Clean Sweep (Innkeeper Chronicles, book 1) by Ilona Andrews
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Edition Reviewed: Paperback
Amazon: Paperback | Kindle
Goodreads: Clean Sweep
On the outside, Dina Demille is the epitome of normal. She runs a quaint Victorian Bed and Breakfast in a small Texas town, owns a Shih Tzu named Beast, and is a perfect neighbor, whose biggest problem should be what to serve her guests for breakfast. But Dina is...different: Her broom is a deadly weapon; her Inn is magic and thinks for itself. Meant to be a lodging for otherworldly visitors, the only permanent guest is a retired Galactic aristocrat who can’t leave the grounds because she’s responsible for the deaths of millions and someone might shoot her on sight. Under the circumstances, "normal" is a bit of a stretch for Dina.
And now, something with wicked claws and deepwater teeth has begun to hunt at night....Feeling responsible for her neighbors, Dina decides to get involved. Before long, she has to juggle dealing with the annoyingly attractive, ex-military, new neighbor, Sean Evans—an alpha-strain werewolf—and the equally arresting cosmic vampire soldier, Arland, while trying to keep her inn and its guests safe. But the enemy she’s facing is unlike anything she’s ever encountered before. It’s smart, vicious, and lethal, and putting herself between this creature and her neighbors might just cost her everything.
Review: It's official, the Ilona Andrews writing dua has just entered what I like to call the “Gold Standard Authorness of Awesome”. Which basically means I will follow their writing career to the ends of the bookverse!! Clean Sweep blew past all of my expectations. Sure I went in knowing it had to be good, but some of the reviews led me too believe this was a weaker work from the pair. Personally this was a super strong debut title for a series. I enjoyed it much more then Magic Bites and even Magic Strikes. It took the Kate Daniels universe until book 3 to finally suck me in. Clean Sweep was instant love!
What amazes me most is that Andrews has already brought readers two unique Urban Fantasy worlds, with both the Kate Daniels books and The Edge series. Clean Sweep is not connected to either of those universes and has actually broken away from the pack with yet another beyond-unique Urban Fantasy world. One where magic and sci/fi go hand in hand. Werwolves, vampires, and other beasts are actually aliens! (Yes aliens is a take done before, but Andrews makes it their own.) While it took a while for the idea that they're all aliens to come to the light, it was done well enough that readers don't have to suffer an information dump. It's offhandedly mentioned that Dina's sister left the planet with her husband, from there the alien matter is continued. What I love is that it still feels very much like a Urban Fantasy title. Just like Dina says, it may be science but it still feels like magic. Don't worry, there's still plenty of magic.
Now there are a few things that aren't gone into depth about. Mainly the house and how Inkeepers and the “inns” work. Yes, this is a short book and I do think what was given was just right. Though some of the mystery of earth’s magical creatures weren’t mentioned, and readers are left to assume Innkeepers are an Earth only thing? However, I expect waaaaaay more out of the next installment. Once the idea of aliens and different worlds/portals was introduced—and I’ll admit they are abruptly introduced offhandedly—I feel like Andrews handled it well. I didn't feel lost or flabbergasted at all, in fact as a sci/fi fan I was over joyed!
Dina is awesome! She knows the world and isn't floundering about. Which is something I wish more Urban Fantasy series would do. Instead one of the male interests is the designated newbie. Dina telling the story and introducing readers to the world worked well for me, and despite not learning as the character learns the world was understandable. Best part is while Dina has the staple wit of a good Andrews' leading lady, she is different. Dina has a different arsenal of Innkeeper magic, some hints of even more amazing Innkeeper magic then the average—well—Innkeeper. No she is not warrior woman. She can fight physically and does well at it. It's just not her strong point. She's a thinker and she knows the world, utilizing that as her arsenal.
Now about the male leads. Sean is the “designated newbie” and is actually a staple of Andrews men. Rude, pushy, really-really overconfident and self assured in all those cocky manners—though he does have the backing—and an animal shifter. (As Andrews fans we do like our animal shifter man candy.) He's the werewolf, and I love of course his witty humor and comebacks. The vampire, Arland, is also from the same mold, yet he pulls off refined and terribly viscous together. Plus, I have mad respect for any vampire who can make a crack about literature with vampire/werewolf love triangles. (Best joke ever!) Sean and Arland are both really entertaining to watch, there so alike it's fun watching them bicker. As they let their interests in Dina be known it's interesting watching each alpha male use their “woman getting skills”.
The possibilities of the Innkeeper Chronicles are endless and the overall mystery of the disappearance of Dina's parents is one I'm willing to fully invest in. What I like even more is that Dina didn't have to “pick one” for the love triangle, it's just developing and there's time to grow. Even better is that both men don't stay behind to smother Dina. It was sad to turn that last page, and it helped knowing in advance it is a shorter book. Unlike other readers I thought the book was just write and the pacing was just right. Oh, and the humor. The humor is classic Andrews and I highlighted way too many hysterical dialogs. Overall it felt like Andrews have hit their peek and their just cranking out the magic!
Sexual Content: Mild. But still pretty heated up! It’s Andrews after all.
5/5- Fabulous, a beautiful obsession!
