Magic Dark, Magic Divine by A.J. Locke (Review)

I’ve been itching to read an urban fantasy lately and this little gem with a Black cast fell into my lap (Thank you Riki from Entangled!). A.J. Locke is a new author for me, but after binging Magic Dark, Magic Divine I guarantee I will be poking around her backlist. On to the review though!

Set in a contemporary New York City, magic is a thing of the past and all that remains are artifacts, maps, and stories of the magic users, Shapers, that lived. Well, except for Pennrae and Ashe. Pennrae, our kickass heroine, and her familiar disobeyed a contract with a Diviner and ended up in a 300 year sleep. She slept through the main event and when she awakes, magic is no longer and the world has completely changed. Penn has managed to carve out a little existence for herself with some pretty great friends, all while hiding her abilities.

As is the case with most urban fantasies, the first few chapters are a huge information dump. Intricate and fascinating, the world building was so worth it. From the different magic types, to Penn’s history leading up to her sleep, I didn’t want to put the book down!

The plot, dark magic attempting to bring on another calamity, gives just the right amount of tension to keep readers on the edge. What I loved the most about this book was the strong friendships, loyalty, and forgiveness that is so integral to the story and the success or failure of this little group. The banter between characters was a joy to read! I even enjoyed the slow burn romance that formed between Penn and Callan. Since this is an urban fantasy, the romance is definitely in the background but it shows Penn’s struggles and growth without bogging down the fast pace of the story.

I did think things fell together a little too easily for Penn and some of the information was repetitive when it came to catching up other characters with all the happenings. And yet, even with the occasional nugget of predictability, A.J. Locke surprised me with a gut punch character moment. I was blubbering and frustrated and ready to toss my ereader across the room and then rush to pick it up to make sure I hadn’t misunderstood. I hadn’t, and I was heartbroken and angrily texting my spouse before picking the book up to continue on. It all works out I suppose, but I’m not going to trust Locke for the rest of the series.

In the end, I don’t think its fair to say Magic Dark, Magic Divine surprised me. I could tell right away I was going to love the world Locke has built and the characters even more so. Gideon was my absolute favorite! The banter and love between Gideon and Pennrae read so smooth and easy. Pennrae was an authentic, flawed and lovable character who was so easy to cheer for. I loved her strength, admire her vulnerable moments, and ultimately want to be her friend. I love a good Found Family trope, and Locke’s executes it perfectly in Magic Dark, Magic Divine.

I’m really looking forward to seeing more out of this series and getting to spend more time with Pennrae and Company and I highly recommend this to anyone that enjoys or is looking for an urban fantasy with a (mostly) Black cast, with great world building and plenty of action.

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.