Review: Satisfying Characters and Distinctive Mystery!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 02 4, 2014
Find this review and more at Lusty Penguin Reviews!Lovers of mysteries intertwined with irresistible contemporary romance will thoroughly enjoy The Muse, the first book in the Dark Art Mystery series by Kenya Wright. The author’s graceful writing style and lush attention to detail draw the reader into her intriguing work of edgy artists. Wright compellingly tells this story, alternating between the viewpoints of Elle and Alvarez.Elle, nude model, leaves an abusive relationship and travels across the country to pose for her ex-boyfriend’s artistic nemesis, Hex. After years of being cheated on and verbally abused, Elle searches for her own passion and the meaning of her life outside of modeling. I found Elle’s bravery—especially in the way she changes her looks—and her open-mindedness to the path she is on refreshing and endearing. Hex has major plans for his piece with Elle and encourages her to really discover who she is. Although Elle sees Hex as a dark and disturbed artist, she takes a leap of faith with his vision to see if she can really find herself. Despite the fact that she absolutely does not want to be in any relationship, Elle finds herself completely smitten with Alvarez, Hex’s brother. Alvarez, a protective alpha male who at times act first and thinks second, is mesmerized by Elle and believes that he has found his one and only. His first instinct is to protect Elle and make decisions for her, but Elle wants a say in the decision making. To his credit, Alvarez makes the effort to include Elle in the process, which I just loved about him. Elle and Alvarez’s witty banter provide many laugh-out-loud moments, which help to lighten this story as the dead bodies keep turning up. I also loved how Elle and Alvarez, each in their own way, help each other with their problems, making them a couple to cheer for.Along with the romantic aspect of this story, Wright does a masterful job of developing a unique, intricate and dark mystery. The development of Grandma, a secondary character who has visions and practices witchcraft, adds considerable eeriness to the already dark mystery.Satisfying characters, a distinctive mystery, and plenty of twists and turns that keep the reader guessing right up to the stunning reveal make The Muse a fast-paced, top-notch beginning to a new series.I received an eBook copy of the book for the purpose of an honest review. I was not compensated for this review, and all conclusions are my own responsibility.