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Literature / Allie Beckstrom
aka: Magic On The Storm

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The Allie Beckstrom series by Devon Monk is an Urban Fantasy series set in The Unmasqued World.

Currently consists of:

  • Magic to the Bone
  • Magic in the Blood
  • Magic in the Shadows
  • "The Sweet Smell of Cherries" (in Crime Spells Anthology)
  • Magic on the Storm
  • Magic at the Gate
  • Magic on the Hunt
  • Magic on the Line
  • Magic Without Mercy
  • Magic for a Price


Tropes included in this work:

  • Amnesiac Lover: After the climax of Magic to the Bone, having caused Victory-Guided Amnesia in herself, Allie learns that she had fallen in love over the course of the novel. She and the man meet again, tenatively, at the end.
  • Anxiety Dreams: Discussed in Magic to the Bone, when Allie comments on the fact that she does not have Anxiety Dreams when she sleeps on the drive to a friend's while escaping a city where she's suspected of murdering her father.
  • Blinded by the Light: In Magic to the Bone, Allie uses this tactic on a would-be kidnapper—a two-second flash created by a simple cantrip that's too simple and childish to be expected.
  • Cast from Experience Points: The eponymous protagonist loses her memories when she performs magic. The greater the magic, the more memories she loses.
  • Charm Person: Allie's father used this ability to get her in enrolled in Harvard and keep her there for two years before she broke loose.
  • Crush Blush: In Magic in the Shadows, Allie is surprised when she blushes at a toast "to love."
  • Curse: Being called in to deal with one starts off the first book.
  • Dead Person Conversation: In Magic in the Blood, Allie's father appears to talk to her.
  • Easy Amnesia: One consequence of magic is the loss of memories. Allie frequently experiences it and the memories never come back, although the books indicate that her more visceral memories (love and fear) linger on in the form of influencing her personality.
  • Equivalent Exchange: This is central to the series. Magic always exacts a price, usually in pain. The user can choose between an hour-long migraine or a week-long head cold, but the price will be paid. For the protagonist, magic also takes her memories. For small spells, she'll forget what her stepmother's name is. For large spells, she'll wake up with a three week hole in her life. She carries a journal with her everywhere, with her name, address, etc. written on the first page, just in case.
  • Eye Color Change: In Magic to the Bone, Zayvion has Brown Eyes with flecks of gold... until he leaves the magic grid, whereupon they turn pure brown. When he drives back, his eyes turn pure gold with flecks of brown.
  • A Friend in Need: In Magic to the Bone, Zayvion repeatedly provides help to Allie, such as giving her money for a taxi. She is suspicious of his motives, though his working for her father does give her some reason.
  • Idiosyncratic Episode Naming: Every main book in the series starts with the word "Magic":
    • Magic to the Bone
    • Magic in the Blood
    • Magic in the Shadows
    • "The Sweet Smell of Cherries" (in Crime Spells Anthology)
    • Magic on the Storm
    • Magic at the Gate
    • Magic on the Hunt
    • Magic on the Line
    • Magic Without Mercy
    • Magic for a Price
  • Knight in Shining Armor: Discussed in Magic to the Bone when Allie speaks of looking for police in shining armor.
  • May–December Romance: In Magic to the Bone, Allie is shocked to discover that her last stepmother is at most a year older than she is. Violet admits that she would be shocked, too, if her father married someone her age, but assures her it was a love match.
  • Mysterious Past: In Magic to the Bone, Zayvion reveals very little of his past. It's one reason why Allie suspects him of being untrustworthy.
  • Nature Lover: Discussed in Magic Without Mercy when Allie quips about the "great outdoors" when they have to hike somewhere.
  • Never Got To Say Good Bye: In Magic to the Bone, Allie sees her father for the first time in years and tells him she hates him just before his death. It's true that she hates him, for good reason, but it still unnerves her.
  • Nursery Rhyme: In Magic to the Bone, Allie uses "Miss Mary Mack" as her mantra.
  • Our Gargoyles Rock: In this universe, gargoyles are merely statues animated by elaborate and expensive spells — until Allie accidentally puts her magic into one. "Stone" then becomes a self-powered individual with the intelligence and personality of a dog.
  • Powered by a Forsaken Child: Discussed in Magic on the Storm: Shame finds the nursery the hardest part of the hospital — all that life that could be drawn upon. Allie is relieved that he assures her he wouldn't, because she would fight him over it, and she doesn't want to fight him.
  • Raised by Wolves: Discussed in Magic to the Bone: Allie at one point claims she was, but does have some social graces.
  • She Cleans Up Nicely: In Magic In the Shadows, Allie is struck by how Zayvion looks when he arrives for their date, and outright says, "Don't you clean up nice."
  • Subject 101: In Magic in the Blood, Business Magic 101 was one course Allie took. It didn't help with the matter at hand.
  • Supernatural Gold Eyes: Zayvion's eyes exhibit EyeColorChange starting brown and going progressively more gold with matching magic density.
  • They Have the Scent!: In Magic To the Bone, Allie recounts how, to throw a Hound off your trail, you need to avoid using magic and cover up your smell with something else stinky. She opts for garbage.
  • Thicker Than Water: In Magic to the Bone, Mama tells one of her Boys he's bringing trouble on his family. He argues that he could get them money and power, and Mama counters he should not be ashamed of his real family.
  • Through His Stomach: In Magic in the Shadows, Maeve brings Allie food and tells her to eat it — without magical Influence, but in such a motherly way that she obeys.

Alternative Title(s): Magic To The Bone, Magic In The Blood, Magic In The Shadows, Magic On The Storm, Magic At The Gate, Magic On The Hunt, Magic On The Line, Magic Without Mercy

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