The Line Blog Tour: Review + Giveaway

 

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for THE LINE! Read on for my review of the book and then enter to win a copy for yourself!

The Line (Witching Savannah #1)

Author: J.D. Horn

Genre: Urban Fantasy/Paranormal

Release Date: February 1, 2014

Publisher: 47North

Description:

Move over, Sookie Stackhouse—the witches of Savannah are the new talk of the South. Bold, flirty, and with a touch of darkness, debut author J.D. Horn spins a mesmerizing tale of a family of witches . . . and the problem that can arise from being so powerful. As Charlaine Harris’ series winds down—and as Deborah Harkness’ series heats up—Witching Savannah is new contemporary fantasy that will be sure to enchant new readers.

Mercy Taylor, the youngest member of Savannah’s preeminent witching family, was born without the gift of magic. She is accustomed to coming in a distant second to the minutes older, exquisite and gifted twin she adores. Hopelessly in love with her sister’s boyfriend, she goes to a Hoodoo root doctor for a love spell. A spell that will turn her heart to another man, the best friend who has loved her since childhood.

Aunt Ginny, the family’s matriarch, would not approve. But Mercy has more to worry about than a love triangle when Aunt Ginny is brutally murdered. Ginny was the Taylor family’s high commander in the defense of the bewitched line that separates humankind from the demons who once ruled our realm.

A demon invasion looms now that the line is compromised. Worse yet, some within the witching world stand to gain from a demon takeover. Mercy, entangled in the dark magic of her love spell, fighting for her sister’s trust, and hopelessly without magic, must tap the strength born from being an outcast to protect the line she doesn’t feel a part of...

In this riveting contemporary fantasy, Horn delivers the full betrayal, blood, and familial discord of the best of Southern gothic.  

The Line is a fast paced and riveting first book in what promises to be a phenomenal new paranormal series. If any of you follow my blog, then you know that I have a huge weak spot when it comes to books about witches and magic. I can't get enough of them. I was a bit skeptical about this one after reading the description, but I'm incredibly glad that I gave it a shot. It far exceeded any expectations I might have had for it - and then some. This book is full of everything that a fan of urban fantasy and paranormal fiction could want: witches, magic, Hoodoo root doctors, ghosts, demons - you name it. The story was intricate and moved quickly. There was so much going on that I was devouring every page as fast as I could and ended up not stopping until I finished. There are so many story lines woven together to create the main plot.

Our leading lady, Mercy Taylor, comes from a long line of witches. Only Mercy got the short end of the stick in the magic department - in a family full of powerful witches, Mercy has no magic. Because of this, she's treated as a lesser part of the family - the black sheep - except when it comes to her twin sister, Maisie (who seems to have won the genetic lottery with her powerful magic and beauty). There are love interests in the book, of course, and it sort of creates a love triangle. Peter is Mercy's best friend aside from her twin. He's also kind, thoughtful, smart, and completely in love with her. Mercy knows he's the perfect guy and she should feel the same way, but there's one thing in her way: her sister's boyfriend, Jackson. Ever since they met six months ago, Mercy has been in love with Jackson. He has a pull on her that she can't explain and just the thought of him makes her heart race. But he's her sister's boyfriend - and she would never her Maisie - so she tries to keep him out of her mind and heart.

There's tons of juicy stuff happening throughout the book - and I don't just mean romantic. You've got a family full of powerful witches that also seems to be keeping lots of secrets and betrayal amongst themselves. Enter in Jilo, the Hoodoo root doctor, who hates the Taylor family and decides to mess with Mercy - whether for her own means or not, it's hard to tell. Don't forget about the line that's keeping an army of demons from crossing into Earth's realm to start a war - apparently with the support of some of the witches that are supposed to be protecting the Earth. There's so much going on in the book - love, friendship, family, betrayal, secrets, discovering and accepting yourself - and don't forget the magic, demons, Hoodoo, witches and ghosts. The setting the author chose couldn't be more perfect - the historic city of Savannah, Georgia. A Southern gem that has a long line of paranormal stories and it's own magic - Savannah is a natural pick for the series to be set in. The writing itself was fast paced and flowed effortlessly throughout. The author uses detailed descriptions and vivid imagery of everything - the setting, the characters, the happenings - that I easily immersed myself in Mercy's world and experienced it all right alongside her. The book is chock full of fun, mystery, and thrills - one that will keep you eagerly reading until you've finished and then demanding more. I highly recommend this book to fans of urban fantasy and paranormal fiction - especially those who like books about witches. You won't be disappointed with this one. Now the only problem is waiting for the next book to come out...

 

JD Horn was raised in rural Tennessee, and has since carried a bit of its red clay in him while travelling the world, from Hollywood, to Paris, to Tokyo. He studied comparative literature as an undergrad, focusing on French and Russian in particular. He also holds an MBA in international business and worked as a financial analyst before becoming a novelist. When not writing he is likely running, and he has race bibs from two full marathons and about thirty half marathons. He and his spouse, Rich, and their three pets split their time between Portland, Oregon and San Francisco. 

Author Links:
http://www.facebook.com/jackdouglashorn 
https://twitter.com/TheLineSavannah  
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7116446.J_D_Horn 

Buy Links: Amazon

Giveaway: (1) Paperback copy of THE LINE - Open to US/CAN only!

 

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Follow the rest of the tour:

Monday, February 3rd:  The Whimsical Cottage

Tuesday, February 4th:  Books and Bindings

Wednesday, February 5th:  Mystery Playground

Thursday, February 6th:  The Reader’s Hollow

Monday, February 10th:  The Novel Life

Tuesday, February 11th:  Nerdophiles

Wednesday, February 12th:  Midnight Book Girl

Thursday, February 13th:  Florida Hillbilly

Monday, February 17th:  Cheryl’s Book  Nook

Tuesday, February 18th:  A Dream Within a Dream

Wednesday, February 19th:  Books Without Any Pictures

Thursday, February 20th:  Book Marks the Spot

Monday, February 24th:  Urban Girl Reader

Tuesday, February 25th:  Must Read Faster

Wednesday, February 26th:  Bibliophilia, Please

Monday, March 3rd:  Walking With Nora

Wednesday, March 5th:  From the TBR Pile

Thursday, March 6th:  A Novel Idea

Friday, March 7th:  Sweet Southern Home