Three Kinds of Lucky by Kim Harrison – a Review

Amazon / B&N / Kobo / Google Play / Apple / BAM / Bookbub

Description:
Petra Grady has known since adolescence that she has no talent for magic—and that’s never going to change. But as a sweeper first-class, she’s parlayed her rare ability to handle dross—the damaging, magical waste generated by her more talented kin’s spellwork—into a decent life working at the mages’ university.

Except Grady’s relatively predictable life is about to be upended. When the oblivious, sexy, and oh-so-out-of-reach Benedict Strom needs someone with her abilities for a research project studying dross and how to render it harmless, she’s stuck working on his team—whether she wants to or not.

Only Benedict doesn’t understand the characteristics of dross like Grady does. After an unthinkable accident, she and Benedict are forced to go on the run to seek out the one person who might be able to help: an outcast exiled ten years ago for the crime of using dross to cast spells. Now Grady must decide whether to stick with the magical status quo or embrace her own hidden talents . . . and risk shattering their entire world.

Review:

Three Kinds of Lucky by Kim Harrison is the first book in her new The Shadow Age series. We meet Petra Grady, our heroine, who is a sweeper extraordinaire, who has the unique ability to handle dross, a damaging, magical waste. Dross is magical garbage that is left behind by mages performing magic. Petra has never been able to perform magic, but she has the rare talent to in handling the dross: dross if left lying around, can turn into bad luck for anyone who touches it.

Benedict Strom, a former friend, has been working to crack a code by neutralizing dross. He needs someone like Petra, with her unique abilities, to help research aimed at making it less dangerous. Petra wants nothing to do with what she feels is dangerous and hopeless, but her boss forces her to become part of Benedict’s team. Her life is about to change drastically.

After a terrible accident blows up the lab, both Petra and Benedict are on the run. Seems Benedict is being blamed for the explosion, and Petra decides to seek out an exiled outcast, who knows everything about the Mages, Dross and Shadows. Upon meeting the man who was close to her deceased father, Petra shortly will learn that she does have hidden talents, which will change everything.

Petra comes into contact with Shadow, which is feared by all magic users. Petra manages to build on her contact with shadow, with mental talking to each other, which also leads her to have magical ability.    I did felt bad when her lovable dog, Pluck, dies; but later on, the Shadow Pluck becomes an important part of the changes, especially her having weaver abilities.  What follows is an exciting last third of the book, with Petra, Benedict, her father’s friend, and Len (a militia member) who will fight the mages.  I will say I really hated her roommate, Ashley, who turned into an evil person. 

Three Kinds of Lucky was a very good start to this new series, and was very well written by Kim Harrison.  I look forward to what she has in store for us, with the next book.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher