Urban Magic

The Black Heron #1

by Jen Pretty

Thunder and Lightning drag me from my bed almost every night. Not like I have anything better to do.

I was only 12 when I was abandoned by my parents at a "treatment center" for children with unusual powers. Thankfully Natsu found me and helped me learn to control the power than lay inside me.

Lightning bends to my will now, instead of the other way around.

Natsu dedicated her life to protecting the humans of Hanton, but her vision is toast even if her reflexes haven't slowed at all. Her daily demonstrations offer plenty of evidence for that. But it's time for me to repay her kindness, and take over her duties as night watchman.

When a new threat takes aim at the youth of the city, I put on my investigator hat. (Not really, I hate hats.) Unfortunately that investigation runs parallel to one conducted by the most eligible bachelor and all-around player of Hanton. Detective Bartlett works for the most corrupt police agency in the city. When I crash a party and find him cozying up to the Congressman, that's all the proof I need that he is as dirty as the rest.

But this new threat won't quit and when Bartlet pressures me to help him bring down the drug ring that's responsible for killing college kids, he makes a convincing argument. (hashtag blackmail) So I run out of options.

Neither of us knew how deep this well of evil would run, but we'll discover that sometimes the evil you thought you knew was much, much worse.

And sometimes your enemy becomes something much more.

Genres: Paranormal, Fantasy

253 pages, Paperback

First published January 15, 2021

About the author

Jen Pretty is a well- known and prolific writer of smart urban fantasies. Her novels are character driven, witty, often violent, and with a liberal sprinkling of coarse language. Some of her books genre-hop into mythology, pulling characters and situations from a variety of sources.
When not writing, Jen can be found in the barn with her horses, or knee-deep in the vegetable garden at her home in rural Ontario, Canada, which she shares with her husband, three children, and a white husky dog named Salt.

Reviews

[Amaka · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars
I received a copy from the publishers in exchange for an honest review.
Echo is a vigilante, badass, female protagonist with special magical powers. Driven away by her family, due to her abilities, she found a home with an equally badass, blind old woman, who taught her everything about martial arts. They believed that since the law was also corrupt, it was left to them to fix the world, one evil person at a time. However, they can't do it without the help of the good detective, especially not when evil traced them to their doorstep.
This book is simply awesome! I'm looking forward to more of Echo and her new ward.

[Emily Pennington · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very enjoyable book that keeps the reader sharp and alert through the intriguing story line. In a world of Supes and Normals, Echo is a strong female character with unique abilities, both physical and magical, as she possesses the innate ability to bend lightning to her will. She is a vigilante who seeks justice just a bit outside the law, since the city of Hanton and its law enforcement are corrupt. She has been trained in the martial arts by an older woman, Natsu, who is blind.

Echo uses her talents to help people. But when she is compelled to work with Detective Colin Bartlet, who has undetermined motives, she is not sure if he can be trusted or not. They certainly have their share of danger! Will he betray her, or does he have his own secret to share with her? Will she be able to break their connection, or is he to be her partner as this series hopefully continues on? Where will her future lead her if she survives the evil Smoke whom they must fight?

There is so much more going on here, but it never seems to slow down and the story line is very well written. The relationships of the characters is complex. Grab your copy and read this wonderful story that sets the stage for hopefully many more books to come. I loved every minute of this one, constantly surprised in both a good way or bad as life happened and the characters dealt with it. This is a great book, so don’t miss reading it!

[GG · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable, quick read and reminded me of some of the superhero books I have liked reading. Echo is a vigilante sort who has been trained by a blind martial artist. She has abilities which she brings into play to help people out and she finds herself teaming up with a detective she's not so sure she should trust.

It's a bad city and sometimes good people have to make tough decisions.

I hope it's just the first in a series of books. The story moves at a good pace and the characters are inventive and enjoyable.

I read an early copy of this book and have chosen to write a review.

[Christi · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Black Heron is a book that keeps you turning pages. Echo is a strong main character with a vulnerable side. I love her paranormal and physical abilities. As a vigilante working alone just outside the law, it's constraining when she gets trapped into helping the police. Can she trust this detective that pushes all of her buttons? She gets into some dangerous situations, endures heartbreaking losses and kicks some bad guy's butts. I enjoyed reading this book and hope it is just the beginning of a new series.

[Caity · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.

A great new Urban fantasy book! I really connected to Echo and the other characters. I’m looking forward to finding out more about the supes and the world building.

If you like badass chicks with emotional depth then you should check this book out. :)

[Jeanéva Christie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent world-building.
I really liked The Black Heron. The heroine wields lightning and electricity in her endeavor to clean up the streets of her city. With a rocky start, she develops a relationship with a detective, which may turn romantic over the series arch. I look forward to the next book in the series.