ORDER A COPY: Under a Spell (Underworld Detection Agency)
Publisher: Kensington Books
Publishing Date: August 6, 2013
Paperback: 416 pages
Rating: 4 stars
Sophie Lawson was seriously hoping life at the UDA would get back to relative normal now that her boss Pete Sampson has been reinstated. Unfortunately, her new assignment is sending her undercover into a realm where even the most powerful paranormals fear to tread…her old high school. Being a human immune to magic is no defense against soulless picture-perfect mean girls—or a secret witch coven about to sacrifice a missing female student. And Sophie’s Guardian, uber-proper Englishman Will, is determined to convince Sophie he’s the kind of temptation she should indulge in permanently. Now, as the clock ticks down to apocalypse, he and Sophie will have to summon every trick in the book to battle devilish illusion, lethal sorcery—and betrayals they’ll never see coming…
Sophie Lawson has to face her biggest fear since arriving at the Underworld Detection Agency and it’s not zombies or vampires or even a fallen angel looking for the Vessel of Souls, it’s—returning to high school and once again facing the dreaded cool girls. High school was a nightmare for an awkward and shy Sophie with no sense of style and crazy, no-tame red hair. She would rather face a rabid werewolf then the homecoming queen, but her boss, Pete Sampson, isn’t giving Sophie a chance to say no.
Another girl has gone missing at Sophie’s old high school and while the police have no concrete leads, the UDA believes that a coven of witches is working out of the school and they are trying to bring something forth with human sacrifices. As the only “breather” at the UDA as well as someone who is immune to magic, it is up to Sophie to go undercover as the new substitute teacher.
As if returning to high school and facing some childhood demons isn’t enough to throw Sophie into a tailspin, Sophie’s friend and personal fantasy, fallen angel Det. Alex Grace is leading the police investigation, but he wants no help from Sophie. In fact, Alex has decided to “distance himself” from Sophie and it’s breaking her heart.
As Alex once again leaves Sophie spinning, right into the arms of the waiting Will Sherman, will he eventually regret letting her go. Sophie has to pick up her broken heart for now because she only has a week to find the missing girl. On the night of the seventh day, the moon will be perfect for a sacrifice. Sophie needs to be the hero and stop the Coven from killing the girl and opening a door, but to where?
THOUGHTS:
I love the Underworld Detection Agency. Poor Sophie can never get a break, but she is always surrounded by friends who let her know just how much her life sucks.
Although it wasn’t bad, this was not my favorite story of the series. Some of the plot was a little predictable. There certainly wasn’t enough Alex in the story, who was acting bizarre since the end of the last story. In the last story, Alex and Will are just short of peeing on Sophie to mark their territory and both (especially Alex) are notably laid back in this story.
There seemed to be a hint at the very end that the next story might involve Sophie’s father. We’ll just have to wait and see.
As always, Nina has a new project and this time she wants to be the director of a promotional video for the UDA. See the link below for the video she produced. 🙂
The Underworld Detection Agency.
Received an ARC from netgalley.com courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Favorite Scene:
“We need to go back in the building.”
Will looked at me, eyebrows disappearing into his sandy hair. “Back into the high school? Why? We’ve checked it over twice.”
I sucked in a slow, deep breath. “I don’t think I was ready to see anything.”
Will’s brow furrowed and he pressed his lips together.
I rushed on. “I didn’t want to see anything there except for what I knew–in my head, in my–what is it? Repressed memories.”
Will reached across the center console and took my hand tenderly in his. He cocked his head slightly and blinked the honey-amber of his eyes warm and inviting. “You’ve never repressed a thing in your life, love.”
I snatched my hand back and grabbed the door. “Are you coming or not?”
We stood in front of the glass double doors and stared, somehow both waiting for the ultimate evil to come barreling toward us or for a commercial break. The school remained silent, the double doors cloudy and revealing nothing, and there was no pause to regroup or offer some sort of cheery distraction. My heart was thundering in my ears and Will had been uncharacteristically silent the whole walk from parking lot to school entrance. A wind kicked up and a handful of skeletal leaves and garbage brushed past us.
“Ready?” I asked, my fingers closing around the administration key Principal Lowe had offered me.
Will shrugged and attempted to look nonchalant, but his eyes never left the keyhole. “I guess.”
I unlocked the door and stepped aside, waiting for Will to push it open.
“What?” he asked.
I gestured. “You always open doors for ladies.”
He cocked a brow. “I didn’t know gender roles held firm even in the face of unspeakable danger.”
I steeled my body and tried to sum up confidence I didn’t feel. “What are you so worried about? You said yourself we’ve checked the place twice already and found nothing.”
Will pushed open the door for me and I hesitated before stepping through. “Yes, but that was before your whole ‘I see dead people…if I care to look’ routine.”
I huffed, crossing my arms in front of my chest. “I don’t see dead peple. I mean, I’ve seen dead people.” I shuddered. “I’ve probably seen more dead people inthe last two years than most people will see in their whole lives.”
Will glanced at me before slapping a flashlight into my hand. “You’re not the best at putting people at their ease, you know?”
I flicked on the flashlight and shined the yellow bulb toward Will’s face. “Hey, you’re the Guardian.”
He slung an arm over my shoulder. “And if there’s a team of fallen angels lurking around this place, then you’re in luck.”
“Otherwise?”
Will flashed his light down the blackened hallway. “Otherwise? You’re on your own.”
“What a relief,” I groaned.
“They don’t pay me enough.”
I rolled up on my tiptoes and glanced through the windows into darkened classrooms that looked as benign as they had during the day–desks in neat lines, unoccupied by witches, hobgoblins, or any other manner of creepy-crawly; stacked textbooks; glossy posters reminding girls to stay off drugs.
“I ask again,” Will said as we approached the last room. “What exactly are we looking for?”
“I don’t know, exactly. Just keep an eye out for anything that seems…off.”
Will swung his light toward me, and I was enveloped in a bright yellow glow. I rolled my eyes.
“You’re funny.”
I haven’t read this one yet, just the first 3. I’d probably give them 2 stars. I think the plots are weak and that the publisher misleads the buyer with the kick ass covers when Hannah is just a klutz. If you’re looking for a light, easy paranormal read, this series would fit the bill.
Hi, Anne.
I love when someone comments with a different opinion. It shows that we all don’t enjoy the same things and it should remind everyone to keep that in mind.
I did a character interview w Hannah Jayne last year. In talking with her beforehand she says she gets a lot of slack from readers of the covers because they don’t properly portray Sophie, but she doesn’t have any control over them.
I love the fact that the UDA is like a supernatural DMV. I’m am sorry that we don’t get to be in the office more often in the last two books. It is part of what made these books unique.
If you like funny, supernatural kickass, I just read the third book in the F.R.E.A.K.S. series. Although book #3 takes us away from the FBI investigation and puts Beatrice on vacation, there is indication that the first two have more of Beatrice and her team kicking butt, but with still the great fun banter between characters. I picked up the first two and am looking forward to reading them.
Thanks for talking with us.
Lucy
I mistyped, I’d give it 3 stars, an ok read. I would still read the series since I appreciate light, easy, quick reads, but would recommend getting the first book from the library if possible instead of buying. For a book to get a 4 or 5 out of me, I’d have to want to pass it on to my sister and I think there’s so many more series out there that I would give to her instead. I just passed on the Elemental Assassin series by Jennifer Estep. (A 4 star series for me.)
I did read the first book in the F.R.E.A.K.S. series and enjoyed it. I have Justice, which I believe is a new series by the same author, but haven’t started it yet.