Diabolical Sword

The Charm Collector #1

by Melissa Erin Jackson

A sentient sword. An artifact collector. A whole world of trouble.

My name is Harlow Fletcher, and I’m a charm collector.

As the daughter of bounty hunters, I know more about the criminal underbelly than the average citizen of Luma, California. But when Dad’s work got him killed, and Mom went on the lam, I swore off the profession for myself. Instead, I use my knack for finding rare artifacts—namely illegal magic-laced weapons—to sneak into criminals’ homes after the police have carted them off for their latest infractions. Once I’ve helped myself to the contraband, I sell it to the highest bidder.

While looting my latest victim, I find a gorgeous sword. I immediately regret my decision to steal it. The weapon is alive. It’s lightning-quick, has an anger management problem, and refuses to be left behind. Days later, I count my lucky stars when it takes off on its own.

In less than twenty-four hours, the police are at my door accusing me of murder. While pleading my case, the diabolical sword floats into my apartment, covered in blood. Now we’re on the run, with bounty hunters and government-trained feline shifters hot on our trail. Proving my innocence is going to be a hell of a lot harder with the sentient murder weapon by my side—especially when I might be next on its hit list …

Genres: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal, Witches, Mystery, Magic, Audiobook

420 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 10, 2021

About the author

Melissa is a professional pet sitter and an author of paranormal mysteries. There are two books out in her Riley Thomas mystery series--The Forgotten Child and Shuttered Secrets. Her Witch of Edgehill cozy paranormal mystery series is complete at five books. The first two books in her urban fantasy series, The Charm Collector, are out now. Unholy Magic and A Mythical Case of Arson are up next! She owns too many pets and lives in Northern California with her equally pet-obsessed boyfriend. For information about her books, you can join her newsletter at melissajacksonbooks.com

Reviews

[PdL Frost · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Fantastic Read!

I specifically chose this book because like many People of Color, I wanted to read an Urban Fantasy story where the Protagonist looked like me. But I don't want this book to through in so much African American culture that it bogged down both the plot and flow of action. Ms. Jackson succeeded amazingly. Harlow's ethnicity was just another attribute like dark hair or brown eyes. Jackson focused entirely on plot and character. And the complex plotline was simply beautifully done. I stayed up several late nights hooked on reading it. I just finished reading it and it's now 3:30 in the morning! I just could not stop until i reached the end! My only complaint is that now I have to wait MONTHS until the next one is released! Ms. Jackson is a wonderful writer and I'm breathlessly waiting for her next book. Of any kind. I highly recommend Diabolical Sword to EVERYONE! You won't regret it.

[Garrett Lemons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Melissa does it again! When I think of what a Melissa Erin Jackson book is, I think of situational humor, a heart of social justice and gold, a little spooky, a lot of fun... and this book delivers on all levels. Whether you're coming from her cozy series (Pawsitively Poisonous is free! Go read it!) or her adult paranormal thrillers (The Forgotten Child is almost always on sale! Go read it!), you will find what you love most about Melissa's writing here in this "new" genre for her. If you like her cozies, this has a little more bite. If you like her thrillers, this has a little more fun.

It's phenomenal and we're in for a treat with this trilogy. I'm so excited for more people to read it.

[Melissa Erin Jackson]

Ebook! --> https://geni.us/opu8L

Audio! --> https://geni.us/YMKAr5M

[Gee.Tea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Diabolical Sword. The world building was exceptionally good, and the explanations that accompanied it were spaced out across the novel, rather than info dumped in a few pages.

Melissa Jackson has provided a fresh perspective on old concepts giving this novel originality. There are weres, vampires, witches, fauns, fae, elves and more, but not as I'd read them before. It was refreshing to feel like I was reading something new.

On top of hidden magical cities and all manner of creatures, the suspense was built beautifully and while I love fantasy the mystery is what kept me hooked on Diabolical Sword. I would 100% recommend.

I would like to thank BookSirens and Melissa Jackson for an advanced review copy of Diabolical Sword. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Imani Zoe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was surprisingly good. Better than expected. The world building was great and very relatable. Love the FMC!

[Evie Scarlet · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

Harlow makes a living collecting and selling charms, weapons, and other magical pieces. When that occupation leads to her nabbing a sentient dragon sword, she gets dragged into more danger and conspiracies than she signed up for!

Overall, Diabolical Sword is an entertaining and exciting read. The plot kept me guessing and came together nicely at the end. There are some hints of potential romance, but nothing solid yet—which I appreciated! I love a good slow burn. The world is nicely built, and this first book does a great job of explaining the rules, lore, and magic without infodumping or getting overwhelming.

