Book Review: To Dance With the Devil by Cat Adams

To Dance With the Devil
Author: Cat Adams
Publication: Tor Books (November 5, 2013)
Series: Blood Singer (Book 6)

Description: In To Dance with the Devil, the latest entry in Cat Adams's Blood Singer series, Celia Graves’s newest client is one of the last surviving members of a magical family that is trapped in a generations-old feud with other magic-workers. She’s supposed to die at the next full moon unless Celia can broker peace between the clans or break the curse before it can take effect.

For the first time in a long while, Celia’s personal life is looking up. Her vampire abilities seem to be under control, her Siren abilities have gotten more reliable, and even though her office was blown up, her services are more in demand than ever now that she's fought off terrorists and been part of the royal wedding of the year. Her friends all seem to be finding love and her grandmother has—finally—agreed to go to family therapy.

The only trouble spot is Celia’s love life. Not long ago, she had two boyfriends. Now she barely has one and she isn't sure she wants him. But Bruno DeLuca is a powerful mage and Celia needs his help…especially after she's attacked and her client is kidnapped.

My Thoughts: TO DANCE WITH THE DEVIL was an amazing thrill ride. Celia turns down a case but that doesn't stop a very evil mage from threatening her and endangering her and all of her friends. She also manages to forgive herself for not being able to save her sister Ivy's life when they were children which was just what Ivy needed to move on to the afterlife. While Celia will miss the presence of ghost Ivy in her life, she knows this a best for Ivy.

Celia's mother doesn't feel the same way. Lana is in prison on siren island after a bunch of DUIs and, though forced to dry out, she is still a very unpleasant person who can never take responsibility for her own actions and who persists is blaming Celia for all the things going wrong in her life. Celia loves her mother but really wishes that she didn't. She is able to stay out of her toxic presence and still maintain her relationship with her grandmother which had been severely strained because the grandmother was a classic enabler who always took her daughter's side.

Beyond the personal, Celia gets involved in a blood feud between magical families that almost kills her. But the blood feud is only part of Connor Finn's plans. He and some confederates are determined to take over the node under the prison he has been in for 22 years. Finn is an extremely powerful mage who also happens to be a psychopath. It takes the combined powers of Bruno and Matty, John Crede, and Bruno and Matty's mother Isabella to recreate the protections that keep prisoners in the prison. They are working node magic which requires the death of a mage. Celia is going to do everything in her power to make sure that mage is Connor Finn and not one of her friends.

The story was exciting, action-packed, and fast paced. I liked the friendships that Celia maintains. None of her circle of friends are cardboard characters but, rather, people we know and care about. The one thing I missed was more romance as Celia and Bruno get to spend very little time together in this episode.

This was a great episode in a strong urban fantasy series. I recommend it highly.

Favorite Quote:

Michelle Andrews was not my client. Nobody was paying me to take care of her, and some very scary people had made it abundantly clear that they wanted me to stay away from her. They'd let me know that I could be absolutely certain that my safety depended on it. There was no logical reason for me to protect her.

I'm not always logical.

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