Open main menu

Changes

no edit summary
|reviewer=Jill Murphy
|genre=Fantasy
|summary=A page-turning urban fantasy incorporating elements of historical mystery and romance, and an engaging central character. Plenty to like here.|rating=4|buy=Yes|borrow=Yes
|pages=276
|publisher=Atmosphere Press
|aznus=B0BKYFDLLV
}}
 Wemeet Dee at a point when her life isn't going as planned but things might, just might, be about to look up. Out of work, about to lose her flat, Dee is up for an accountant's job. But it'll soon have s not to be. Dee is attacked by two men calling themselves witch hunters. She survives the attack but not unscathed. Witch hunters? What on earth has that to do with Dee? She's just an ordinary woman, living an ordinary life. Slivers of memory of things that are not ordinary at all return to her and things will never be the same.... For Dee has lived other lives and she is a witch. And not just a witch but a review descendant of Joan of Arc and the guardian of King Solomon's ring. But these memory fragments are incomplete. Why had Dee forgotten? What is the rest of the story? And who is Samuel Solomon to her? Of course, Dee has a destiny to fulfill and ''Delilah Recovered'' blends this quest - to lead her fellow witches to victory against the forces of dark magic and their leader - with the story of how Dee came to be living in America in the twenty first century and how her past lives had been hidden from her. It's a page-turning bookwith plenty of twists and turns and full of magical creatures, both benign and malign. Dee herself is an engaging central character - determined, dogged, intelligent and her love affair with Samuel is timeless in more than one way.. Her supporting cast is well-realised and three-dimensional and the worldbuilding is both well thought through and credible.  ''Delilah Recovered'' is an accomplished urban fantasy but what impressed me about it is the way in which it will engage the interest of a wide range of readers - those who enjoy romance novels, historical fiction, mystery thrillers or the YA crossover genre will also find much to enjoy. It's not easy to appeal to a wide base of readers across popular genres; it requires a fine touch, which Dellos displays in spades. I think ''Delilah Recovered'' will find a broad and appreciative audience. It has careful and intricate plotting, a central character you can root for, an engaging love interest, and credible and fascinating worldbuilding.  This one comes recommended by Bookbag Towers and we hope to see more about this well-realised fantasy world from Dellos.  If ''Delilah Recovered'' appeals and you enjoy urban fantasy, you might also enjoy the [[No Humans Involved by Kelley Armstrong|Women of the Otherworld]] by Kelley Armstrong. Fans of historical fantasy could try [[Midnight Never Come by Marie Brennan]].
You can read more about Amelia Estelle Dellos [[:Category:Amelia Estelle Dellos|here]].