I received this book for free from in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
"A Misunderstanding"
by
Ilona Andrews
fantasy, magical realism in a PDF edition that was published by the author on July 7, 2019 and has 13 pages.
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Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Must Love Hellhounds, Dark and Stormy Knights, Angels of Darkness, Hexed, Fate's Edge, Hex Appeal, An Apple for the Creature, "Magic Gifts", Gunmetal Magic, Innkeeper Chronicles, Steel's Edge, Magic Bites, Magic Burns, Magic Strikes, Magic Bleeds, Magic Slays, Magic Rises, Magic Bleeds, Burn For Me, Night Shift, Magic Shifts, Magic Binds, White Hot, Wildfire, Iron and Magic, Magic Triumphs, "Gerard Demille and Helen Meet", "Diamond Fire", "Sweep with Me", Clean Sweep, Sweep in Peace, "A Mere Formality", Blood Heir, "The King of Fire", Sapphire Flames, Emerald Blaze, "The Cool Aunt", One Fell Sweep, Sweep of the Blade, "Silent Blade", Fated Blades, On the Edge, Bayou Moon, "George and Jack in School", Sweep of the Heart , Magic Tides, Small Magics, "The Wilson Building", "Conlan’s Birthday Text", "Dabwaha", "Don't Fight with Fate", “A Bit More of Roman”, “Getting Distracted”, "Sgt Munoz Had to Go", Ruby Fever, "Regina", Magic Tides, "The King of Fire", Magic Claims, "Sandra", "No Heroes", "Purpose", "A Mere Formality", "I Will Explain Everything", "Sanctuary", "Kind Regards"
A free deleted scene from Sapphire Flames, 4, that became a short story. It’s 4.2 in the Hidden Legacy magical realism fantasy series and revolves around House Baylor.
My Take
Aha! This explains that initial problem and the fallout in Sapphire Flames, lol. No, no, I really do sympathize with Catalina.
Grandma is certainly old enough to know better. I suppose when you’re young at heart with some great toys, it’s irresistible to make use of them.
But who’d’ve thought it would be Arabella who would solve the issue, and one using a first person protagonist point-of-view from Arabella’s perspective. ROFL.
Andrews includes a nice chunk about the Baylors’ dreams of a house . . . and I gotta say I agree. I wanna choose my own colors and do what I want with my lawn, too. Can you imagine a turret with blazing guns in an HOA neighborhood?
The Baylors are definitely characters, but that Sandy Mills is something else. At least the Baylors are intelligent! Okay, maybe not Grandma so much . . . in this story. Sandy’s husband does make a nice foil to all this drama. A normal guy with a nutjob wife.
The pace is quick enough, especially with only 13 pages. And it’s a quick read, as I couldn’t wait find out what had happened.
It’s a laugh and a half.
The Story
A case for Leon to handle that turns into a hostage situation with a little girl at risk.
The Characters
Arabella Baylor is a metamorphosis mage . . . and incredibly scary in her other form. She and her family are the Baylor Investigative Agency.
Her family includes Leon and Bern brothers — cousins to the Baylors — who were adopted into the family, Grandma Frida Baylor who talks to armored vehicles, and Catalina Baylor, who is the head of House Baylor and a siren. The Brick is an armored vehicle Grandma had turned into an indestructible monstrosity.
The Yarrow Case is . . .
. . . named for the subdivision, Yarrow Northwest, a master-planned community in Katy west of Houston. Kent Mills, the suspect’s spouse and a registered nurse, lives in Yarrow. Sandra Mills, Kent’s wife, is an accountant. Little Girl, a.k.a., Tuna or Baby, is their white Persian cat.
The Shaw Distillery suspects their bookkeeper of theft. Sergeant Munoz is with Houston PD. Clint runs a bakery. Patrick is with the winery.
The Cover and Title
The cover has no text to it. Nor does it feel related to the story. And I gotta confess that the twiggy monster with its glowing red eyes is not how I think of Arabella. Still it uses pretty colors for the background with the glowing orange sunset descending into the blues and teals of the forest and its floor. I am curious as to who the young-seeming person is with the ragged coat. A peek in the mirror perhaps with the human-appearing Arabella versus her metamorphosed self?
The title is a major bit of denial, for there really isn’t “A Misunderstanding”.
