Book Review: The Midnight Spy by Kiki Hamilton

The Midnight Spy (The Midnight Spy #1)
Author:  Kiki Hamilton
Publisher:  Gaslamp Books, 417 pages
Publication Date:  July 26, 2015

From Goodreads:
She would risk her life to escape...

“What have we here? A midnight spy?”
Nica lifted her chin and hoped he couldn’t feel her knees shaking. “Release me.”
Instead of releasing her, his eyes narrowed as he examined her features. “I didn’t know Mosaba had a daughter,” he said softly. “You wouldn’t be a spy and a liar, would you?”

TRAPPED IN AN unbearable existence, Nica Santos risks her life to escape from her father, only to be captured by one of his soldiers—
until the most unlikely of allies comes to her assistance — but not before she realizes she has traded one prison for another…

As war explodes around her, Nica becomes ensnared in a confusing web of intrigue, romance, betrayal and ancient magic…

Review:

I really liked this book.  Here's why:

1.  Nica is a great heroine.  She's lived as quietly as she can, trying not to upset her crazy, power hungry father, the King.  He abuses her but she's still tough, planning her escape.  She's not a Mary Sue, she's just a normal girl.  Loved that she's amazing at languages and how it plays an important role in the story.

2.  The romance is sweet.  It's a little fast, but the two are just perfect for each other.  And they don't play games.  There's a slight misunderstanding but it's cleared up very fast.

3.  The quest isn't just walking around, the pacing is perfect, with just enough action and adventure.  Sometimes these quests, searching for whatever, just gets so boring.  But not in this book.  There are just enough twists and turns to make things interesting.

4.  Even though this is a series, the characters are in a good place, the main part of the story is wrapped up but there's plenty more story to go.  No cliffhanger ending.  

If you like fantasy, you'll really like this book.  One complaint is that the magic is very subtle, it's really just hinted at in this book, but it is just the first in the series. And you can see the betrayal coming a mile away.

Posted by:  Pam