Publisher: Kensington
Publish Date: Out Now
How I got this book: NetGalley
Taking out hellish creatures—not a problem. Armed with blessed silver hollow-points and the ability to manipulate magick, he’s ready for anything—except betrayal he never saw coming…Deacon Chalk knows the biggest danger in fighting monsters is becoming one. Just another day at the office for your friendly neighborhood occult bounty hunter. If keeping three helpless were-dog children safe means battling a malevolent trio of witches by any means necessary, so be it. If that means partnering with a ruthless government agent to stay one step ahead of the allies and friends he must now suspect, he’s not going to cry about it. The only way Deacon can save humans and shape-shifters alike is to embrace a power beyond his imagining, putting his team at stake—and his soul on the line…
*Blurb from Goodreads*
I’ve found in the past that I have a hard time getting into urban fantasy series with a male protagonist. I think it probably has something to do with the *usual* lack of a strong romantic sub-plot. However, when I first picked up the Deacon Chalk books, I was pleasantly surprised at just how much I enjoyed the book, the author, and the series overall.
Deacon is no stranger to the monsters that haunt the night. Since the brutal murder of his family, he has made it his mission in life to hunt down each and every creature in his city. He has slowly extended his circle of friends and continues to fight the good fight. When a group of witches who have been terrorizing the world for hundreds of years come knocking on his doorstep, Deacon will have to partner with an unlikely partner – a government agent from an agency he’s never heard of – in order to take them out. But as the body count rises, Deacon will have to make some hard choices, and pray that he will be able to take out the triad before someone he loves gets caught in the crossfire.
Let me start by saying that this book takes place over the course of just a few days. How Deacon, Tiff, and the others got through this hellish night is beyond me, because the action was non-stop and hard hitting. The book starts with a bang (literally), and just keeps the hits coming one after another. I was tired just reading what they were going through!! 🙂
Many times I struggle with the urban fantasy genre because authors don’t provide enough of a romance to keep me engaged, especially with a male protagonist. However, Tuck has done an amazing job slowly building the romance between Deacon and Tiff. I love these two together. Despite the reservations Deacon has about falling in love again, he hasn’t done any boneheaded move like push her away to avoid his feelings. They fight side-by-side, they provide the support the other needs, and they have a pretty solid relationship. Plus, we get a pretty steamy love scene in this book. So hot! I’ve enjoyed watching these two come together throughout the series and hope that Tuck continues building a wonderful bond with these two.
I’ve also really come to adore the supporting cast of characters in this series. From Deacon’s best friend and hacker genius Kat, surrogate father and priest Father Mulchay to Ronnie, the stripper who was bonded with a group of ghost spiders to Sophia and her mysterious were-babies. They are a wonderful support system for Deacon and the series in general. A new addition to the team was added this book, Agent Heck, and I hope we can see more of him in the future! My only fear is that Tuck has shown he isn’t afraid to off one of the main characters, and I can’t imagine shedding anymore tears when my next favorite person is killed.
I’m really excited to see where Tuck takes the series next, especially after the way things ended for Deacon and crew. The witches really did a number on everything that Deacon holds dear in life, so I’m anxious to see what direction the series will be taking in the next installment.
All in all I continue to be impressed with the Deacon Chalk series. I think the books continue to get better and better with each new installment. I love Deacon’s kick ass ways and his ever present sarcasm. Although the books have quite a bit of a religious base, I’ve never felt as if religion was being slammed down my throat while reading, and that is a miracle in and of itself. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for Deacon, Tiff and the rest of the crew!
I give Blood and Magick a B+