Diabolical Sword has a fantastic cast of characters. Every voice felt unique, and you can tell everyone has a deeper story that we will probably get to explore later. Harlow is witty and sarcastic, making for fun banter between others in the cast like Caspian and Zander. I absolutely loved the sentient sword and how much personality it had, despite not being able to speak. The sword’s bond with Harlow was adorable and I can’t wait to see more!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[El · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Closer to 4.5 stars, but only because I'm picky.

This was absolutely phenomenal. I loved reading the whole thing, the writing style was sweet and nicely descriptive, and the narrative made sense. The plot was super interesting and I loved the mystery elements on top of the fantasy, and the way that everything was tied up but some was still left open for the sake of the sequel.

The characters were fantastic and I enjoyed reading all of them. Harlow was such a brilliant main character and I appreciate her not necessarily being great in combat but still being smart enough to get herself out of situations. Also I absolutely adore Welsh and I will be extremely upset if he doesn't turn up in the next one. He reminds me a lot of a grumpier Howl. Even the sword itself was a wonderfully written character and it was so easy to get attached to all of them.

The worldbuilding was gorgeous. I really enjoyed the newer, super interesting takes on stuff like vampires and elves, and the establishing of a world in which fae live among people but not in a way anybody knows about was so good.

My singular complaint is that I felt that there was a little too much infodumping for the worldbuilding at the beginning, but that tapered off a few chapters in, so it didn't diminish any of the rest of the reading experience.

I have every intent to pick up the second one when it comes out, and if I can get my hands on a physical copy of this one, I will be snapping it up. Fantastic novel.

[TC Rittenhouse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Harlow Fletcher is a human treasure collector living in a fae (magical creatures) city hub. When she gets the message that another collector was arrested, she goes to see what they had stored and gets more than she bargained for with a dragon sword.

This single action leads her on a exciting journey that had me engaged from beginning to end. I loved the characters, action, story, plot line, the weaving of humans into a magical society in an urban fantasy setting.

I loved the fact that there was a map of the city included in the book.

I got a House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J Maas vibe (both from the map and some of the descriptions of the various fae species mentioned), but that wasn't a detraction from the book, just a general feeling. I liked a lot of the characters and am looking forward to the next book.

The items that brought the book down to a 4 star read for me: large flashbacks that were stand alone chapters - slowed down the story; there was some repetitiveness to Harlow's conversations/thoughts that detracted from the pacing.

Thank you to Book Sirens and Melissa Erin Jackson for the free advance review copy, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Brittany Howell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Harlow, a charm collector spends her days obtaining and then selling illegal artifacts. When a big name in her world gets arrested, she quickly goes to his warehouse to collect anything of interest to her. While there she comes across a sentient sword and shortly thereafter she is a wanted woman on the run.
This was urban fantasy at its finest. Excellent world building, really likable characters and spot on pace. May cannot come soon enough. Putting my pre-order in NOW.

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun read! Easy and a page turner with no lack of excitement! I really enjoyed this fantasy novel and would definately reccomend if you are looking for a light read with less of the heavy drama! The plot was excellent and i really enjoyed reading the book! Definately reccomend!

[fred jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect escapism, inventive and wonderfully entertaining

A wonderfully entertaining, inventive story. Loved the characters especially Harlow with her sword and attitude. A sentient sword what a great idea, and the character the Author has given it is great fun, and very deadly. The story moves at a good pace with lots of action, intrigue, corruption and magic. Loved it. The story grabbed me from the first and wouldn't let go. One of the most entertaining books I have read this year and I am really looking forward to reading book 2. I received a complimentary copy from the Author and am leaving a honest voluntary review and then bought the book anyway.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

An exciting Urban Fantasy with a cast of characters I was rooting for and a mystery to solve at the core, written with a wonderful sense of humor. Every chapter leads neatly into the next, which made me constantly eager to read more. We get a satisfying ending leaving lots of room for adventures in the next book. I’m especially looking forward to more from the sword!

[Noone · Rating 2 out of 5]

It wasn't horrible by any means. It mostly just was unoriginal. Most of the building blocks are derived from popular urban fantasy tropes.
The one thing I have to praise is that even though the MC is black, the book doesn't feel the need to go on a crusade against racist rich white men like 99% of books with a black protagonist do.
Nowadays it's almost like you only write a back protagonist specifically to address racism, and black people don't serve any other purpose in fiction anymore. But most authors don't seem to realize that this is fundamentally just as racist as the racism they try to call out. Especically in an alternative world there really is no need for any of that.
Just for that I kind of want to give the book an extra star but giving a star for not doing something stupid feels wrong.

