This book definitely took some time to get into; I was sorely tempted to put it down in the first two chapters, and then decreasingly periodically after that. By the time I got to 40% though, I didn’t want to put it down!

The cons…

The characters are difficult to connect with at first. The author’s style of narration is satiric, almost flat. Once I had a better understanding of who June Coffin was and what elements of her personality were most borrowed for the tone of the narrative, I had an “ah hah!” moment. The mood of the story is heavily colored by June’s prickly persona, so as you get to know June better, you inherently start to understand more nuances of the storytelling, with its underlying humor and sarcasm. That knowledge was hard won though, and since there were several plot pieces that seemed inconsistent, a less tolerant reader may be tempted to just stop reading (I certainly was!). The story just feels like something is off, like a sweater that doesn’t quite fit and but you can’t really put your finger on exactly why. In the prologue of the book, Ms. Morgan talks about how The Wicked City evolved and how June’s character was layered together, one aspect at a time. I highly recommend you start there, as that foreword actually gives a lot of good insight into June and the story’s pacing, or you may never make it to…

The pros…

The little details scattered throughout the early story that seemed indulgent and inconsequential? Totally come together in the last 20% of the story. I practically flew through those last chapters and didn’t want it to end. I actually came to really like June and her caustic personality; under all that gruff is a gal I bet a lot of us identify with on some level…

Here’s a fun excerpt from the story to help illuminate the paradox that is June Coffin. They’re staying at a fancy hotel and are ordering room service…

She picked up the gluen-free fruit crepes because at least she knew what those were and they didn’t sound like they would kill her. “And Cabernet Sauvignon.”

She meant it as a joke, to mock Sam, but Micha wrote the wine down on the pad he was recording their order on.

“God, no.” She stopped him. “I was kidding. You don’t drink Cabernet Sauvignon with fruit crepes. Get me a Chenin Blanc.”

Micha scratched it out. “I can’t believe you just made a cultured joke after complaining you can’t pronounce anything on the menu. You’re such a dichotomy.”

I also had trouble identifying the romantic interest… and you know what? I actually like that. I came into this story expecting paranormal romance and got a nice big serving of urban fantasy, and I’m proud to say that I – ultimately – thoroughly enjoyed it. This is not a story meant to be told in one book. I can’t wait to see what happens with June, Sam, Jason, Micha, and Muse.

If you liked…

The world Ms. Morgan has created for her Siren Song series is reminiscent of Ilona Andrews’ Hidden Legacy series, with all the magical classifications and public knowledge of paranormal abilities as well as factions on both sides of the law willing and able to kill, steal, and scheme to grab power. Like The Wicked City, Burn For Me – the first book in Hidden Legacies and one of my favorite Urban Fantasy books to date – features strong-willed characters, but Andrews’ story is less cluttered with characters and has a more intense feel.

You can order (or pre-order) The Wicked City on Amazon here. It is currently scheduled for release on March 3, 2015.
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The Wicked City is…