4.5 Stars

I loved this book and definitely reminded me of Ilona Andrews books, if you enjoyed the Hidden Legacy series I highly recommend you pick this book up. The main character is a supernatural private investigator she is complex,guarded and is slow to trust anyone. She has a dark past which we are given enough hints of to understand why she’s become the way she is but not enough details to be satisfied.

The secondary characters were a well developed from the love interest to the supernatural cops and the vampire bodyguards they all have their own personalities, histories and motivations. I particularly loved Malcolm our ghostly side-kick who has a dark history of his own!

The case Alex is trying to solve in this book is well contained in it self also instead of expanding Conspiracy in future books. Can’t wait to read the rest of the series and find more about Alices past and see what adventures she ends up getting sucked into next!

Alice Worth is a PI that specializes in the paranormal. She’s a powerful mage who lives under the radar, hoping to never be found by her grandfather’s cabal. This next case leads her into different territory as sh picks up a ghost as a partner and a potential new relationship begins.
I really liked this story. I loved learning about this new world and these new characters as I tried figuring out the mystery as Alice was going through it. My only disappointment is that it seems the sequel is still not really set to be released any time soon.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book

Heart of Malice is a great debut for Lisa Edmonds. The storyline was pretty creative and so full of action that you can't really be bored with the story. I think it's pretty funny that one of my favorite characters is a ghost! Malcolm the ghost had me quite entertained throughout this book. I loved Sean, the werewolf. He was a great Hero. He was protective but not overbearing. He genuinely just wanted to spend time with Alice and help her. Alice was a harder character for me. She is hiding a past and has never been able to trust, so I get why she was so standoffish, but I did want to shake her a few times. I was intrigued by her powers. Overall, this was an entertaining story and I look forward to the next one. ARC provided by NetGalley.
8 likes

Great start for this series. Smart and full of attitude, my favorite kind of heroin. Can't wait for the next one.

- - Received through NetGalley - -
L

This book starts out fast! As in once you open your kindle, don’t plan on getting any sleep. From the very beginning this story is constantly in motion. There is no down time, no moment that you might think you can close it and take a break.

Alice has a past that she has gone to great lengths to keep hidden. As a powerful mage she is a prize to those who would use her for their own gain. Running her own private investigation business, she takes on a case of a young woman who thinks she’s being poisoned by someone in her family. Man, once Alice steps into it all kinds of magical mysteries erupt.

Along the way is a whole cast of characters that I gave the side eye to because I didn’t trust anyone. But then again, neither did Alice. However, when Sean enters the scene, I begged Alice to set aside her distrustful nature and give him a chance. And she does. To a point. That point being very limited initially but gaining in strength as the story progresses.

Alice is one tough heroine who has learned to take care of herself and refuses to lean on anyone. Sean is an alpha hero who just wants to protect her and keep her. However, if he wants her, he’s got to let her have her independence. It’s a fine balancing act for him. I absolutely loved both of these characters. Usually the tough heroine can get on my nerves but I totally understood where Alice was emotionally. There was one part where I had to grit my teeth because she wasn’t thinking clearly at all.

This ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, which I detest, and a happy for now regarding Sean and Alice. I loved the story and the writing is incredible, but dang I hate it when an author does a cliffhanger. I definitely would read more from this author but I hope future books will be wrapped up and not left open ended.

ARC provided by NetGalley

Heroine POV
Safe from other women drama
No apparent triggers

Heart of Malice by Lisa Edmonds is a very compelling start to a new urban fantasy series. At times, it did seem like a bit of an info dump, but at times it was also unputdownable. It being the start of a new series, I’m willing to overlook the info dump and read on. Alice Worth is a character I can get behind and root for. I didn’t think there was a lot of romantic chemistry with the love interest(s) so I’m interested to see where that is headed.