Back to talking smack. The book is full of reminders and flashbacks of events that sometimes happened literally in the paragraph above. It feels like watching one of those Crime TV series that are designed so that you can tune in at any time into any episode and follow along with the plot because every important detail gets reiterated every time it is brought up. It just feels patronizing to me and causes me to be instantly bored. If the book doesn't expect me to pay attention and spoon-feeds me every detail, I don't really feel like paying attention.
And I enjoy and even prefer easy reads where you don't have to follow multiple POVs, multiple time-lines, or a huge mountain of info-dumped world-building details. But this was way too much even for me.

The world-building, while not being particularly unique, was pretty well-done at least within the scope of this book. I got the impression of a complex and alive city without much clumsy info-dumping or useless and ill-fitting tangents. But then, the pacing is really slow anyway so the book has more than enough time to organically introduce the reader to the world.

I very much appreciate that the book took its time and you can really tell how much better and more natural the world-building can be if a book just takes a bit of time to establish the world. Sadly readers nowadays are way too impatient and therefore authors cut down on this kind of deliberate worldbuilding by employing established tropes a lot.

But for a book with over 400 pages + prequel, the plot would easily fit in your typical 270-page UF.
It's very straightforward and at no point was I surprised by anything at all. The little plot there is couldn't be more predictable. There is not even an attempt at a twist as far as I can tell.

While this book fits into NA in terms of tone, the characters behave much more like in a YA novel. The kind of naive take of the book on the world in terms of government and society feels very much like YA too.
I want to give a few examples of this but they all require some spoilers.
The first one is very minor and never really becomes relevant.
First off is the whole government tracking thing. If the government has surveillance on every major teleport pad then why the hell would you go through the trouble of using a fake identity? They can just correlate your face with the use of the identity and the entire history of your identity is instantly deanonymized. You would need a new identity every 1-2 teleports for this to work at all.
There are lots of plotholes like this one where there just didn't go enough brain power into reasoning about these things.

The second example is a pretty major spoiler. You have been warned.
At some point the MC is part of the rescue of a bunch of young women (late teens, early twenties). These women have worked as bartenders. They have been trapped, drugged, and abused for many months up to this point. And most of them want to join the organization that freed them to fight evil.
At its core, the vibe here is this naive idea of the oppressed rising up to overthrow the evil overlord led by the MC and fight for a better future together bla bla bla.
This clashes badly with the grittier and darker atmosphere the book tries to instill and pretty much perfectly exemplifies what I mean by a naive YA take on the world and the characters. It's not that it was written for a YA audience, but that it comes across like it was written by a naive young adult. Maybe the first is the reason for the second I guess.

There is quite a bit of plot-driven stupidity too but it's generally only used to add spice to interpersonal drama and not to justify major plot beats so while it annoyed me, it wasn't really a big deal.

Maybe I am just desperately projecting my need for gritter (urban) fantasy and am just disappointed by yet another YA audience UF. It doesn't have to be an Abercrombie but just a bit grittier than the typical YA soup.

[kittykat AKA Ms. Tortitude · Rating 4 out of 5]

(04.01.23 - Re-up from amz following the Great GR Data Loss of Oct 2022)

4.5⭐️

A free copy of this book was received with thanks from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Never has a title fit a book so much🤣 and OMG, I need book 2 NOW!!!

Firstly, THAT COVER!!! 😍 🥰 😘 I'm so not a cover lover, but it is glorious! 😘 🥰 😍

All right, sword, we need to figure out a better way to chat. You seem to have an anger management problem, which, let me tell you, is not working for my anxiety.

... Harlow Fletcher, Diabolical Sword Chapter 5.

The author has created a superb world for this series, a hidden city in California with a veeeery shady secret-society type magical organisation that runs it. There's a wide range of paranormal creatures, most of which are considered as races of the Fae and it made me think of the TV show The Lost Girl which had a similar set up. These include Witches, Sorcerers, Werecats 😏 (I do struggle with this term TBH as it just doesn't flow off the tongue like werewolf) Goblins, and Pixies. Oh, and Vampires of course.

Given that it's BHM, it would be remiss of me to not address the elephant in the room by saying that this is yet another book that is proof positive that adult UF is far better served when not whitewashed into infinity. This series, from the two books I've read so far, has a diverse cast of human characters and red shirts that are of different races and (it seems to me anyway) some allusions to queerness and even possibly differently-abled in a very low key way.

We have a Black female lead, whose inner monologues seem to include subtleties that only some Black folks or those who are close to them may pick up on. She also has a Black ex-boyfriend who she was with for a very long time and there are other human characters that are described in ways that are coded or outright described as non-White and it just... is. The author makes lots of mentions of skin colour and/or tone and hair texture when describing characters or with some of 'Low's inner thoughts and although these factors are not the be-all and end-all of who they are, she is making sure that it is highly unlikely that readers can imagine these people as all White as has been done with many a racially ambiguous (at the least) characters in some highly popular books in the past.

