Review: Clean Sweep by Ilona Andrews

Clean Sweep
Author: Ilona Andrews 
Reviewer: Una
Rating: A

What I’m Talking About:

The writing team know as Ilona Andrews decided to give their fans (and blog followers) a treat: they released a serial story on their website.  The story started with a girl and her broom and went from there.  Well, the genius that is Ilona Andrews took “a girl and her broom” and turned it into Clean Sweep, a delightful and fascinating tale of a girl, her broom, and a world we could only hope to dream of.  What took place over months, a chapter a week release, is now available as a full e-book.  I did not follow the serial… I waited until the story was complete and read it then.

The story follows Dina Demille, a young woman with more to her than meets the eye.  She owns an inn within a quiet Texas community.  However, her inn is much more than just a quaint little bed and breakfast.  Dina doesn’t cater to human or earthly guest, but those from other planets and dimensions.  She has one permanent guest, but Dina wants to improve her inn and watch it flourish as her parents did before her.

Clean Sweep begins in this small Texas community with Dina conversing with neighbors over the latest dog that was killed.  She knows a werewolf has moved into the neighborhood, claiming it as his territory.  So, in her suave way, she tries to get him to take care of this problem after she rules him out as the killer.  However, Sean seems to behave as if Dina has a screw loose and dismisses her.  Although Innkeepers are meant to stay neutral, Dina feels compelled to protect her neighbors from the creature that is stalking the neighborhood.  As she goes on to find and stop this evil, Dina stumbles into more than she bargained for.

As the story unfolds, we are given two very different, but very alpha males in the werewolf Sean and the vampire Arland.  The subtle testosterone driven competition between them was a lovely combination of hotness and humor.  The mythology of both species was fascinating and new – something that truly enriched the storyline.  As the novel concluded – there is no resolution; however, there is the tease of more to come.  I honestly cannot be disappointed because it struck of note of realism.  This promise of more to come grounded the novel in urban fantasy.

Suffice to say, I loved this novel.  The world building is seamlessly woven into the story and plot.  Dina is compelling as a young innkeeper, trying to follow in her parents footsteps (as well as trying to find them).  I truly enjoyed her inner struggle with her duties as an innkeeper as well as sense of community with her neighbors. The knife edge she walks is a precarious one but she does so deftly and with humor.  The different dimensions, creatures and worlds allow for so many possibilities to this series. I eagerly look forward to see what awaits us in the next novel, which Ms. Andrews says will be released in 2014.

In true Ilona Andrews style, Clean Sweep is a fabulous balance of humor and dark adventure.  If you are looking for something new and intriguing, pick up Clean Sweep.  The Innkeeper Chronicles has the promise of being another exciting adventure with a steely backboned and witty heroine.

Rating: A — Loved It

About the Book:

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.

Release Date: December 2, 2013
Publisher: Self-published
Series: Innkeeper Chronicles #1
ISBN: #978-1625173430
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Format(s): e-book
Book Source: Author

Purchase Info:
Clean Sweep