Book Review: The Day of First Sun by Sheryl Steines

This is a fast and engaging read.
The Day of First Sun
by Sheryl Steines

• Paperback: 378 pages
• Publisher: CreateSpace (February 2, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1469990474
• ISBN-13: 978-1469990477

Genre:  Fantasy
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Product Description
When Princess Amelie of Amborix is murdered by magical means, Annie Pearce and Bobby “Cham” Chamsky of the Wizard’s Guard are called in by the FBI. Their job is to help solve the crime while keeping the non-magical world from discovering the existence of the Wizard Council.

During their investigation, Annie and Cham discover that Princess Amelie’s death is connected to a series of other crimes in the Chicago area. A larger plot involving, a vampire, a rogue wizard and an army of soul-less zombies is revealed, but can Annie and Cham discover who is responsible before The Day of First Sun? 

Review:

There is a lot of imagination in this magical world. Annie and Cham are part of a complete magical community in Chicago that remains hidden from the non-magical world. They are trained and well respected members of the Wizard’s Guard who have been called in to investigate the murder of a Princess from a foreign country. Princess Amelie’s boyfriend, Jordon, is the prime suspect. As they begin to investigate they realize there were several magical traces at the crime scene, indicating that magic had been used for a spell, curse, hex, jinx or other magical action.

Annie and Cham have also been trying to capture a vampire, Sturtagaard, who is believed to be involved in a plot to create zombies. Soon their investigation into the murder crosses paths with their hunt for Sturtagaard. They discover that a special magical orb, a necessary element to create the zombies, has been stolen.  As Annie and Cham search the evidence and interrogate the witnesses and suspects they learn that a special knife has been taken from the Wizard archives. It appears that there is a mole in the Wizard’s Guard who is betraying the Council.

Annie and Cham are a nice couple who have been friends since childhood and Annie just realizes that they are good companions and can be more. The light romance is hesitant in writing but sweet as Ms. Steines stretches each encounter from holding hands to kissing to slightly passionate kissing. Annie and Cham may be good at their jobs but they make mistakes and let Sturtagaard escape. Annie also manages to trap herself in a bad spot with a villain. 

There are several other characters who are developed nicely with unique personalities. I liked the magical packs that they shrink to carry. The story moves along at a quick pace with continual action towards solving the mystery and capturing the culprits. There is a nice mix of emotions, action and adventure. I was engaged by the story even though the writing seemed a bit immature. It’s not childish but seems aimed at a younger age even though the characters are in their twenties.  I’d like to see this author improve her writing technique a bit. I would enjoy another story with such an imaginative plot and lots of action. [Note: After reading the author's Blog Post I am wondering if she didn't deliberately downplay the language in this novel. So perhaps what I commented on is just an effort to reach a younger audience by keeping the writing light.]

Thank you to the author and Novel Publicity for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This story takes place in Chicago so I will note that in Where Are You Reading Challenge. I will also add this to my ARC and New Author challenge lists.  
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About the book: A vampire, a rogue wizard and an army of soulless zombies are par for the course for Annie Pearce and Bobby “Cham” Chamsky of the Wizard’s Guard. But when the non-magical princess, Amelie of Amborix, is murdered by magical means, a deeper plot unfolds. Get it on Amazon.  

About the author: Behind the wheel of her ’66 Mustang Convertible, Sheryl is a constant surprise, using her sense of humor and relatable style make her books something everyone can enjoy. Visit Sheryl on her website, Twitter, Facebook, or GoodReads.