Heart of Malice (Alice Worth Book 1) Kindle Edition
by Lisa Edmonds
I received a complimentary copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and can't be happier to have done so.
Wow, just plain wow! Ms. Edmonds created such a unique character that you can't help but be drawn into her world. A world of Cabals, Mafia like magical organizations that use whatever mean necessary, from torture to near death experiences to force Mages to do their dirty and I do mean dirty work.
Alice Worth, a new identity and we never learn her real name, has fled across the country to escape her grandfather. That man is beyond evil, far beyond a sociopathic sadist. He was willing to use another blood mage to strip Alice's body of flesh and force an even more painful healing spell to force her to do evil. He has done this since she was eight years old and accidentally killed her parents with fire and blood magic while her grandfather watched. Since then, she withstood torture while she planned an escape.
Changing her name to Alice Worth and going through massive plastic surgery, she changes herself, to escape what `she had done, she tries to right the wrongs of other as a an MPI, a Maj Private Investigator.
She gets caught up in a family full of `secrets that nearly leads to her death but not before meeting the alpha werewolf of the major pack of the city and becoming his lover. Something `\she has never allowed herself before. She allowed herself more than a one night `stand, allowed herself a connection. And never having had anything resembling a real relationship, she doesn't know she is falling love with the him until it is too late and as has tied them together.
There is the `stereotypical vampire involved, but he is no Lestat or Jean-Claude. He at times is icy cold and other's burning hot.
Told entirely in Alice'`s voice, and from her point of view, we fall into her sorrow and root for her to find some kind of happiness. The mystery `she is involved in is more of a MacGuffin to give us insight into Alice'`s horrible past and her hope for the future. The MacGuffin is an object o pure evil power that will show us the true purity of Alice'`s soul.
I can't recommend this book enough. So original, `so deep and so powerful, the Book Nerd places it at the top of her new favorite character, `story and world. This book is deeply approved by the Book Nerd
It reaches the highest score possible, a 5 out of 5. I would go higher if I could. Truly put this on one your to be read pile and get to it as quickly as possible.
https://www.amazon.com/Heart-Malice-Alice-Worth-Book-ebook/dp/B071QZ6K3N/

HEART OF MALICE was a great introduction to what could be a pretty amazing new urban fantasy series. It ticks every box for a classic urban fantasy story: tough as nails heroine escaping from a murky past, fun magical abilities, and interesting enough plot complexities to last multiple books. The plot is fast-paced and revolves around an excellent magical mystery with earth shattering consequences should something go askew. I loved the attention to details in the world building and more specifically the main story in HEART OF MALICE. I really got a feel for the tone and history of the world as well as who the characters were. Please note: there are some pretty gory moments in HEART OF MALICE that might be hard to get through for the squeamish.

Alice is a pretty badass heroine who has potential to be one of my favorite in the genre. She takes a beating, heals herself, and goes back into the fray. I loved how determined she was to help someone else and do so with skill and intelligence. It becomes a bit disconcerting just how much she allows her body to be worn down so much. She blacks out a lot! Perhaps her recklessness will be a plot point in future books? I think Alice's recklessness might be linked to her fascinating past. I kept hoping we'd get more flashbacks to her escape from the cabal. I hope we get more as what we do get gives some interesting insights to Alice's rather determined and stubborn personality.

HEART OF MALICE was a decent start to what looks like a pretty classic urban fantasy series. I loved Alice's backstory and learning how this world works. I look forward to seeing what is in store for Alice in the next book.

Absolutely great book! Cover grabs your attention while the description pulls you in. The story does the rest as it takes you on a journey through the characters lives with all the twists and turns you can imagine. Highly recommend!

This is actually one of the first new urban fantasy series in awhile that I've really enjoyed. I think the world-building and the magic system is very interesting and all the characters were really great too. Alice has trouble letting people get close to her, but it's clear that she still really cares about them and wants to help. It's actually pretty funny because she's all brooding over in the corner like ~I work alone!!!~ and then she ends up adopting literally every supernatural creature in need that crosses her path like Batman scooping up Robins.

The only part I wasn't crazy about was the strong romance angle. I picked this up in the first place because there is literally no indication of romance in the summary, but of course I could never be that lucky. While I did find Sean kind of annoying with all his ~I'm an alpha~ nonsense and there were a couple awkward sex scenes to skip, overall it wasn't too bad and I appreciate that Alice at least always stood up for herself whenever he tried to boss her around.

I freaking loved this book. It was a super fast read for me i loved the storyline and the characters in the book were pretty awesome.

It's books like this that remind me of why I love Netgalley so much. Who knows how long it would've taken me to stumble across this little gem otherwise?
I can't believe this is the authors debut novel. Her writing is brilliant and refreshing.

This book was perfection - action, mystery, romance, magic, humor, characters.

Let's start with the latter, shall we?
Alice Worth, the heroine and narrator: sarcastic, funny, bad-ass galore, independent, proud, damaged, amazing. I loved her so much
Sean Maclin (love the name!), the love interest: hot alpha werewolf, protective, easy-going, a little bit nerdy, charming, determined. I wanted to lick him.
Malcolm, the wisecracking sidekick: recently deceased mage ghost, sweet, powerful, skittish and sooo endearing. I wanted to hug him.
Charles Vaughan, the... um... antagonist? .. nah, not really, I just don't know yet what to make of him: powerful, businessman vampire "whose ulterior motives have ulterior motives", inscrutable, delectable. I need more of him.

