people of the Edge. As is the norm for Andrews, the villain is a seriously nasty piece of work, the action scenes are exciting and the secondary cast is well written from Rose's obnoxious ex-boyfriend to her adorable brothers as well as Declan's troubled friend and the people of the village with their unique quirks and mannerisms.
All in all, On The Edge is an entertaining read with excellent world building, great characters and an engaging storyline. Looking forward to continuing with the series.
4 Stars
Readers expecting a Kate Daniels type Urban Fantasy are bound to be disappointed as On the Edge is more paranormal romance than UF even though the writing style, world building, humor and characterization are all trademark Andrews.
Although set in modern times, the book has an almost historical romance vibe to it perhaps due to the construction of parallel dimensions and the conflict established between the main characters.
The setting consists of three co-existing realms: The Broken, a technological world like our own, the Weird, a feudal like society with nobles and retainers where magic abounds, and the Edge, a ribbon of land in between whose rustic inhabitants possess magic to varying degrees and are able to move between worlds with ease.
The heroine, Rose, is an Edger struggling to support her younger brothers in a society that views her as a commodity due to her powerful magic. In contrast, the hero, Declan, is a peer or "blueblood" from the Weird whose sense of entitlement and superiority immediately set Rose on edge. Their relationship gets off to a rocky start but the sparks are definitely there and he becomes more likable once his actions, motivations and personality are fleshed out.
The underlying plot revolves around a dangerous threat from the Weird which forces Rose and Declan to work together to save the people of the Edge. As is the norm for Andrews, the villain is a seriously nasty piece of work, the action scenes are exciting and the secondary cast is well written from Rose's obnoxious ex-boyfriend to her adorable brothers as well as Declan's troubled friend and the people of the village with their unique quirks and mannerisms.
All in all, On The Edge is an entertaining read with excellent world building, great characters and an engaging storyline. Looking forward to continuing with the series.
lynseyisreading's review
5.0
Oh, I do love Ilona Andrews. I love her (their) Kate Daniels series and now I love these too.
It seems that the concept of a world that has part-time magic is something that has really captured the imagination of the writing duo. Because as in the Kate Daniels series where magic comes and goes in unpredictable waves, here we have another world (or worlds, to be more precise) that's partly magic-filled (The Weird), part magical dud (The Broken, aka our world) and then something else in between called the Edge which has elements of both.
The magic of the people from the Edge is only a trickle compared to that of someone from the Weird. Someone like Declan, for instance. I LOVED his character! He is a blueblood noble from the Weird and he's so very arrogant and pompous, particularly at the beginning of the book, and such a contrast to the hard-working country bumpkin that was Rose's character, that they just sizzled on the pages. They seemed so opposite at first, and Rose has such a difficult time trusting anyone, especially a noble (and with good reason), so their interactions throughout the first part of the story made for some very grin-worthy scenes.
This was one of my favourites, and is a good example of their differences:
Hee hee! She called him Lord Submarine.....*snicker*
What's that saying about simple minds and simple pleasures?...
Moving on. Rose's character was someone you kinda wish you were half as cool as. She has this...neat trick, shall we say? And I love the fact that she developed the neat trick by hard work and not just by being "special" or being "the chosen one" or "right place right time". No, she got it like she gets everything else in her life: by trying her damnedest no matter how impossible it may seem.
She has two younger brothers that she is raising by herself, and they were excellent secondary characters. One is a necromancer that can't seem to get his head around the fact that...you know...people die. And the other one is a cat! Or a changeling cat shapeshifter at any rate, that is very easily distracted by pretty shinies.
The family unit is hard on its luck financially with only Rose's rubbish job to feed and clothe them all, but she would rather starve than let her brothers go without anything. That's how awesome and altruistic she is. Did I mention Rose was cool?
