Blood Rock (Skindancer #2) by Anthony Francis
Urban Fantasy
E book
August 16, 2011
Bridge Bell Books

Reviewed by Tori

Favorite Quote: “…it’s a little to late for that. I date boys now. An official wasbian.

Dakota Frost has seen a lot of magic in her lifetime but when she watches graffiti tear a good friend, apart she knows no one in Atlanta is safe. When the police, DEI, and the vampires all target her as the creator of the graffiti, Dakota begins a deadly race to find and kill the creator of the killer magic before everything and everyone she loves is taken from her.

Magical tattoo artist Dakota Frost has recovered well from her magical battle with a serial and has started adoption proceeding for the stray werekin-Cinnamon. When her presence is demanded at a crime scene, she is unprepared for the devastating sight she receives. An old friend and vampire, Revenance is being crucified alive on a graffiti tag. Upon further inspection, Dakota realizes the graffiti itself is slowly killing him. Dakota has never seen anything like it and when she attempts to free him using her tattoo magic, she is dismayed to find her magic has no real power against it. When Dakota tries to involve herself in the case she is warned from all sides to stay out of it but Atlanta is Dakota’s home and she’s not letting anyone murder it’s inhabitants. As she goes deeper into world of taggers and magic, Dakota learns that something or someone is hunting the Edgeworlders and unless something is done to stop them, her child Cinnamon may be the next victim.

Blood Rock is the second book in Mr. Francis’s noir Urban Fantasy series-Skinwalker. Brimming with deception, betrayal, and violence-this paranormal “who dun it” will keep you guessing till the very end. Atlanta is being torn apart by magic that is not understood and it has the Edgeworlders (paranormals) frightened and on edge.

Dakota Frost is a strong yet very realistic heroine caught between the humans and the predators of Atlanta. She is not classically beautiful with her full body tattoos and death hawk yet she is true to herself and that shows the beauty from within. Known as a skindancer, she is able to magically manipulate the tattoos on her body yet it doesn’t make her the strongest kid on the block. She stays perched right on the edge of danger and it gets her caught in some pretty scary predicaments. There are multiple story lines and subplots running through here that complement without overwhelming each other. Dakota is trying to find the killer(s) and being considered the main suspect is not helping. She is also fighting to keep custody of Cinnamon. Her lifestyle and past doesn’t make her a suitable parent in the eyes of the law. Dakota is trying the best she can but admits freely that she may not be the best parent. She loves Cinnamon though and it’s apparent through out the book. I enjoyed the subplot that Mr. Francis introduces to explain Cinnamon’s problems at school. Though it brings a whole new set of problems for Dakota to deal with, she never considers Cinnamon to be damaged or an embarrassment to her. Tourettes is not addressed often yet it is a common condition and is often accompanied by learning disabilities. I would like to add though that the random outbursts of cursing is a rare aspect and only occurs in a small minority of carriers.

Though heavily character driven; it’s the fantastic world building that illuminates the story, guiding us through an alternative Atlanta and giving us an up close and personal look into the characters lives and the magic that surrounds them all. Mr. Francis does a wonderful job of offering scientific explanations behind the magic of this world in a clear manner. If I had one problem with this story it’s the adversity Dakota faces in here. She is forever being thrown into dangerous situations by friends and enemies alike. Most anyone would have bowed under this kind of pressure. It tended to slow the storyline down and exhausted this reader as we waited for her to extract herself from yet another problem or situation.

I was not happy with her ex girlfriend Saffron’s actions in here. She causes Dakota a lot of pain and sets off a painful chain of events with her petty jealousies then blows it all off with a “kiss-kiss” attitude. I remember thinking in here more then once that if I was Dakota, I’d grab Cinnamon, get the heck out of dodge, and let everyone else deal with it.

The romance is very low key in this installment but plays an important part in the storyline. Dakota’s boyfriend, a DEI agent, pops in here and there but only in an official capacity and we are left wondering, with Dakota, if it is meant to be. We see a potential romantic connection for Dakota but that is nipped in the bud and leaves you feeling a little bereft for the loss.

The ending is a whirl wind of action, suspense, and tense situations that boggle the mind when Mr. Francis chooses to reveal the answers to your questions. Everything wraps up tightly and leaves us and Dakota in an interesting position for the third book in the series, Liquid Fire, release date to be revealed. I have also read that Mr. Francis is looking into starting a YA series based on Cinnamon. This urban fantasy world that Mr. Francis has created is somewhat complicated in its character relationships so I would recommend reading Frost Moon first to better understand the dynamics of this world and its inhabitants.

Rating: C+

Recent Reviews:
Urban Fantasy Investigations – 4/5
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