Review: Dark Arts and a Daiquiri (The Guild Codex: Spellbound #2) by Annette Marie

Title: Dark Arts and a Daiquiri

Series: The Guild Codex: Spellbound #2
Author: Annette Marie
Publisher: Dark Owl Fantasy Inc.
Published: November 16, 2018
Pages: 264
Genres: New Adult, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal
Source: ARC from author

When I found myself facing down the scariest black-magic felon in the city, practically daring him to abduct me, I had to wonder exactly how I ended up here.

It all started when I accidentally landed a job as a bartender—but not at a bar. At a guild, populated by mages, sorcerers, alchemists, witches, and psychics. Good thing this lame-o human is adaptable, right?

Then my favorite guild members—three sexy, powerful, and intermittently charming mages—asked for my help. Did they want access to my encyclopedic knowledge of cocktails? Oh no. They wanted to wrap me up in a pretty ribbon and plunk me in the crosshairs of a murderous rogue to lure him out of hiding.

So that's what we did. And that's why I'm here. About to be kidnapped. Oh, and our grand plan for safely capturing said murderous rogue? Yeah, that completely fell apart about two minutes ago.

Why did I agree to this again?

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MY REVIEW

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS. Read at your own risk.

I received an Advance Reader Copy at no cost from the author. My opinions are my own.

Sitting down to a brand new book by Annette Marie is the best feeling in the world. I can hardly put into words the feeling of comfort mixed with excitement that washes over me when I settle in because I know from the get-go that the experience is going to tip the scales with every second of reading rapture. Simply put, her books give me the best feeling in the world! I know before I even start that it is going to rock my socks off so there is no hesitation or wariness that can sometimes come before reading a new book. 

This book felt so different from Three Mages and a Margarita, but it was no less entrancing. There were two thoughts that took precedence in my mind after I finished this book. The first thought that I had was that this book felt so much darker than Three Mages and a Margarita did. With a title like Dark Arts and a Daiquiri, I suppose I should have seen it coming. There is not as much humor in this book as there was in the previous book, but that isn't to say that our heroine isn't as sassy as always. The darker feel doesn't detract from the story at all though. If anything, I enjoyed seeing things from this side of the spectrum. The second thought that was racing through my mind was that our handsome trio of mages was oddly absent for the majority of the story. We see them in the beginning and at the end, but the largest chunk of the story occurs while Tori is apart from our favorite mages. At first, I was curious about this. I had been aching for the past month and a half since finishing Three Mages and a Margarita to see Tori thick as thieves and getting into trouble with her three mages. And perhaps even see them all explore the blurred romantic lines a bit. At first, I was praying to all possible deities that my three mages would get more face time. Then I was introduced to an intriguing new male character that dominated the better part of the story and I was smitten. I have no idea if he is a love interest and I don't care. I loved everything about him and I can only hope that we get more of him in future books. So in short, Annette Marie shocked our senses by adding another delectable male into the mix and I loved every moment of it!

This book had another self-contained plot which I really enjoyed. The story is fast-paced without feeling rushed. I loved the suspense and picking up little bits and pieces of information that I can only imagine is foreshadowing for future books. 

The world-building is well done. It is largely built off of the world-building in Three Mages and a Margarita, but there was a lot of additional information included in this book about the world that kept things interesting. Annette Marie always has very atmospheric storytelling and this book is no exception to that. I especially felt rooted in the story when Tori was in the mountains. 

The characters that we got to know in Three Mages and a Margarita were just as marvelous in this book as the last one. Annette Marie has such impressive skill with writing great chemistry between characters. I am always impressed with her characters and how they interact with each other. She writes the kind of characters that give you the major feels. The kind of characters that stick with you and don't let up. In this book, I very much enjoyed the addition of new characters. Zak's character was delightful and I totally fell in love with him. I loved his progression in the story and how Tori got to know him throughout the book. Nadine was a sweet character and I hope that Tori sees her again. 

There was honestly not much romance in this book, but in the end, I was okay with that. There is enough slow-burn romantic tension to make things interesting. Aaron's interest in Tori is still there and Tori got a couple of kisses from him along the way. Kai made a curious comment to Tori about taking her out on a date which had me pondering and squealing inside. And I am not sure if Zak's character will become a romantic interest at any point in the series, but I can only hope so. I think that adding him into that mix would really spice things up. At this point, I still don't know what I am shipping. Maybe all of them. Haha. I thought that I had it pegged down to Aaron then Ezra, but Zak may give Ezra a run for his money. Who knows?

Overall, this is another impressive story from Annette Marie. She never ceases to amaze me with her passionate, fluid storytelling and her unforgettable characters. Her stories always stay with me long after I've finished the last page. Her stories are ones that I always come back to with a smile on my face. I have already read this book twice! I can't recommend this book enough, and if you haven't started the series yet then grab Three Mages and a Margarita and sink into one of Annette Marie's captivating worlds. And if you haven't tried any of her other book series then I highly recommend those as well. Once you try one of her books you will become a committed fan of her imaginative storytelling. 

Check out my review for Three Mages and a Margarita, the first book in The Guild Codex: Spellbound series!

THIS BOOK CONTRIBUTED TO THESE 2018 READING CHALLENGES

- A Series A Month Challenge
- 2018 New Release Challenge
- Let's Read Indie Challenge

Check out my 2018 Challenge Page to see my progress!

This book had some unexpected plot twists that I certainly didn't see coming. What are some of your favorite books that have interesting plot twists?