And finally, as anyone that's read any of their other stuff would expect, the writing was superb: witty, humorous, meaningful and thought-provoking. The characters were very enjoyable and the world wonderfully creative. My only slight complaint was the overly descriptive sections whenever anyone went into a new part of the forest. We got descriptions of every flower, plant and vine and what colours they all were until my eyes were glazing. Those were a bit overdone, but that's about all I can think of in terms of negatives. And it's Ilona Andrews so I forgave them and gave it 5 stars anyway!
I highly recommend this book to all Urban Fantasy/ Fantasy Romance/ or heck, even Fairy Tale fans. I don't know why I put off reading it for so long.
5 Stars! ★★★★★
It seems that the concept of a world that has part-time magic is something that has really captured the imagination of the writing duo. Because as in the Kate Daniels series where magic comes and goes in unpredictable waves, here we have another world (or worlds, to be more precise) that's partly magic-filled (The Weird), part magical dud (The Broken, aka our world) and then something else in between called the Edge which has elements of both.
The magic of the people from the Edge is only a trickle compared to that of someone from the Weird. Someone like Declan, for instance. I LOVED his character! He is a blueblood noble from the Weird and he's so very arrogant and pompous, particularly at the beginning of the book, and such a contrast to the hard-working country bumpkin that was Rose's character, that they just sizzled on the pages. They seemed so opposite at first, and Rose has such a difficult time trusting anyone, especially a noble (and with good reason), so their interactions throughout the first part of the story made for some very grin-worthy scenes.
This was one of my favourites, and is a good example of their differences:
"Eat slowly," the blueblood said. "Don't cut your food with the fork. Cut it with the knife, and make the pieces small enough so you can answer a question without having to swallow first."
Why me? "Right. Any other tips?" Her sarcasm whistled right over his head.
"Yes. Look at me and not at your plate. If you have to look at your plate, glance at it occasionally."
Rose put down her fork. "Lord Submarine..."
"Camarine."
"Whatever."
"You can call me Declan." He said it as if granting her a knighthood. The nerve.
"Declan, then. How did you spend your day?"
He frowned.
"It's a simple question: How did you spend your day? What did you do prior to the fight and the pancake making?"
"I rested from my journey," he said with a sudden regal air.
"You took a nap"
"Possibly."
"I spent my day scrubbing, vacuuming and dusting ten offices in the Broken. I got there at seven thirty in the morning and left at six. My back hurts, I can still smell bleach on my fingers, and my feet feel as flat as these pancakes. Tomorrow, I have to go back to work, and I want to eat my food in peace and quiet. I have good table manners. They may not be good enough for you, but they're definitely good enough for the Edge, and they are the height of social graces in this house. So please keep your critique to yourself."
The look on his face was worth having him under her roof. As if he had gotten slapped.
She smiled at him. "Oh and thank you for the pancakes. They are delicious."
Hee hee! She called him Lord Submarine.....*snicker*
What's that saying about simple minds and simple pleasures?...
Moving on. Rose's character was someone you kinda wish you were half as cool as. She has this...neat trick, shall we say? And I love the fact that she developed the neat trick by hard work and not just by being "special" or being "the chosen one" or "right place right time". No, she got it like she gets everything else in her life: by trying her damnedest no matter how impossible it may seem.
She has two younger brothers that she is raising by herself, and they were excellent secondary characters. One is a necromancer that can't seem to get his head around the fact that...you know...people die. And the other one is a cat! Or a changeling cat shapeshifter at any rate, that is very easily distracted by pretty shinies.
The family unit is hard on its luck financially with only Rose's rubbish job to feed and clothe them all, but she would rather starve than let her brothers go without anything. That's how awesome and altruistic she is. Did I mention Rose was cool?
And finally, as anyone that's read any of their other stuff would expect, the writing was superb: witty, humorous, meaningful and thought-provoking. The characters were very enjoyable and the world wonderfully creative. My only slight complaint was the overly descriptive sections whenever anyone went into a new part of the forest. We got descriptions of every flower, plant and vine and what colours they all were until my eyes were glazing. Those were a bit overdone, but that's about all I can think of in terms of negatives. And it's Ilona Andrews so I forgave them and gave it 5 stars anyway!