I loved almost everything about this book and the only real criticism I have is that it is perhaps a tad too long. While I did find myself rooting for Harlow to win, enjoying many of the side characters and was thoroughly engaged in the plot throughout, I did feel that the middle part lagged some. I was also a bit disappointed to learn the fate (from the blurb which I didn't read before starting the book) of the MCs parents as I really enjoyed their dynamic in the prequel, Veiled Desires, and was hoping to see them again here. However, I get the sense from what I thought was a touch of foreshadowing that at least there is the possibility for her mom to return at some point in the series so we shall 👀.

The writing was engaging, the world-building was fantastic and I got a real sense of what the city of Luma and its inhabitants were like. The secondary and background characters were all interesting (including my namesake Jo(sephine!), the plot was propulsive and fast-paced for the most part and the humour whilst not making me loudly cackling uncontrollably, DID have me chuckling much more than I expected.

There is the requisite mystery to solve (well, more than one really) but this is a very different take on it from what I've read previously. Also, as much as I am a loud and proud romance reader, it was so amazing to read this type of paranormal UF without romantic entanglements getting in the way of all the action, something that is often something that annoys me in the sub-genre. Harlow certainly has a backstory with her ex Felix who turns up in this book, and although there is some discussion about that and she has some issues with trust because of it, there was no real back and forth 'will they or won't they' so much as a revelation about the why he ended their relationship and him showing that despite the long gap since they last spoke, he still cares for her.

Harlow (and I love that name!) is a fab narrator with a wicked sense of humour...

With my hands out in a placating gesture, I took a step back. “Nice sword … you’re a nice sword.”

The sword didn’t move. It just … hovered there.

I flicked a glance to my right, toward my front door. When it came to fight or flight, I was a flight kind of girl. I needed to get out of here. I knew the sword could follow me, but if I got the heavy metal front door between the sword and myself, it would buy me some time. Some time for what? I didn’t know.

I took the merest of steps toward my door and the sword flew across the room at such speed, my head spun. I squeezed my eyes shut and prayed the sweet release of death was quick and painless. And that there wouldn’t be too much blood. And that Kayda didn’t come looking for me after I’d gone MIA for a few days so that she didn’t have to be the one to discover my mangled body.

...and is a plain ole human woman, a 20-something with a super tall Draken woman, Kayda, as her long-suffering ride or die BFF, another kind of friend, the aforementioned Jo who is a Witch - but no other close people in her life. But she is a suck it up/needs must type of gal and does what she needs in order to survive, even if that means she skirts on the edge (!!!) of illegal activities and spends her life trying her best to stay off the grid And I always love this type of FMC in books - after all, why should all the men have all the fun😆. I really appreciated the fact that she is no Mary Sue, she knows the limits of her skills and abilities and does her best to stay within them.

She is the type of woman who can take names without actually kicking ass and that is again something that I love because Strong Female Characters don't all have to be the same cliched types we see in so many other books. That is until the sentient dragon sword ends up imprinting on her (somehow I find this both more AND less disturbing than Jacob imprinting on a baby 🤭) and does its best to protect her by going on murder sprees in her name. Which, yes, of course, causes her problem and puts her firmly ON the grid!

After some major fuckery and shenanigans, 'Low ends up having to be rescued just in time (she is still not a damsel, just someone who has run out of luck and resources) by Welsh, a kind of antagonist that she has come up against before and fellow outlaw Caspian. Thus begins a journey to chosen adventures, starting with the rescue of a number of attractive young fae women from the bad guys. The book ends with her having made a decision that will undoubtedly lead to a new era in her life and I can't wait.

I'm so glad that I found this author, writing this sub-genre and even more so that it was in February which is why I jumped on her books immediately. Any fans of urban fantasy looking for more series with little to no romance (at least thus far), I would urge you to pick this up. Start with the prequel and go from there. In the meantime, I'll be trying really hard not to bite my nails to the quick whilst waiting for the next part of Harlow's journey which is due for release in a couple of months.

I'll finish with this little ditty of creative thinking... next time you feel guilty about eating cake, remember this!

For the last couple of nights, when I couldn’t sleep, I’d steal a piece or two of this cake, and as the rich chocolate frosting melted on my tongue, I got a little jolt of hope along with the sugar rush.

A throat cleared behind me, and I whirled around to find Felix sitting on the counter. He rubbed the heel of his palm against his eye. He only wore a pair of sweatpants. “Babe. It’s five-thirty in the morning.”

“There are eggs in the batter,” I argued. “That’s basically breakfast.”

