From the back of the book: Raine is a sorceress of moderat powers, from an extended family of smugglers and thieves. With a mix of street smarts and magic spells, she can usually take care of herself. But when her friend Quentin, a not-quite-reformed thief, steals an amulet from the home of a powerful necromancer, Raine finds herself wrapped up in a more trouble than she cares for. She likes attention as much as the next girl, but having an army of militant goblins huntin her down is not her idea of a good time. The amulet they're after holds limitless power, derived from an ancient, soul-stealing stone. And when Raine takes possession of the item, it take possession of her.Now her moderate powers are increasing beyond anything she could imagine--but is the resume enhancement worth her soul?
It apparently has been a little while since I've read fantasy of such intricate world-building. It took me a little while to get into the story as I first had to get used to the world of Mermeia where Raine and her cohorts and family live. The names of the characters gave me the most difficulty...once I got used to how they sounded out in my cranium, I was fine and the story moved along like gang-busters.
Raine is my type of lead character. She has some flaws, but ultimately she has common sense, street smarts and cares deeply for her family and friends and woe be unto whoever tries to harm them.
There's a new goblin king in town and he has as his evil advisor, Sarad Nukpana, a goblin grand shaman of immense power. These goblins want the Saghred, an ancient stone of unfathomable power.
Now Raine has become the inadvertant contact for the stone and many will do whatever necessary to get her, thereby the power.
Raine has help and the good street smarts and magic she maintains keeps her in good stead.
This is a good set up for the next in the series, ARMED AND MAGICAL . I have the third in the series, THE TROUBLE WITH DEMONS, thanks to Lisa Shearin and BittenByBooks.
Four not all goblins are mean & ugly beans.....
