After a raging fire consumes her town and kills her parents, Maggie Davis is on her own to protect her younger sister and survive best she can in the Colorado town of Burning Mesa. In Maggie’s world, the bones of long-extinct magical creatures such as dragons and sirens are mined and traded for their residual magical elements, and harnessing these relics’ powers allows the user to wield fire, turn invisible, or heal even the worst of injuries.
Working in a local saloon, Maggie befriends the spirited showgirl Adelaide and falls for the roguish cowboy Landon. But when she proves to have a particular skill at harnessing the relics’ powers, Maggie is whisked away to the glamorous hacienda of Álvar Castilla, the wealthy young relic baron who runs Burning Mesa. Though his intentions aren’t always clear, Álvar trains Maggie in the world of relic magic. But when the mysterious fires reappear in their neighboring towns, Maggie must discover who is channeling relic magic for evil before it’s too late.
Relic is a thrilling adventure set in a wholly unique world, and a spell-binding story of love, trust, and the power of good.
I have to admit that when I accepted this book for review I honestly had no idea what it was about. I hadn't read the blurb I just saw the pretty cover and knew it was published by Entangled Teen. It wasn't long after starting this that I realised that this book was something special.
After Maggie loses the majority of her family in a eerily magical fire she is left to fend for herself and her little sister. Working in a local saloon she just wants to get by. It isn't long until she find out that the reason her boss employed her is she has a talent with relics. In Maggie's world magic is held by relics. The bones of the ancestral magical species and Maggie is talented. Forced into a glamorous life of magic and intrigue it's easy for Maggie to get lost in all the glitz. But soon there is another fire, exactly like the one that destroyed her home. She must find out who is causing these magical fires before hte whole land is destroyed.
With so many other YA fantasy books out there it really is hard to find that one special book that not only blows you away but also takes you by surprise as it's so unique and incredible. Relic is that book. Relic is a gem that is better than all the rest but is hidden behind the more sparkly ones. But the unknown ones are usually the best and Relic is. I fell head over heels in love with this book.
It's really hard to accept that this book is Renee Collins debut book. It's just so phenomenal and her writing style is so polished and perfect that you would think she had been in this business for years. Her words captured me completely and her world and character building is amazing. I was gripped right from the start and I couldn't put the book down.
Maggie is such a unique little character. I adore her. She isn't kick-ass like other YA heroines but she isn't a damsel in distress either. She is the perfect mixture of both. She takes whatever is thrown at her and deals with it. She is determined to do the right thing and she will do everything it takes to do it. Even if it means risking her life... but then she isn't afraid to admit when she needs help. I love that about her. It makes her a fresh and different character to read about.
Relic was incredible. I don't know what I was expecting when I started this book but I definitely was not expecting it to be as incredible as it was. I was genuinelly shocked, in a good way by how amazing this book was. If you're looking for books that have magic, romance, adventure and action then Relic is definitely the book for you. It hooked me in and took me on one amazing magical journey that left me breathless. The ending was pure perfection but I am holding on my hope that there will be a sequel. This storyline is too much of a hidden gem to not continue I loved it!