Under A Spell (Underworld Detection Agency, #5) in SOS: Serious Overload of Series

Jul 02, 2013 Shelleyrae at Book'd Out rated it liked it

Shelves: netgalley-reviews, arc-are

In Under A Spell, Hannah Jayne's fifth book in the Underworld Detection Agency series, Sophie Lawson faces her greatest fear - high school. Ordered to go undercover as a substitute teacher at her alma mater to investigate rumours of a coven on campus. Sophie would rather walk through hell fire than the halls of the all girl school but with one girl dead and another girl missing, Sophie is determined to make the grade.

Set in San Francisco in a world where vampires, trolls and pixies etc live alon
In Under A Spell, Hannah Jayne's fifth book in the Underworld Detection Agency series, Sophie Lawson faces her greatest fear - high school. Ordered to go undercover as a substitute teacher at her alma mater to investigate rumours of a coven on campus. Sophie would rather walk through hell fire than the halls of the all girl school but with one girl dead and another girl missing, Sophie is determined to make the grade.

Set in San Francisco in a world where vampires, trolls and pixies etc live alongside the ignorant human populace, Under A Spell is a light, fast paced read combining action, humour romance and mystery.

Oddly Sophie's one ability, an immunity to magic, doesn't seem to hold here, making her vulnerable to a witch who is able to project realistic illusions. I had expected this storyline would have given Sophie the chance to have the upper hand for once, instead she is as vulnerable and clueless as ever. Though Sophie's investigative skills are amateurish at best, her motivations can't be faulted. She is sincere in her determination to find the missing girl alive, even at the risk of her own life.

Those familiar with the series might be disappointed to find Alex, the fallen angel/cop that Sophie pines after, is giving her the cold shoulder in Under A Spell. Luckily Will - Sophie's guardian, due to her being the host of the Vessel of Souls - joins her during the investigation providing plenty of romantic tension as Sophie's attention wavers between the two men.

In amongst the drama, Sophie's teenage vampire roommate, Vlad, is having more than a little trouble with the woman in his life, and BFF Nina has hit on the bright idea of filming an ad for the UDA, in which she wants Sophie to star. I really like Vlad and Nina whose blunt manners and vampiric confidence(as long as there are no birds nearby) contrasts nicely with Sophie's attraction to chaos.

Under A Spell is a quick, entertaining read. If you haven't read a previous installment of this series (I have read only the fourth book, Under the Gun), the story works as a stand alone but the relationship dynamics may seem lacking.
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