Trace of Magic

The Diamond City Magic Novels, Volume 1

By: Diana Pharaoh Francis

Narrated by: Elizabeth Phillips

Length: 10 hrs and 32 mins

Publisher's summary

Even the most powerful tracers can't track you if the magical trace you leave behind is too old. But I can track almost anything, even dead trace. That makes me a unicorn, the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, and the Loch Ness Monster all rolled into one. In a word, I am unique. A very special snowflake. And if anyone ever finds out, I'll be dead or a slave to one of the Tyet criminal factions. Riley Hollis has quietly traced kidnapped children and quietly tipped the cops to their whereabouts one too many times. Now she's on the radar of Detective Clay Price, a cop in the pocket of a powerful magic Tyet faction. When he blackmails her into doing a dangerous trace for him, Riley will have to break every rule that keeps her safe. Or become a Tyet pawn in a deadly, magical war.

©2014 Diana Pharaoh Francis (P)2016 Bell Bridge Books

Good start to a UF series

I’ve heard great things about Diana Pharaoh Francis for a long time from Berls from Fantasy is More Fun, so when I finally got a chance to review one of her audiobooks, I jumped at the chance. I didn’t really know much about this book going it. I had not read any reviews, only the blurb from Goodreads. I will say, that I really enjoyed it. I really enjoyed it.

This is a world where you have people with different magical abilities. Riley Hollis is a Tracer. She can follow someone’s trace and see where they’ve been in the past. She is much stronger than she lets on though. If some of the powerful people figured out how powerful she really was, she would become a target. Most people can only track someone’s trace for a short time. Riley can track someone’s trace back forever and even after they died.
Detective Clay Price is known as a dirty cop. He is in the pocket of the mob as an enforcer.

However, when he isn’t doing the mob’s work, he is actually a pretty good cop. He needs someone to do a trace for him, but doesn’t want it to be on the record with the police or the mob, so he comes to Riley. He makes her an offer she can’t refuse to work for him. Then her sister calls in hysterics because her boyfriend’s place is in disarray. Price and and Riley work together to find out what happened to the boyfriend. They find out it is all tied together.

I really enjoyed this story. It was full of action. I liked the magic. Riley is a great character that is full of sass. Price is decent character, better than I thought he would be, seeing that he was part of the mob and all. I was a little surprised that Riley gives in and sleeps with him as quickly as she did. She also starts to reveal more and more about herself to him faster than I would’ve thought, even after sleeping with him. There are also some really great side characters in this story that I would like to learn more about.

It was a pretty good start to the series. I would like to see the second book and see where this series goes. It has promise. The second book isn’t available on audio yet. I don’t know if it will be or not. I’ll have to wait a bit and see.

Narration
This is my first audiobook with Elizabeth Phillips. I will say that I thought she did a great job. I has no issues with any of the voices, male or female. I was always able to distinguish between the characters. I did listen at an increased speed, but that is normal for me. I would recommend her for more books.

**I like to thank the author for providing me with a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Pleasant Surprise, Why to go Diana!

I have already downloaded the next book in the series... I am hooked and eager listen to the next book... well worth my credits!

A good adventour for those who love possiblities

If you could sum up Trace of Magic in three words, what would they be?

Great Story Line

What other book might you compare Trace of Magic to and why?

I would compare this to the David Eddings Wizards First Rule. I would also say the Laurell K. Hamilton's first few books before she forgot how to right a story and went straight into Porn.

What about Elizabeth Phillips’s performance did you like?

She was excellent. I have a lot of audio books, but I love Elizabeth's performance. The men sounded like men the women sounded like woman and the story line flowed so smoothly.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

So many authors cope out with a story line that is a good hook and then they provide little substance and a lot of sex. Although there is a little sex in this book, the key focus is the story line and how it plays out.

Any additional comments?

I want to wait for the other books in this series so that I can finish the whole story line. I might have to purchase the hard covers so that I can see how things are going to work in the future.

I enjoyed the story but...

I felt like the most important thing to the main characters was figuring out if the other person really loved them. I thought the plot had more going for it than love turmoil and it kept coming up in the middle of really interesting and exciting moments. It made it hard to enjoy the action.

Eyeroll!

The main character in this story is one of those annoying female characters that is always in a state of emotional turmoil. I like the story but the thoughts of the main character was just too infuriating. Every plot shift requires twenty minutes of idiocy

Great Concept, So-so writing

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

I got this book on sale, and probably would not want to spend a whole credit on it.

What did you like best about this story?

Really interesting magical concept. Very creative- I would like to see what happens, but the writing is clunky. The characters act improbably and the constant physical danger is just over the top.

Would you be willing to try another one of Elizabeth Phillips’s performances?

I would really rather not. Honestly, a "null" is not pronounced "knowel," and she just didn't have the depth to carry off the series. A different reader might have really bumped up the experience.

just ok

I love the premise, the world is very interesting, hopefully next book will explain the powers/world better. The heroine was immature and whined a bit too much for me. The narrator was too young sounding, but maybe that's on purpose given the attitude of the main character? Emotions/decisions were explained too much. Then you get thrown back into the middle of whatever was going on, and it felt like days had happed when it was only seconds. Overall-just ok I guess.

Surpassed All Expectarins!!!!

Best paranormal Romance since laurell K Hamilton without all the multipartner sex, Faith Hunter who is my all time favorite, Kim Harrison, and Patricia Briggs. This Author is on instant download from now on. She really is going to go far wuth this series. This book has it all. Plot was unique and I listened to it all at once. couldn't wait to find out what happened next. Riley is a tough heroine that has a good heart. Along comes our hero who is a good cop but has dealings with some bad people. reminds me a little of mafia but with magic everywhere. Most definitely credit worthy but I would have spent the money for this listen. I can not wait to see how this series grows. narration was perfect for this book and the few sex scenes were hot. like I said this book has it all. If you like paranormal romance this is your new favorite Arthur. Happy Listening.

Riley

Excellent new series, I am looking forward to listening to book 2!! i cant wait to see Riley show what she can do!

It wasn’t bad

The story was typical of urban fantasy. Sexy female lead is hella good at something no one else is. She gets a male side kick who is super hot but not really an equal in whatever is going on in the book. She has a snarky best friend who tells off said male side kick for whatever and is only in the story to make sure the male stays firmly in the “not as good as the main character “ rut. Female lead almost dies to show she isn’t a Mary Sue but acts like a Mary Sue when not dying. There is romance with the male side kick that is based entirely on his looks then morphs into love because.... reasons?

Maybe I am being too critical, this book isn’t bad. It is just that I have read this same sort of book over and over again. The names of the female leads change along with their super amazing thing they do. The sexy male side kick has different hair and eyes but the same plot is there. This book is not at all different from most of the other urban fantasy out there. If you are bored and your looking for something to binge on, isn’t the worst thing you could buy.