Lineage

This review is also featured on Behind the Pages: Lineage

Desperate for a job, Nicole ends up working for Tribec Insurance But something is off about the company. Nicole keeps seeing evidence of magic, yet no one is owning up to using it on the employees. As she starts to investigate the family and the magic they may use, she discovers their roots are steeped in blood magic. And it may be too late for her to escape their plans.

The writing style of Lineage was easy to follow and fast-paced. Though the plot did not focus on magic as heavily as I imagined it would. From the description and the initial story build up, I assumed Nicole would be spending more time at Tribec and diving into the mystery around the company. There were moments of tension as Nicole began to research the possible magic Tribec used, but she never focused on it long. And any time Nicole spent at Tribec was filled with her brooding over how bad the job was and becoming confrontational with every employee she encountered.

Nicole is a fierce and independent woman, but she is also extremely judgmental. When seeing people for the first time she judges them based on their weight and appearance. She is also a shallow person who doesn't want to be bothered listening to friends when they are having a tough time. She would rather sleep with any available man and continue to embrace bad habits. Between her promiscuity and lack of character development, I did not connect with Nicole at all.

There were many opportunities for the story to ramp up the conflict and tension, but the storyline was a slow burn. And despite many instances where the characters should have seen what was wrong, the writing made them ignore the situations. If there had been more reacting instead of dismissing the danger the story would have kept my attention better. This is not a series I will be continuing.