Review: Shades of Memory by Diana Pharaoh Francis

Publication Date: 11/3/2017

Series: Diamond City Magic #4

Rating: 4 Stars

Official Blurb:

Riley’s lost the last damned thing she’s willing to lose. She’s declaring war and prisoners are optional.

After escaping the FBI, Riley and her family have become fugitives, and not just from the law. Every bad guy on the planet wants a piece of Riley. Gregg has been kidnapped. Worse than that, Price’s newly discovered magic is dangerously out of control, and her own is trying to kill her. She has little time to worry about any of that before all hell breaks loose in Diamond City, and she finds herself smack dab in the crossfire.

With the clock ticking down, Riley gathers her friends and family to execute a Hail Mary plan that will pit them against seven of the most dangerous thugs in Diamond City, a serial killer, Riley’s psychopath father, and a mysterious billionaire with plans of his own. If she succeeds, she makes herself an even bigger target. If she fails, everybody she cares about dies.

But the shadows hold danger even Riley will never see coming . . . .

Another great edition to the DCM series! Riley hits her stride in this book when the metaphorical and literal crap hits the fan around her. For the first real time since the series started, she stands on her own two feet and is a force to be reckoned with.  She protects those who can’t protect themselves, which I love about her. As each book has been added to this series, you get introduced to a different facet of Riley’s personality. She’s the finder of wayward people, protector of those she loves, and now has come full circle in to her powers.  Her lover, Price, has changed in power, and without her anchoring him to the ground, he would have imploded.  The intensity of their relationship grows with each book, and in this one in particular, you get a sense of how much they really do need each other.

To call this book the series game changer is an understatement.  Shades of Memory sets the tone for the upcoming books, and it is a tone of excitement for me.  I just wish the next book would be releasing much sooner!