Actually, I need more of all of them.

This book has a certain Ilona Andrews vibe going on, what with the rather trashy cover, Alice being a sassy, kick-ass PI working on a mystery case, the swoon-worthy alpha hero who gives a good chase for the woman he wants, all the magic and excellent world building... It's not hard to see where Lisa Edmonds got her inspiration from. But that's all she took from Andrews: inspiration. This is not a carbon copy but a very unique story and characters that will steal your heart hands down.
The humor was exactly my kind, subtle and cynical, the banter was hilarious and there wasn't a moment I felt bored.

This book left me happy and giddy and so incredibly impatient for the next in the series.
Hurry up, please! I can't wait to see what awaits Alice and her adorable entourage next.

RATED 4.5!

Alice Worth is an M.P.I. (Mage Private Investigator). She took on the job to make a living and to continue to put her supernatural gifts to good use. Everything is going as usual, or something similar to it when Alice finds herself in a sticky situation. She finds out a ghost, Malcolm, has been bound to her, and he is a very powerful one at that. Alice needs to keep an eye on him, so she makes Malcolm her partner.

Alice must work against the clock for her new client, but little does she know what is in store for her or her new co-worker Malcolm. Malcolm saves her butt more than once, and a friendship even develops between them. Still, Alice must not let down her guard. Her latest case may be dangerous, but not near as much as the man Alice is hiding from, her grandfather, Moses. No matter what, Alice must always watch her back or she may find herself in his clutches once again... and this time she won't survive.

HEART OF MALICE is a very interesting paranormal read! I love all the different directions that the story went while still circling a very important one. I could not put HEART OF MALICE down. Alice and her antics constantly had me on edge. Poor Malcolm! He had no idea what he was getting into when he became bound to Alice. I love her client, Natalie, and hope to see much more of her. I also hope to learn more about Malcolm, the ghost, Sean, the werewolf boyfriend and even Agent Lake. It may just be me, but I definitely think there is more to Agent Lake's interest in Alice than there appears!

Heart Of Malice starts off strong and doesn't stop! Alice is fantastic! This whole book had me on the edge of my seat, you didn't know what would happen next.
Alice is a mage with pretty kickass abilities. Teamed up with Malcolm the ghost, they make a near unstoppable team. One thing some authors can't grasp on urban fantasy is blending the world as we know it and a new magical world together. Ms. Edmonds does this seamlessly. Everything was so believable made me want to forget this isn't our world. I adored Alice and Sean. I like a little romance in my UF, this definitely wasn't an overwhelming romance.
This book was packed with a lot of action, a little romance, and some mystery. Alice has a lot to work through in future books, and I really hope we meet her grandfather to make him pay.
For being a first book in a new series I didn't feel lost and didn't feel like it was informational overload. I enjoyed every bit of it from beginning to end. Ms. Edmonds has a new fan and I can't wait to see where she takes Alice next. (I'm hoping Sean will be along for the ride 😉)

This is a well written book with interesting characters. Alice has an intriguing backstory that I look forward to learning more about it. The world created for Alice to live in was plausible and creative. I liked the way Alice went about her investigation and how Malcolm and Sean helped her. I also liked that vampires and werewolves took a backseat to mages. Although, it seemed as if, Sean was a part of Alice's pack instead of an alpha of his own pack. This was a fast moving books with plenty of twists and turns. The only thing I didn't like was that Alice spent a lot of time getting hurt and then healing herself. I guess that should make it more realistic, but, after while it got a bit old. I look forward to reading the next book. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC from Netgalley.

The premise sounded interesting - but I was blown away by the story. Alice is running from her past, specifically her power hungry grandfather. He had her use her magic to help keep him in power. She faked her death and ran.

She changed her name and appearance in her quest for freedom. She is now a private investigator that deals with the supernatural. Her associates around her are a varied cast of characters. She is trying to find an object of power that can control - or kill - thousands.

I found I could not put it down. There was lots of twists, but were not so many it seemed as if it was thrown in as filler. All worked with the story and really developed the characters. Great start to an urban fantasy series!

I loved this book. I read it quickly and I just couldn't put it down.

I can't wait for the next book.

I do highly recommend.

Heart of malice by Lisa Edmonds.
For twenty years, she was a prisoner of an organized crime syndicate, forced to use her magic to make Moses the most powerful and feared man on the East Coast. To escape his cruelty, she faked her own death and started a new life as Alice Worth. As a private investigator specializing in cases involving the supernatural, Alice walks a precarious line between atoning for the sins of her grandfather’s cabal and keeping her true identity hidden.
Fantastic read with brilliant characters. Loved Alice. She was my favourite character. I love anything to do with magic. 5* . Netgalley and city owl press.

