Book Review: Boundary Crossed by Melissa F. Olson

Boundary Crossed
Author: Melissa F. Olson
Series: Boundary Magic (Book 1)
Publication: 47North (May 1, 2015)

Description: After her twin sister’s brutal murder, former US Army Sergeant Allison “Lex” Luther vowed to protect her niece, Charlie. So when two vampires try to kidnap the baby, it quickly turns into a fight to the death—Lex’s death, that is.

She wakes up to two shocking discoveries: she has miraculously survived the fight, and baby Charlie is a “null,” gifted with the ability to weaken supernatural forces...and a target for creatures who want to control that power. Determined to guarantee her niece’s safety, Lex makes a deal with the local vampires. She sets out with the mysterious—and undead—“fixer” Quinn to track down whoever’s responsible for the kidnapping, sharpening her newfound magic skills along the way. But the closer she gets to the truth, the more dangerous her powers become.

Boundary Crossed is a dark, thrilling journey into a world where the line between living and dead isn’t nearly as solid as it appears...

My Thoughts: Lex Luther is an Army vet working in a convenience store in Boulder, Colorado. She is content, living alone, with her variety of rescue animals and babysitting for her dead sister's eighteen-month-old daughter once a week. She is abruptly introduced to the paranormal world around her when she sees two people - vampires - shopping for diapers for a child in an infant carrier who happens to be her niece Charlie. While rescuing her niece, she is stabbed in the back and dies.

When she wakes up in the hospital, she meets Quinn who wants to know what happened and really wants to know why his attempt to change her memory isn't working. Quinn is a vampire working for the vampires who control Colorado. He takes her to meet them and Lex bargains her skills for her niece's safety.

Lex learns that she is a witch and that her niece Charlie is a Null. Anyone who gets within a few feet of Charlie become human. This makes Charlie a desirable tool for the vampires. Lex and Quinn team up to discover who is trying to kidnap Charlie. Meanwhile, Lex needs to learn to control these new witchly powers that she didn't know she had. She also learns that she is a different kind of witch, one that scares other witches. She has the power to pull the life out of living things and use that power. Lex even scares herself with her new powers.

I liked Lex. I thought she handled all the changes in her life with courage. I also liked her devotion to her dead sister's child. I liked the relationship that is growing between Quinn and Lex too. I enjoyed this new urban fantasy.

Favorite Quote:

"What happened?" I asked.

"You fainted."

"I did not," I said crossly. "Fainting is for preteen girls and those really weird goats. I do not faint."

For the first time Quinn looked over at me, his eyes rolling. "Okay, then. You abruptly lost consciousness, without any outside force affecting you in any way."

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