Urban Fantasy: It’s our world plus magic. And unlike High Fantasy, you generally don’t need an appendix full of glossaries and maps to help you discern where the characters are or what in the world they’re doing. I mean no disrespect to High Fantasy. I’m a huge fan (and very appreciative of those appendices by the way), but sometimes it’s nice, thrilling even, to enjoy magic in a more familiar setting … where it complicates mundane challenges in imaginative new ways.
So, put on your best black outfit, take a shot of whatever’s bubbling in that cauldron and let’s hit the town! The city is bustling with nightlife … or, at the very least, creatures of the night. Which city? Take your pick: London, Los Angeles, New Orleans or somewhere else entirely.
What’s on the agenda? Tracking down fugitives with supernatural bounty hunters; solving murders with magical PIs; fighting crime with spellcasting vigilantes; and before we head home, I think a visit to one of the local haunts is in order. It’s always good to support small businesses, especially when they’re run by some of the finest magic wielders around.
Like I said, there’s a lot to do in the city. And with these seven novels, wherever you go, whatever you do, the adventure will be utterly magical. I promise.
Dead Witch Walking
by Kim Harrison
“It takes a witch to catch a witch,” or any other creature of the night in this dark urban fantasy. Rachel Morgan works as an Inderland Security (I.S.) runner, a bounty hunter keeping the Hollows — a section of Cincinnati south of the Ohio River and home to the city’s supernatural or Inderlander population — in line. After years of carrying out assignments beneath her skill and rank, Rachel decides to break her I.S. contract and go into business for herself. And had Rachel left I.S. alone, she might not have a huge target on her back. Unfortunately, her former boss didn’t take too kindly to Rachel poaching Ivy, his best runner. Determined to survive, Rachel dives headfirst into an investigation that lands her in the clutches of the city’s most notorious drug lord.
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | Bookshop
Grave Witch
by Kalayna Price
Alex Craft is a grave witch, a magic wielder with the power to raise shades — memories of the dead. As someone who can seek answers from beyond the grave, she works as both a private investigator and a consultant for the Nekros City police. She has seen a lot of dark magic on the job and runs into Death himself every so often — don’t worry, they’ve gotten past the clipboard-hurling incident; she was five, after all. But none of that could have prepared Alex for her latest case. After raising a shade as part of a high-profile murder investigation, it attacks her — screaming, thrashing — something she’s never experienced before and isn’t supposed to be possible. And after Death saves Alex from an attempt on her life, it’s clear that someone with great power doesn’t want her poking around this case.
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | Bookshop
Born in Fire
by K.F. Breene
Reagan possesses a rare type of magic that allows her to identify and offset spells cast by others, which makes her perfectly suited to a life as a supernatural bounty hunter. The job may be dangerous, but she can handle it. Plus, working alone allows her to keep her magical identity under wraps, a feat that’s been trickier as of late with half the wolves in New Orleans sniffing around and watching her every move. Now, a vampire has killed her most recent mark, which means Reagan isn’t getting paid for this job … and the whole situation has seriously hurt her chances at finding another. But she has another option. It just requires taking on a partner … looks like she’ll be working with the vamp who stole her last mark.
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | Bookshop
How to Be a Badass Vigilante: Book One
by Michael Anderle
Kera MacDonagh, a recent college graduate, is working at a bar while she tries to figure out her next steps. Seems relatable enough, but things are a little more complicated when Kera’s “next steps” involve navigating life as a vigilante … who, in addition to some seriously impressive martial arts skills, fights crime with magic. Patrolling the streets of Los Angeles on her Kawazaki Z900, the city’s seedy underbelly knows her only as Motorcycle Man, and her power has caught the attention of not just LA crime circles but witches in high places. Now, she’s being hunted. Two of her friends have sacrificed their own magic to protect her, but she’ll have to figure out how to keep her magic’s signature hidden before the wrong magic users come knocking at her door. (Read our review here.)
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | Bookshop
Kindling the Moon
by Jenn Bennett
An amateur magician and part-owner of the Tambuku Tiki Lounge, Arcadia “Cady” Bell spends her days slinging drinks to the Earthbound demons of central California. Living in hiding for the past seven years, she’s managed to keep a low profile, separating herself from the notoriety of her parents, two infamous occultists accused of murder. Until recent surveillance footage emerges, that is. Now that the world knows her parents are alive, Cady’s quiet life is disrupted. Backed into a corner, her only options are to prove their innocence or surrender. Enter demonologist Lon Butler, Cady’s only hope for tracking down the sole witness to her parents’ alleged crimes. But as they dive deeper into the case, they find themselves confronting a multitude of hurdles, including a powerful occult society operating outside the law.
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | Bookshop
Fated
by Benedict Jacka
Nestled amid a tangle of bridges, railway lines and the canal in the district of Camden Town, London, sits the Arcana Emporium, a quaint magic shop run by Alex Verus. As a diviner, Alex can not only foresee possible futures, but he can choose which futures will come to pass. So, when a group of mages discover a sealed ancient relic, everyone — light and dark mages alike — wants to use a diviner to unlock it, and Alex fits the bill. But Alex is on the outs with the Council and most other mages and has little interest in helping any of them with this task. But Alex knows whatever’s inside is extremely powerful and probably dangerous, and through his ability as a diviner, he knows that taking this job could mean his downfall.
