Book Review: Clean Sweep by Ilona Andrews

Clean Sweep
Author: Ilona Andrews
Publication: NYLA (December 2, 2013)

Description: This is a short novel, about 60,000 words.

On the outside, Dina Demille is the epitome of normal. She runs a quaint Victorian Bed and Breakfast in a small Texas town, owns a Shih Tzu named Beast, and is a perfect neighbor, whose biggest problem should be what to serve her guests for breakfast. But Dina is...different: Her broom is a deadly weapon; her Inn is magic and thinks for itself. Meant to be a lodging for otherworldly visitors, the only permanent guest is a retired Galactic aristocrat who can’t leave the grounds because she’s responsible for the deaths of millions and someone might shoot her on sight. Under the circumstances, "normal" is a bit of a stretch for Dina.

And now, something with wicked claws and deepwater teeth has begun to hunt at night....Feeling responsible for her neighbors, Dina decides to get involved. Before long, she has to juggle dealing with the annoyingly attractive, ex-military, new neighbor, Sean Evans—an alpha-strain werewolf—and the equally arresting cosmic vampire soldier, Arland, while trying to keep her inn and its guests safe. But the enemy she’s facing is unlike anything she’s ever encountered before. It’s smart, vicious, and lethal, and putting herself between this creature and her neighbors might just cost her everything.

My Thoughts: CLEAN SWEEP was a fun, new urban fantasy by a couple of my favorite authors. Dina Demille is an Innkeeper. While looking like an ordinary bed and breakfast on the outside, the inside is magic. The house is semi-sentient and Dina herself can do magic. Things are going along normally but dogs in the neighborhood are being killed in some gruesome ways and the new werewolf in the neighborhood is busy peeing on everything to mark his territory.

When Dina demands the Sean Evans, the new werewolf in town, do something, it brings her to his attention. However, Sean was born on Earth and doesn't know werewolf history. He has no idea the implications contained in Dina's role as an innkeeper. Dina manages to kill the creature that is killing the dogs and soon learns that the creature runs in packs and that the packs are usually controlled by an even more intimidating creature called a dahaka.

Then the vampires arrive. They have come to track down the dahaka but aren't willing to share the reasons why with Dina. The dahaka attacks the group of vampires and only one survives but he is gravely injured. Dina calls in additional vampire help to save his life. Arland arrives to try to save his uncle's life. Arland is one of the highest ranking vampires in his House. He is also hot - arrogant and condescending - but really, really hot.

It is necessary for Arland, Sean and Dina to work together to defeat the dahaka. This isn't easy since the two guys don't like each other and both would like to have a relationship with Dina. Dina is no one's idea of the lovesick fool. She sees each of the guys flaws and all and isn't going to make a fool of herself over either one of them.

I loved the new world that Ilona Andrews created. I can't wait to read more stories set in it. And I am curious to see if Dina ever does have any sort of relationship with either Arland or Sean.

Favorite Quote:

"You broke it, you fix it," Sean said.

The vampire leaned forward and focused on me. His eyes turned warm, and a charming, self-deprecating smile lit his face.

Wow.

"I didn't choose my words tactfully, my lady. I'm only a man, after all, and a soldier, unskilled in the way of polite society. I've dedicated myself to the service of my House. My business is that of blood and slaughter, and I haven't been fortunate enough to be refined by a woman's gentle touch."

Sean coughed into his fist. One of the coughs sounded suspiciously like "bullshit."

I bought this ebook. You can buy your copy here.