On the Edge

The Edge, Book 1

By: Ilona Andrews

Narrated by: Renée Raudman

Length: 12 hrs and 8 mins

Publisher's summary

Rose Drayton lives on the Edge, between the world of the Broken (where people drive cars, shop at Wal-Mart, and magic is a fairy tale) and the Weird (where blueblood aristocrats rule, changelings roam, and the strength of your magic can change your destiny). Only Edgers like Rose can easily travel from one world to the next, but they never truly belong in either. Rose thought if she practiced her magic, she could build a better life for herself. But things didn't turn out how she planned, and now she works a minimum wage, off-the-books job in the Broken just to survive.

Then Declan Camarine, a blueblood noble straight out of the deepest part of the Weird, comes into her life, determined to have her (and her power). But when a terrible danger invades the Edge from the Weird, a flood of creatures hungry for magic, Declan and Rose must work together to destroy them - or they'll devour the Edge and everyone in it.

Spend some more time on The Edge.

©2009 Andrew Gordon and Ilona Gordon (P)2009 Tantor

Critic reviews

"[E]ngaging urban fantasy....Andrews has created a complex plot and convincing characters that will keep the pages turning." ( Publishers Weekly)

This is a okay story!!!!

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

No...because the book seems to end at an odd place. It is just an okay story, and is a little hard to stay with.

Would you be willing to try another book from Ilona Andrews? Why or why not?

yes.. because her other works are better than this one

What does Renée Raudman bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Renee saves the story, and keeps me from going to sleep.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

NO...

Any additional comments?

It as if she did not put her all into the book... I love her other works better

Best story

Would you listen to On the Edge again? Why?

I have listened to this book twice.

What did you like best about this story?

Excellent story, I love the narrator and the author is one of my favorite.

Any additional comments?

Highly recommend this book.

Ok start to new world, new story

What did you love best about On the Edge?

The narrator was great, I love Ilona Andrews worlds too. Very original, not your usual paranormal romance based here in our world. Ms. Andrews definitely separates the humans from the "others" and gives you a reasonable explanation why they are and where they are.

Would you be willing to try another book from Ilona Andrews? Why or why not?

I will definitely get the next book in this series to see how she builds out the characters and the supernatural world they live in.

What about Renée Raudman’s performance did you like?

Renee did her usual good job of differentiating the different characters voices, really good job on the sullen William.

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

I laughed out loud several times, which wasn't good since I listen to my books while I'm going to sleep and cracking up laughing tends to wake my husband up!! LOL

Great Story I loved it

The author is awesome and the narrator is fabulous. I am going to now read the edge. KEEP on writing your a fabulous writer.

More Please Ilona !

Would you listen to On the Edge again? Why?

I have listened to this story twice now and each time I notice different bits, I feel I will be listening again and again,

What did you like best about this story?

I noticed myself chuckling during the reading

Have you listened to any of Renée Raudman’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Renee is a new performer to me. I will be checking out what else she has done

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When Georgie becomes George.

Any additional comments?

thoroughly enjoyable.

Great Start!

Would you listen to On the Edge again? Why?

I listen to a lot of audiobooks and sometimes it is difficult to find something different. On the Edge was a great listen right from the start. Interesting characters, great narration and the story line was fun and interesting

Who was your favorite character and why?

Rose - I like her spunk

Have you listened to any of Renée Raudman’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

This is the first Renee Raudman performance I have listened to. She is a wonderful narrator and very easy and pleasant to listen to.

Pretty Rad

Starts off a little slow, but once it got going, it was hard to put down.

Great story and narration AND NO cliffhanger

I really love the world that she created here. This is a terrific story with very interesting characters and the story is complete in one book which is gratifying. I will be buying her books and supporting her because of this fact.

Solid, but a bit too much of the same

I enjoyed this urban fantasy, with its “Grimm fairy tale meets girl from the wrong side of the Walmart tracks” vibe. I didn’t find this book as engaging as the author-duo’s other series, perhaps because this is the fourth series in a row featuring:
📍Rene Raudman narrating (which I love… but not for every series by this duo)
📍an alternate urban fantasy version of modern day USA where magic and technology share time
📍a feisty, but socially awkward gal with a unique power
📍a charismatic elder, female relative of said gal (grandma or aunt)
📍a mysterious, dangerous alpha male who’s even more powerful than said gal,
and whose battle prowess comes with baggage

As much as I like all of those elements, the similarities tend to make these series blend together. Listening to this, I felt the butterfly effect and flashed to the Kate Daniels series and its theme of shifters going Lupe or its plots involving dangerous beasts from other dimensions… which then flashed to the Hidden Legacy series where demons are summoned from other dimensions and people attempt to force marriage alliances based on magic compatibility…which then flashed to the Innkeeper series with a feisty gal and, yep, another shifter and other-worldly, hidden magical threats.

Which is not to discourage listeners, as all of this author-duo’s series are varying degrees of awesome.
I recommend:
💥Hidden Legacy for the best blend of humor, action, and urban fantasy (also for the narrator switch after book 3). Romance is a multi-book slow burn and comes second to the urban fantasy/mystery procedural fun. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
💥Kate Daniels for a more complex, dark, satisfying ten-book story arc. Romance again comes second to urban fantasy and the buildup to great characters takes several books (with one or two missteps).⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
💥Inn Keeper for a campier, off-planet twist (admittedly, I’ve only done book 1 here)⭐️⭐️
💥This series when you want each book to feature a new H/h romance with complete stories set in the same UF world ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Romantic Urban Fantasy.

I'm a big fan of the Kate Daniels series so I decided to go ahead with this series. I really liked this book and am going to continue on with the series. I would classify this as a romantic urban fantasy book. Ilona Andrews is really gifted in their world building. I really liked Rose she was a sassy, kick ass character that had no problem showing her softer side to her two awesome brothers. It took me a bit for Declan to grow on me, only due to the fact that he seemed remote and prejudice at first. Once he shed his aristocratic ways, I liked him so much better. The villain was a bit cheesy but I thought the magic stealing hounds was a nice touch. Renee Raudman first pulled me in with her style for Kate Daniels series and I appreciated her nuance's that much better in this book. I really enjoyed her as a narrator.