He tried not to smile but failed. He hopped off the counter and grabbed me around the middle in one fluid motion, pulling me to him so our stomachs were flush. Hope flared even brighter.

“And chocolate comes from the cocoa plant, which is sort of like a vegetable. It’s basically a salad.”

PS. I think sentient 🗡️🗡️🗡️ are my newest favourite thing in fantasy as this is the second that I've loved recently after the hilarious but very different Mistlefoe by Kimberly Lemming that I also read a little while ago.

Also... because it deserves repeating, that cover says the 'not a cover lover title whore'!!!

[Roxsanne Lesieur · Rating 5 out of 5]

Harlow Fletcher is a human living in an unbelievable city, the city of Luma in California where the humans live with other magical creatures and magical items, Harlow is someone who collects these items and sells them on, she is a Charm Collector. Harlow was born in Luma where her parents were bounty hunters, they were called in when crimes were committed and someone needed finding, that was until her father died and her mother left Luma forever because of it, since then, Harlow has become well known among the criminal underbelly for her talent for finding unusual and rare objects and selling them to the highest bidder.

Some days were more lucrative than others, so when she intercepts a message that a person well known to Harlow had been apprehended and she couldn’t resist checking out the merchandise which had been left behind, but when she does, it is more than she ever thought possible. As she sneaks into the warehouse where the items are kept, she enters the room and sees weapons, charmed necklaces and items galore, so she picks out the pieces which attract her and which she knows she will get a good price for until she sees a sword which looks beautiful and dangerous, but try as she might, she cannot leave without it and this is where her trouble begins.

As she is leaving, she hears some guards come in and hopes that she can get away before they see her, but unfortunately, this doesn’t happen and she ends up being cornered, however to her and the guards surprise, the sword she picked up which she swears has dragon magic in it comes to life and defends her. She cannot believe it, especially when it takes a shine to her and refuses to let her leave without it, but when she gets it home, things take a turn for the worse when she is rudely awoken from a deep sleep by the police and she is accused of murder.

As she tries to profess her innocence, the sword appears covered in blood and Harlow has to run for her life away from the police who turn out to be government trained shifters. Will Harlow and this sentient diabolical sword be able to work together to prove her innocence, or will the shifters catch her before she has the chance? This is a fast paced fantasy adventure where nothing is straight forward and the mysteries increase at every turn, it keeps you on your toes throughout as you try to figure out what will happen next in this rip roaring adventure.

[Book Life With Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Diabolical Sword, the first book in The Charm Collector series by Melissa Erin Jackson is an amazing Urban Fantasy crime read that is utterly fabulous! Jackson wove an intricate tale of murder and mystery that was so intriguing and captivating it pulled you right in and didn’t let go. The storyline and plot flowed beautifully together and the characters dynamics were so well developed they was easy to connect to. And hello?!? A sentient sword that quite possibly is on a murdering rampage? Sign me up now!

Harlow is a charm collector/artifact aficionado with knowledge of the criminal world thanks in part to being the daughter of bounty hunters. However, after her father was killed, and her mother left town, Harlow left that life wanting no part of it, and began working as a freelance charm collector. With an ability to track down rare, possibly illicit magic-laced weapons, she has a talent for breaking into homes of the more criminal led individuals to “confiscate” contraband…and then sell it to the highest bidder.

However one night that all changes when a beautifully magnificent sword catches her eye. Knowing she could easily sell it, she takes it—and instantly realizes her mistake because this is no ordinary sword. It’s alive…and has a temper and a thirst of its own that may put her in more danger than she wants, or needs. A realization that comes to light when the cops suddenly show up accusing her of murder.

Now she finds herself on the run, being hunted by bounty hunters and government-trained feline shifters that mean to bring her down. With only a sentient sword by her side, and only the barest of clues to go on, can she prove her innocence? Find out yourself by diving into this story that will take you on a mystery filled, must read journey full of action, twists and turns!

Overall this story had it all! Fantastic world building, diverse well developed characters, mystery and mayhem, adventure and drama, danger and humor and of course all things paranormal such as magical sentient swords, shifters, sorcerers and so much more making this a definite must read for any urban fantasy crime loving reader. Personally I can’t wait to read more from this author and this series!

[Shadel ayerbe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a great crime fantasy read.

A sword with sentience. An artifact aficionado. There's a whole world of problems. Harlow Fletcher is a charm collector that goes by the name of Harlow Fletcher. She understands more about the criminal underbelly than the ordinary Luma resident because she is the daughter of bounty hunters. However, once her father was slain as a result of his employment and her mother fled town, she swore off the profession for myself. She should have gone into a more secure, unrelated field, such as accountancy. Instead, she found herself working as a freelance charm collector, which is a profitable job. She has an uncanny ability to track down rare items, particularly illicit magic-laced weaponry, and she used this talent to break into criminals' homes after the cops have taken them away for their latest transgressions. She would sell the contraband to the highest bidder once she had helped herself to it.

