Review: Clean Sweep

Title - Clean Sweep

Author - Ilona Andrews

Series - Innkeeper Chronicles #1

Genre - Urban Fantasy

Published December 2nd 2013

(Goodreads)(Amazon)

Synopsis

On the outside, Dina Demille is the epitome of normal. She runs a quaint Victorian Bed and Breakfast in a small Texas town, owns a Shih Tzu named Beast, and is a perfect neighbor, whose biggest problem should be what to serve her guests for breakfast. But Dina is...different: Her broom is a deadly weapon; her Inn is magic and thinks for itself. Meant to be a lodging for otherworldly visitors, the only permanent guest is a retired Galactic aristocrat who can’t leave the grounds because she’s responsible for the deaths of millions and someone might shoot her on sight. Under the circumstances, "normal" is a bit of a stretch for Dina.

And now, something with wicked claws and deepwater teeth has begun to hunt at night....Feeling responsible for her neighbors, Dina decides to get involved. Before long, she has to juggle dealing with the annoyingly attractive, ex-military, new neighbor, Sean Evans—an alpha-strain werewolf—and the equally arresting cosmic vampire soldier, Arland, while trying to keep her inn and its guests safe. But the enemy she’s facing is unlike anything she’s ever encountered before. It’s smart, vicious, and lethal, and putting herself between this creature and her neighbors might just cost her everything.

Review

Dina is an Inn keeper of a bed and breakfast in a small town in Texas. She’s just starting out so her Inn only has a two star rating which she’s hoping to improve like her parents inn. Her parents are missing but no one knows what happened to them. On the plus side she does have a permanent guest an alien who’s past is marked with millions of deaths loves funyuns and mello yellow. As an innkeeper Dina’s job is to protect her guests which she does with the Inns magic, and not get involved with what’s going on outside the inn. Her only goal is to make the inn a success and that one day she will have a guest recognize the picture of her parents giving her the clue she needs to figure out what happened.

When the neighbor dogs start turning up dead and the alpha werewolf down the street doesn't seem to be doing anything it’s up to Dina to figure out what’s going on before the prey is something bigger like her neighbors. Dina is successful in slaying a few of the stalkers who came onto the inns property but when the vampires soldiers show up wanting to take out the alien that is sending the stalkers she steps back. When the vampires are all but wiped out by the alien except for the knight who is saved by Sean the alpha werewolf they agree it’s time to work together. As if she doesn’t have enough problems the vampire Marshall Arland shows up to take care of the problem. Is Dina strong enough to take on the alien and will her Inn survive? What about the two new powerful men in her life who both hint at being interested?

Dina is a fascinating character I found her captivating because I’ve never read a book with a character like her. I liked her right from the start she’s down to earth, smart and easy to connect with I couldn’t help getting sucked into her story. We are introduced to two guys whom I think we will see more in the future an alpha strain werewolf and a vampire but this one doesn’t sparkle in the sunlight. I’m not sure which one I like more they are both yummy. Just going to have to wait and see.

I was enchanted by the idea for clean sweep before picking up a copy. I’ve also enjoyed other books by this author before so I knew this one would be awesome. Clean sweep exceeded my expectations by leaps and bounds. The concept is unique and captivating the whole idea for who Dina is was intriguing.  The characters are easy to connect with I know I was sucked into Dina’s story by the first few pages. The author has also given us two potential love interests that are unlike your everyday vampire and werewolf. I’m so torn I want to scream from the rooftops team Sean but darn there is something about the vampire Arland who doesn’t sparkle in the sun. I like that the story show’s there is a bigger world out there than just earth. I honestly can’t wait to get my hands on the next installment. It was a very well written story that’s action packed with a kick ass heroine who wields a broom. I just loved the whole book it It’s one of those book it was exactly what I needed. Dina is going in my top ten favorite kick ass characters. My only complaint is I should have gotten the paperback instead of the ebook. I love the cover. 

5 out of 5 stars