When I read the description of this book, I thought it sounded like a good book and was eager to read it. I am happy to report that not only was it a good book, it was a great book! Alice was such a great character, with her being emotionally-removed and -scarred because of her violent past. I found myself feeling so much for her and found her to be very fascinating and wanting the best for her. Added to that, there was Sean, a werewolf Alpha who seemed to really care about her, who has the makings of a great romantic interest, even if Alice is still too gun-shy to really trust anyone. Don’t think, though, that this book has just a great romance, because it doesn’t. The mystery had me guessing and wondering what was going to happen next, especially adding in Charles, a vampire who seems to care about Alice but doesn’t seem 100% trustworthy. And, let’s not forget the great ghost side-kick Malcolm who complements her magical sleuthing very well, and I can’t help but think he has some kind of connection to her past. Speaking of that, I can’t wait to learn more about Alice’s past, and I just know that we will one day meet her grandfather. Add everything together, great writing, great characters, interesting pasts, and great plotting, I can’t wait to read more! Highly recommend! Thanks to NetGalley and City Owl Press for the e-book which I voluntarily reviewed. This exact review will be posted on both Amazon and Goodreads.

Taking a risk has its rewards.

***4.5 Stars***

I received a friend request on Goodreads the other day, and while I was checking out her profile I came across a book that caught my eye. Now the cover, while not perfect, was very eye-catching. A strong woman with determination in her eyes has a flash of green fire wrapped around her. The background looks a little dark and gloomy which makes the green fire POP. Now, I won’t say that a cover will make or break a book, but if my attention is grabbed and the blurb is interesting, I’m more than willing to look a little closer. Hmmm…a new author? Hmmm…it’s on NetGalley? Hmmm…a strong heroine, an Alpha shapeshifting werewolf hero, a ghost for a sidekick and a mission that is a race against time? SOLD TO THE SASSY READER, who can’t resist stepping into a world full of magic, lust and adventure.

So, I took a risk on a new author and I’m so bloody glad I did. There is NOTHING better than finding a fantastic new paranormal series. Lisa Edmonds has started a series that grabbed and held my attention. What made it even more amazing is that I didn’t suffer the dreaded boring, dull, snooze-worthy, introduction to a new world. I have been known to struggle with stories that tell me all about the magic, rules, characters and world. Heart of Malice successfully shows me the new world as it’s experienced. With a little info here…and a little info there, I wasn’t bombarded all at once and I got to see it all live and in action. SUCCESS!!

Now, it turns out our new author happens to be a brainiac (in the best possible way). She actually teaches both writing and literature courses. I hope she teaches as she writes because it gives me hope for authors of the future.

Alice is not one to take risks when it comes to her privacy and letting people in. We meet Alice as she hunts down a demon. Things don’t exactly go to plan but at least she’s alive and ready to fight another day. Alice is a private investigator who also happens to be a mage. She uses her powers to help people, while also trying to avoid run-ins with SPEMA (Supernatural and Paranormal Entity Management Agency). Unfortunately, her altercation with the demon brought her face to face with two agents of SPEMA, and that is NOT what Alice wants or needs. We are lead to understand pretty quickly that Alice likes to keep on the down low and bring as little attention to herself as she can. With a little sweet talking…of the abrupt and straightforward kind, Alice manages to avoid being taken in.

From the introduction, we work out that Alice has strong abilities that she seems to want to hide. What follows is learning more about Alice, why she is keeping secrets and how she comes to meet her partner in crime, Malcolm the ghost. We also meet Charles the manipulative vampire who wants to suck her blood, and her new client Natalie, who I really hope to see in future stories as well. Alice has a few more ‘friends’ but I think they’re more acquaintances. Their dedication to Charles (their boss), makes any loyalty to Alice non-existent.

My favourite additional character is Sean. Oh, my lordy. I loved meeting the strong, sexy, Alpha Werewolf who started out as a one-night thing, that turned into something more. Seriously, this guy won my heart from the very start. He is growly, possessive, understanding and sweet…just the way I like them. There is a time in the story where his loyalty and feelings for Alice are questioned (view spoiler).

Well, paranormal romance lovers, I can confirm that I have found a WINNER! Alice Worth is one cool character and I can’t wait to see what adventure she’s up to next. My fingers are crossed that Sean stays in her life, Charles backs the hell off and Malcolm gets to hang around a bit more before he heads to the afterlife.