While robbing her last victim, she notices a beautiful sword. Her instincts tell her it has dragon power rushing through its blade, and she already has the ideal buyer in mind. Within minutes, she regrets her choice to steal the sword: the weapon is alive. It's lightning-fast and has a temper issue, but it's taken liking to her. She is relieved to have the sword taken away from her life one day. When the cops showed up at her house, accusing her of murder, she was less relieved. The devilish sword glides into her flat, coated in blood, as she is arguing that she did not commit the crime. They're now on the run, pursued by bounty hunters and government-trained feline shifters. While the sentient murder weapon stands by her side, she must somehow establish her innocence.

I loved this story. I loved every page of it. Every chapter was exciting. This is my first book from this author and I can’t wait to read the rest of the series.

[Catrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

LET ME JUST SAY that reading this was a RIDE, and a good one at that. Starting off the book I was like mad confused because I felt like information of the world, was just being shoved down my throat. Towards the middle I was like, “damn, this is actually good”. And towards the END, I was in love. I can’t say I’ve read a lot of urban fantasy, so it’s not like I had this set idea of what to look forward to. But this definitely sets the standard! It still strikes me as shocking when I realize many people haven’t read this, like what are you waiting for!

The imagery incorporated throughout the entire book was phenomenal. The fact that I could place myself in the pages, like I was actually there, was amazing! I give so many props to the author for being able to create that connection to the readers. Like I mentioned previously, the only thing I didn’t like was the way the world was explained. Some world building was just thrown out there, and I was kinda just like “woah” because of how it was presented- fast. There was definitely a fair mix of things that went really slow, and then really fast- but a good balance was implemented so it was never really heavy.

This was a journey, that will just keep me constantly thinking about all the potential the world has! There are so many ways that the author could take, so many opportunities that have been set up. She has made such relatable and lovely characters, that don’t have that perfection flare that most authors try to input- they are purely human. I cannot wait to see where this story goes, for I know it will be as action packed and entertaining as this one!

Thank you to the author and publisher for providing me with an ebook advance reader copy for free- in exchange of me leaving a review both honestly and voluntarily.

[Vanessa Watts · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first time I have heard of this author but I love all things magical and decided to give this urban fantasy a try. I am really glad I did though because this book was phenomenal. The character development was wonderful including the sentient sword that the author was able to describe and make the sword come to life in such a way. The world building was fantastic and made it seem as though anyone could visit Luma.

We start off meeting Harlow, your typical human living amongst magical creatures just trying to get by. After losing her parents she uses her dad's tools of his trade to find her own albeit illegal enterprise in order to survive. She becomes a charm collector which entails showing up after notorious magical artifact collectors are apprehended to loot their stash of magical artifacts and sell them to her own list of clientele. This score was the one she had been waiting for and everything goes smoothly until she follows a hutch and takes the dragon sword. From there her life goes haywire as this sentient sword has a mind of its own and has taken a shine to Harlow. One day it simply vanishes from her apartment and Harlow counts her lucky stars until she is accused of murder and the sword once again finds its way into her possession covered in blood. Now she is on the run and must prove her innocence before she ends up behind bars for a murder she did not commit. This book has it all: action, adventure, plus a good mystery to boot. I would encourage everyone to take a chance on this book, I just know you’ll become hooked just like I was!

[Fraxinus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Harlow Fletcher doesn't have a lot of friends. Her parents were bounty hunters until the day her father died and her mother abandoned her. Then her boyfriend started keeping secrets, abandoning her shortly after her birthday, leaving her with trust issues. Now, instead of hunting people, Harlow works freelance hunting charms and trinkets, relying on her gut to keep her safe, as she is a puny human living in a magical world just outside of California. Well... That is until her intuition leads her to a magical sentient sword, which turns her life upside down!

I really enjoyed the world-building in this incredible story. Luma is a magical city in California where the Fae and other magic users can live openly. Under the watchful eye of the Collective, a group of sorcerers who maintain the veil-- a magical barrier that keeps out non-magic users and non-reformed vampires. Joined by forces of change-- Harlow and the sword become fugitives with a bounty on their head. Can she clear her name and get her old life back? (And does she really want to?)