I highly recommend this book to all Urban Fantasy/ Fantasy Romance/ or heck, even Fairy Tale fans. I don't know why I put off reading it for so long.
5 Stars! ★★★★★
cathydavies's review
5.0
Romance and Magic
Just the book I needed. Rose is a strong woman with more magic than Antoine expects her to have. She is also from the bad part of town, aka the Edge. Declan is the impossibly handsome blueblood nobleman from the best side of town, aka the Weird. Good characterizations and great introduction to these new worlds.
Just the book I needed. Rose is a strong woman with more magic than Antoine expects her to have. She is also from the bad part of town, aka the Edge. Declan is the impossibly handsome blueblood nobleman from the best side of town, aka the Weird. Good characterizations and great introduction to these new worlds.
holl3640's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
diaryofthebookdragon's review
5.0
The Edge is the only series by Ilona Andrews I haven’t read yet and now when I finally read the first book, On the Edge, I can only say – why the hell it took me so long.
LIKES:
* Parallel worlds. Ilona Andrews sure knows how to mix it up. Even when she takes an idea about two worlds – one with magic and one without – she makes it interesting.
"They lived between worlds: on one side lay the Weird and the other the Broken. Two dimensions, existing side by side, like mirror images of each other. In the place where the dimensions “touched,” they intersected slightly, forming a narrow ribbon of land that belonged to both of them—the Edge. In the Weird, magic pooled deeply; in the Edge it was a shallow trickle. But in the Broken, no magic shielded them at all."
* Redneck charm. The edgers are quite a colorful bunch. With their disregard for law, always carrying firearms and social structure they reminded me how rednecks were presented in movies. I found the edgers very charming.
* There’s a little bit of everything. Shifters, necromancers, zombies, demonic hounds, wizards, hedge witches, half-naked muscular knights, …
* Strong, kick-ass heroine. My favorite kind. :) Rose is independent. I love it how she always makes a stand for her beliefs and bites down everything life throws at her.
* Banter. Ilona is really in her element and On the Edge is full of snarky comments and playful dialog.
“Swallow the pills, don’t chew.”
“Well, I thought I’d stick them into my nose and impersonate a walrus, but if you insist, I’ll swallow them.”
* Enemies to lovers. After friends-to-lovers, this is my favorite kind of romance. Nothing translates into great passion like hatred.
He gave her a pointed stare.
Rose rolled her eyes. “Oh, the blueblood look of scorn. Whatever shall I do? I do declare, I feel faint.”
Declan growled under his breath.
She patted his hand. “It’s not too late to reconsider this whole ‘I’ll have you, Rose’ business.”
“Nice try,” he told her.
* Slow burn romance. There is a lot of animosity between Rose and Declan, so she suppresses the attraction as long as she can. Good for her. And great for us.
DISLIKES:
None! At some other time I might have complained how romance is a big focus in the story, but lately I am in a mood for these kind of books. And the world building or character building was definitely not neglected.
IN THE END…
There are some authors whose writing style is just right for you and that’s the thing between Ilona Andrews and me. I love her humor, how she mixes up paranormal and urban elements, her snarky kick-ass heroines and the slow-burn banter-full romance.
On the Edge can be read as a standalone, the next book will be about different couple. I hope I will like them as much as this one. I can’t wait to read it and learn more about the world!
This text is also posted on my blog Bookworm Dreams in a little bit more styled edition.
LIKES:
* Parallel worlds. Ilona Andrews sure knows how to mix it up. Even when she takes an idea about two worlds – one with magic and one without – she makes it interesting.
"They lived between worlds: on one side lay the Weird and the other the Broken. Two dimensions, existing side by side, like mirror images of each other. In the place where the dimensions “touched,” they intersected slightly, forming a narrow ribbon of land that belonged to both of them—the Edge. In the Weird, magic pooled deeply; in the Edge it was a shallow trickle. But in the Broken, no magic shielded them at all."