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | Bookshop
Magic to the Bone
by Devon Monk
All magic comes at a price. Each spell takes a toll on its caster, but some magic-users have found a way to cheat the system by using innocent people to pay the price they’re not willing to themselves. And people are getting hurt. Enter Allie Beckstrom. She’s one of Portland’s best Hounds, mages with the ability to trace a spell back to its caster through their unique signature, and although she comes from a wealthy and powerful family, Allie would rather survive on her Hounding jobs than accept the strings attached to her parents’ large purse. But when one of her regular employers contacts her urgently, Allie finds herself her standing in front of a dying young boy and an offending magical signature that is unmistakably her own father’s.
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | Bookshop
Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison
“It takes a witch to catch a witch,” or any other creature of the night in this dark urban fantasy. Rachel Morgan works as an Inderland Security (I.S.) runner, a bounty hunter keeping the Hollows — a section of Cincinnati south of the Ohio River and home to the city’s supernatural or Inderlander population — in line. After years of carrying out assignments beneath her skill and rank, Rachel decides to break her I.S. contract and go into business for herself. And had Rachel left I.S. alone, she might not have a huge target on her back. Unfortunately, her former boss didn’t take too kindly to Rachel poaching Ivy, his best runner. Determined to survive, Rachel dives headfirst into an investigation that lands her in the clutches of the city’s most notorious drug lord.
Grave Witch by Kalayna Price
Alex Craft is a grave witch, a magic wielder with the power to raise shades — memories of the dead. As someone who can seek answers from beyond the grave, she works as both a private investigator and a consultant for the Nekros City police. She has seen a lot of dark magic on the job and runs into Death himself every so often — don’t worry, they’ve gotten past the clipboard-hurling incident; she was five, after all. But none of that could have prepared Alex for her latest case. After raising a shade as part of a high-profile murder investigation, it attacks her — screaming, thrashing — something she’s never experienced before and isn’t supposed to be possible. And after Death saves Alex from an attempt on her life, it’s clear that someone with great power doesn’t want her poking around this case.
Born in Fire by K.F. Breene
Reagan possesses a rare type of magic that allows her to identify and offset spells cast by others, which makes her perfectly suited to a life as a supernatural bounty hunter. The job may be dangerous, but she can handle it. Plus, working alone allows her to keep her magical identity under wraps, a feat that’s been trickier as of late with half the wolves in New Orleans sniffing around and watching her every move. Now, a vampire has killed her most recent mark, which means Reagan isn’t getting paid for this job … and the whole situation has seriously hurt her chances at finding another. But she has another option. It just requires taking on a partner … looks like she’ll be working with the vamp who stole her last mark.
How to Be a Badass Vigilante: Book One by Michael Anderle
Kera MacDonagh, a recent college graduate, is working at a bar while she tries to figure out her next steps. Seems relatable enough, but things are a little more complicated when Kera’s “next steps” involve navigating life as a vigilante … who, in addition to some seriously impressive martial arts skills, fights crime with magic. Patrolling the streets of Los Angeles on her Kawazaki Z900, the city’s seedy underbelly knows her only as Motorcycle Man, and her power has caught the attention of not just LA crime circles but witches in high places. Now, she’s being hunted. Two of her friends have sacrificed their own magic to protect her, but she’ll have to figure out how to keep her magic’s signature hidden before the wrong magic users come knocking at her door. (Read our review here.)
Kindling the Moon by Jenn Bennett
An amateur magician and part-owner of the Tambuku Tiki Lounge, Arcadia “Cady” Bell spends her days slinging drinks to the Earthbound demons of central California. Living in hiding for the past seven years, she’s managed to keep a low profile, separating herself from the notoriety of her parents, two infamous occultists accused of murder. Until recent surveillance footage emerges, that is. Now that the world knows her parents are alive, Cady’s quiet life is disrupted. Backed into a corner, her only options are to prove their innocence or surrender. Enter demonologist Lon Butler, Cady’s only hope for tracking down the sole witness to her parents’ alleged crimes. But as they dive deeper into the case, they find themselves confronting a multitude of hurdles, including a powerful occult society operating outside the law.
Fated by Benedict Jacka
Nestled amid a tangle of bridges, railway lines and the canal in the district of Camden Town, London, sits the Arcana Emporium, a quaint magic shop run by Alex Verus. As a diviner, Alex can not only foresee possible futures, but he can choose which futures will come to pass. So, when a group of mages discover a sealed ancient relic, everyone — light and dark mages alike — wants to use a diviner to unlock it, and Alex fits the bill. But Alex is on the outs with the Council and most other mages and has little interest in helping any of them with this task. But Alex knows whatever’s inside is extremely powerful and probably dangerous, and through his ability as a diviner, he knows that taking this job could mean his downfall.
Magic to the Bone by Devon Monk
All magic comes at a price. Each spell takes a toll on its caster, but some magic-users have found a way to cheat the system by using innocent people to pay the price they’re not willing to themselves. And people are getting hurt. Enter Allie Beckstrom. She’s one of Portland’s best Hounds, mages with the ability to trace a spell back to its caster through their unique signature, and although she comes from a wealthy and powerful family, Allie would rather survive on her Hounding jobs than accept the strings attached to her parents’ large purse. But when one of her regular employers contacts her urgently, Allie finds herself her standing in front of a dying young boy and an offending magical signature that is unmistakably her own father’s.