I really enjoyed the story. The characters are rich and multi-dimensional. Harlow is entertaining and endearing and the sword is equally adorable and terrifying. The mystery is well thought out and sadly, the idea of beautiful women going missing without a trace (or anyone outside their family) is far too plausible. I can't wait to read the next installment in this remarkable series.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was originally published on Myth and Magic Book Club

Myth: 4/5

Harlow is so relatable. I felt like this girl was just trying to live her life the best that she knew how. She’d had some tough breaks, was trying to piece herself together and sure, operating on the wrong side of the law, but at the end of the day, she was just trying to make things work. She relieves a magical object from a collector, she knew she shouldn’t, she told herself she shouldn’t, oh, but she does. And from then on, it’s her and her sword, partners in crime, whether she wants it or not.

There is a decent amount of world building at the beginning of the story, giving the lay of Luma, for me it slid a little into info dump territory, but the first few scenes took on an almost heist like atmosphere, so I stuck with it and was glad.

Magic: 3/5

Even though we cross all kinds of magical folk in Luma, most notably sorcerers with all kinds of fun gifts, I really think that the sword was my favorite. It’s tough to make a character out of an inanimate object, but it worked and really, the sword and Harlow’s bond popped throughout the story.

Overall: 3.5/5

We toured the Luma underworld with a bounty on our heads and made it out alive. This introduction to Harlow’s world and history was a wild ride and I’m excited to see what she gets into next.

[Ljay · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author spent time building this world for the reader. It took a bit of time to get there, I must say, but it helps considering all the magical creatures thrown in and the connectedness of them all in that world. Harlow Fletcher is our charm collector (thief of magical objects) in question and on a job one night she picks a sword - or the sword picks her - and her life goes sideways from there! I liked Harlow. Just a regular chick trying to keep it going in a world where she was all alone, except for her bestie, Kayda.

Loved all the supporting characters, in particular Caspian and Welsh. A decent job was done with dialogue in general, but especially between Caspian, Welsh and Harlow. And that sword, it was every bit as strong a character as everyone else. It had a fiery personality that really came through. So did its affection for Harlow, and hers for it. I soooo enjoyed when it made its feelings known. Kayda found that out...haha!

Again, there's a fair amount going on here, but care was taken to build the story, so it wasn't overwhelming.

Overall, an entertaining read. Looking forward to the next phase in the story.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Santana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was like a Dungeons & Dragons campaign gone horribly wrong and I loved every second of it!

Harlow, a charm collector, was only doing what she does best, find magical items and 're-home' them. After a fellow collector gets caught for contraband magical items, Harlow decides to loot his trove before the Collective will take it for themselves. (Collective is basically the government of this magical hub) In the other collectors treasure room, she finds many magical items to loot including a pretty shiny sword that catches her eye.

Harlow some how activates the sword and it awakens. Having a mind of its own, the dragon scale sword imprints on Harlow and wants her help to find out where it came from. Unfortunately, the sword goes on a murdering spree. Once the collective gets wind of this sword, they are pulling out all the stops to make Harlow be an enemy of the public. With Harlow now on the run, she has no idea who she can trust, where to go, where the sword came from, why it chose her?

Throughout this book, we follow Harlow on her crazy adventure filled with magic, murder, mystery and so much more. I would definitely want this author to DM one of my future D&D adventures!

[Laure · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Harlow Fletcher lost both her parents, she decided that a career as a bounty hunter wasn't the life for her. Instead, she liberates magical charms, especially dangerous magical weapons, from the previous owners and sells them to people willing to pay a lot of money for those items. When she loots a recently incarcerated individuals' collection, a beautiful sword catches her eye, with some misgivings, she decides to take it with her. She soon learns that the sword is sentient and has its own agenda. Shortly after the sword appears in her home covered in blood, she is on the run from bounty hunters and government law enforcement.
I just loved these characters, they are all well written, but each and every one of them has their own unique personality, and a fascinating back story. Harlow is sassy, funny, and whether she realizes it or not, she's pretty badass. Action, suspense, magic, magical weapons, a bunch of different paranormal creatures, and even a mystery. There are plenty of twists in the plot to keep a reader engrossed from the first page to the last. I think this is a fantastic book, I highly recommend it, and I can't wait for the next book in this series.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

[Erica S · Rating 5 out of 5]

This fantasy is hilarious, action-packed, and a really good time. Harlow is a smart and interesting young woman, who despite her career, has a good head on her shoulders and wants to see justice prevail in the world. The sword she stumbles across becomes "imprinted" on her (think baby duck) and she quickly develops an affinity with it. It is like an adorable murderous puppy, loyal to Harlow but quick to anger, and just as quick to exact vengeance on those who threaten it or Harlow. It often puts her into very real danger as she becomes blamed for the crimes it commits. But there is more at play here, and as Harlow tries to figure out what the sword is ultimately seeking, she uncovers more and more strange events happening in the town of Luma. Something in the Collective isn't the way it seems, and danger is lurking. Is the government being truthful about the safety of the city? Are the boundaries as sturdy as they are purported? As she discovers more and more of the underbelly of the city, and the risk to her life increases, Harlow has some decisions to make about what to do with her discoveries.

