Friday, November 4, 2016

#Friday Review - Mosaic by Sarah Fine #Paranormal #Romance

Series: Reliquary # 3
Format: E-Galley, 310 pages
Release Date: November 15, 2016
Publisher: 47North
Source: Publisher via Netgalley
Genre: Paranormal Romance

Mattie Carver never thought she’d give up her small-town life to become one half of the best magic-smuggling duo in the business. Until recently, she didn’t even know such a business existed. But as an unusually strong reliquary—able to carry vast quantities of magic in her body, undetected—she’s been pulled into an underworld of organized crime and addictive enchantments. And although she’s determined to keep things professional, her partner, Asa Ward, is a temptation she finds increasingly hard to resist.

Even as their relationship reaches a tipping point, Mattie is wary; Asa already told her he hates cages—literal or otherwise. But when an international black-market magic exchange goes awry, Asa falls into the hands of his enemies. Now, with the man who refuses to be controlled under the command of a ruthless captor, Mattie must decide how far she’s willing to go to rescue him—assuming there’s anything left to save.





Mosaic is the third installment in Sarah Fine's Reliquary series. The story moves ahead in time months after the ending of Splinter. Having put her small town life, her family, her job, and her ex-fiance behind her, Mattie Carver, reliquary extraordinaire, has hit the road with Asa Ward. They have traveled all over the globe searching for ways to make their fortunes. As the story picks up, Mattie and Asa are after a relic stuffed with ekstazo magic currently being held by Russian boss Volodya. 

If you've read the first two novels, you know that the series is being told in the first person narrative by Mattie. Mattie's magical journey hits some major hiccups after they are ambushed in London, and Asa is separated from Mattie thanks to being betrayed. This leaves Mattie in Russia and at the hands of Volodya who is about as twisted as they come. But, Mattie isn't alone. She is met by Asa's supposed dead mother Theresa, who may be Mattie's only real ally in this entire book.

As a character, Mattie has some issues, but she's not a coward by any means. She's in a dangerous position because she is a powerful reliquary who can carry magic without anyone knowing. That ability makes her prime time and valuable even if she has no desire to be under anyone's thumb. She bulls ahead in attempting to rescue Asa knowing that he hates to be put in cages, or under anyone's control. 

She knows that she is in a world ruled by mobsters like Frank Brindle, Volodya, Elina Garza, Botwright, as well as agents Jack Okafor, and Keenan who would love to catch Asa, and Mattie, and put them in deep dark wholes unless they cooperate. But, Keenan also knows that Mattie might be his key to finding the two remaining powerful relic's that are still out there in the world. 

There is plenty of action and suspense in this story. The one thing that is lacking, is any romance. The other thing that is lacking is a reasonable explanation for the way the story ends. Will there be another book? According to Goodreads, and the authors web page, the story is not finished, and she does have future plans for another story. Good, because Mattie makes a choice out of necessity and perhaps a way to move on, but there is so much more story to tell. 





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