Series: Mercedes Cruz #1Release date: September 18th 2013
Self-Published
Purchase: Amazon
Synopsis via Goodreads:
Mercedes Cruz is a Bruja--or Witch, in Spanish. Just like many first generation sons and daughters of immigrant parents, Mercy has embraced America, its culture, and its customs in their entirety. But Brujeria or Mexican Witchcraft is deeply tied with Mercy's heritage and her family's past, and because she's neglected such a large chunk of her identity, Mercy now stands a stunted witch in her 30's.
Mercy, also a single mother of five year old Terra, who may also share her attributes, has decided to start her own private investigation firm in the heart of Orange County, California. She's decided to use her budding talents to recruit business, solve challenging cases, and help those in the community who lack a voice and who may be too afraid to report crimes due to their legal status --leaving criminals to freely exploit those who choose to live in the shadows.
*A ecopy was provided by the author.
This was an interesting read. In fact, I enjoyed the story quite a bit. Mercy Cruz is a single mother trying to make her job as a private investigator and raising her daughter work. Not to mention she has her daughter's growing gift to deal with as well. After all, Mercy knows all too well the importance of concealing something different outsiders wouldn't understand.
The story is focused on the mystery surrounding the disappearance of Mercy's friend, and her uncovering the magical elements involved in the investigation. There's also reference to the protagonist's love life and her not dating much. When her ex and father of her daughter, Terra, comes into the story, you get a sense why it would be hard to trust again. I certainly didn't like his character, and regardless if he just couldn't understand Mercy's need for secrecy, that didn't give him an excuse to be such a jerk at times, especially when it came to their child.
Aside from the dating issues and being pursued by officer Patterson, other factors of the story included Mercy's powerful aunt feeling regretful that her niece isn't as strong as she'd like her to be, and the appearance of a warlock that brings troubles in Mercy's life towards the end.
Like I said, the story is interesting and I would like to continue Mercy's journey and what she'll investigate next. However, the pace could have been slowed down a tad to give us more development. I felt like everything went by too quick and had there been somewhat of a break down in some parts it would've made the story much more stronger. I still recommend this book to anyone who enjoys urban fantasy, mystery, and diversity in stories.