[Jaimie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book latched it's grip onto me and had me hooked in good! I couldn't wait to read what happened next and now I can't wait to read the next book! Miss Fletcher is a charm "collector" and now she is in a WORLD of trouble!!! As an ex bounty hunter turned criminal, her specialty is finding rare magic-laced items. She does this by breaking into the houses of recently arrested criminals and stealing stuff for the highest bidder. It's a pretty good gig until she loots the wrong item (a dragon sword) from the wrong basement. Within minutes of her stealing said sword, she realizes it was a HUGE mistake. The blade has a mind of it's own and it has an anger management problem that causes Fletcher to be on the run from the government shifters and other bounty hunters. Now on the run, she has to find a way to prove her innocence, all while a murder weapon follows her around. This book really keeps you on your toes. Will she run away never to be seen? Will the murder sword turn on her!? Will it continue to kill everyone who threatens it and her? And where did it really come from? What does the government know and why are they lying about it all? Boy oh boy, read to find out!!!

[mari (givemaribooks) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed a lot about this book and liked Harlow, but there were a lot of pacing issues. There was so much that could’ve been trimmed, especially in the first half of the book. As the first book of a series, I get that there has to be a lot of info dumping, but there were tons of unnecessary details, explanations, and descriptions, for example, she stopped to buy supplies and we are told exactly which snacks and beverages she got, in detail. I think some tighter editing would’ve helped.

I will likely continue with the series because I’m curious about what will happen next, but for how much detail we got about everything, I must’ve missed where we got a description of Caspian because I was left not having any clue how old he is or what he looks like at all, same for Felix.

Also, this books reminded me a cozier version of Kim Harrison’s The Hollows series. There are a lot of similarities.

I listened to the audiobook and I have to say that the narrator did a really good job. She’s probably the reason why I continued when the first half was so slow.

CN: kidnapping, human trafficking, drugging, death of parent (off page), murder, assault

[Anna Hirsch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Diabolical Sword (The Charm Collector Book 1) by Melissa Erin Jackson
4 Stars

This is a fantastic paranormal novel that will keep you interested from start to finish. It has a bit of everything; intrigue, danger, mystery and magic. The world that this author created is fascinating. Magical cities hidden behind veils, side by side with our cities here on earth. It’s quite interesting. The story takes place in a city called Luma as we follow our main character, Harlow Fletcher. Although she works outside of the law, she collects charms for bounty, she’s one of the good guys. Like most women, she’s attracted to pretty things and on her latest raid, she grabs a beautiful sword. This is where the adventure begins! The sword has a mind of its own and gets her into heaps of trouble.

I thought the characters were cool. Aside from Harlow, my favourite has to be the sword. The action made the storyline flow well and kept me wanting more. This was a fun book to read and I’m really happy that it is a series. I can’t wait to read part two!

[Doctor Nyk · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Oh, good. The diabolical sword's Plan B was to burn the whole goddamn building down. With us still in it." page 145


Harlow is a charm collector in this realm. Magic is hidden from humans, but they live alongside each other. Harlow comes from a long line of Urban Bounty Hunters, but after her father dies she decides to change careers and collects and sells Magical things. 

She has a sixth sense for finding magical items, in spite of being human. She finds a sword, and soon finds out that it's not just charmed, but is actually a Dragon sword.

Like any enchanted item with a sentient self, it starts to cause trouble. Soon there are cats after her, and she needs to find out what to do about this "Diabolical sword".

This story is well written, and is easy to get lost in. It has a feel to it like it could be an instant classic. It doesn't feel like a first book, but it is the first book in "the Charm Collector '' series. I can't wait to see what the rest of the series has in store.

I received a complimentary copy of the book from the author via Voracious Readers Only

[S · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Harlow, she was many things, strong when she needed to, a softie when others weren’t looking, coldblooded when she needed to, but mostly she just didn’t give up.

There is an old love interest that does surface and we get snippets of their past, it adds a layer of angst but not overtly.

For me honestly the reason for the 3 star rating is the pacing. There was so much of this book that needed to be trimmed to keep the good parts moving and the really mundane telling to a minimum.

The world building was great and I was invested in the characters but things just seemed to drag on and I started skipping pages to get to the action.

Loved the sword to be honest I was really hunting for the sword, stabby bits of the story. There was action, treachery, new friendships, some secrets were revealed, innocents were saved and there was some kick butt vanquishing happening. Loads of good bits that got mired down in too many words.

I received an ARC and I am leaving an honest review.