* Redneck charm. The edgers are quite a colorful bunch. With their disregard for law, always carrying firearms and social structure they reminded me how rednecks were presented in movies. I found the edgers very charming.
* There’s a little bit of everything. Shifters, necromancers, zombies, demonic hounds, wizards, hedge witches, half-naked muscular knights, …
* Strong, kick-ass heroine. My favorite kind. :) Rose is independent. I love it how she always makes a stand for her beliefs and bites down everything life throws at her.
* Banter. Ilona is really in her element and On the Edge is full of snarky comments and playful dialog.
“Swallow the pills, don’t chew.”
“Well, I thought I’d stick them into my nose and impersonate a walrus, but if you insist, I’ll swallow them.”
* Enemies to lovers. After friends-to-lovers, this is my favorite kind of romance. Nothing translates into great passion like hatred.
He gave her a pointed stare.
Rose rolled her eyes. “Oh, the blueblood look of scorn. Whatever shall I do? I do declare, I feel faint.”
Declan growled under his breath.
She patted his hand. “It’s not too late to reconsider this whole ‘I’ll have you, Rose’ business.”
“Nice try,” he told her.
* Slow burn romance. There is a lot of animosity between Rose and Declan, so she suppresses the attraction as long as she can. Good for her. And great for us.
DISLIKES:
None! At some other time I might have complained how romance is a big focus in the story, but lately I am in a mood for these kind of books. And the world building or character building was definitely not neglected.
IN THE END…
There are some authors whose writing style is just right for you and that’s the thing between Ilona Andrews and me. I love her humor, how she mixes up paranormal and urban elements, her snarky kick-ass heroines and the slow-burn banter-full romance.
On the Edge can be read as a standalone, the next book will be about different couple. I hope I will like them as much as this one. I can’t wait to read it and learn more about the world!
This text is also posted on my blog Bookworm Dreams in a little bit more styled edition.
bookwormneedsbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
thegeekyblogger's review
4.0
Listened for fun (Audible)
Overall Rating: 4.25
Story Rating: 4.00
Character Rating: 4.50
Audio Rating: 4.50 (not part of the overall rating)
First Thought when Finished On the Edge was excellent! I wish the end would have been a tad bit longer :)
Story Thoughts: What can I say about this book that hasn't been said before? It is filled with amazing world building, freaking awesome characters, and kick ass action. I was hooked almost from the beginning and other than a rushed ending, I am in love. I have had this on my shelf since 2012 and I so should have gotten to it sooner. It was overall fantastic.
Character Thoughts: LOVED LOVED LOVED the characters. Rose was kick ass! Declan was swoon-worthy! The kids are awesome (even though I have been told they aren't having a series of their own--I am still holding out hope). I adored William, he deserves love!
Audio Thoughts:
Renee did an excellent job with the narration of On the Edge. She was right on target with Rose, Declan, and the kiddos.
Final Thoughts: So glad I knocked this one off my TBR!
Overall Rating: 4.25
Story Rating: 4.00
Character Rating: 4.50
Audio Rating: 4.50 (not part of the overall rating)
First Thought when Finished On the Edge was excellent! I wish the end would have been a tad bit longer :)
Story Thoughts: What can I say about this book that hasn't been said before? It is filled with amazing world building, freaking awesome characters, and kick ass action. I was hooked almost from the beginning and other than a rushed ending, I am in love. I have had this on my shelf since 2012 and I so should have gotten to it sooner. It was overall fantastic.
Character Thoughts: LOVED LOVED LOVED the characters. Rose was kick ass! Declan was swoon-worthy! The kids are awesome (even though I have been told they aren't having a series of their own--I am still holding out hope). I adored William, he deserves love!
Audio Thoughts:
Narrated By Renée Raudman / Length: 12 hrs and 8 mins
Renee did an excellent job with the narration of On the Edge. She was right on target with Rose, Declan, and the kiddos.
Final Thoughts: So glad I knocked this one off my TBR!
timewaste's review
5.0
i loved it!!! i could not put it down. I love you ilona you have not let me down yet can not wait to read the next book