Smoke And Smolder Book Review

Synopsis from Amazon, “Azar Nazemi is a firefighter with an ancient secret; she is Ifrit. A race of Djinn, or Genies as they are known to Westerners, the Ifrit have the ability to read a fire and mold it to their will. That makes her job a whole lot easier.

When her crew attends a series of deadly arsons that appear to have been lit by one of her own kind, Azar knows it is up to her to track down the rogue Ifrit and stop him before he kills more people. There’s only one problem; she’s spent a lifetime avoiding other Djinn and ensuring that the Djinn Ruling Council have no knowledge of her existence. A cold and brutal regime, the Djinn Council want to conscript her into slavery for one hundred years. 

As she pursues the Rogue, Azar will break the rules of secrecy that surround her world and enlist the help of human Arson Detective, Keenan Reilly. A chauvinist to the core, Detective Reilly has always rubbed Azar up the wrong way, mostly because she’d like him to rub her up the right way, despite her better judgement. But if she is to save her friends and the millions of people who call New York City home, then she is going to have to make a few sacrifices and bend a few rules.”

Finally! We’re getting to see some books delving into the Djinn and Genies. For a minute there I thought we were going to be stuck on an infinite loop of Bullies and Alice in Wonderland adaptions. Not that I don’t like those tropes, because I do. I just like variety.

This author did not disappoint. We are not dealing with the cuddly Disney type of Genies seen on television or cartoons. The people of the Djinn are a mean and archaic race governed by the Djinn Council. As explained in the book, Westerners refer to Azar’s race Genies. They refer to themselves as Djinn.

The Djinn make up a race, that from a young age, Azar was taught to fear and hide from. Azar is an Ifrit, which is a fire Djinn. There are 6 types of Djinn. 3 types are light, and 3 dark. Not really good versus evil, but benevolent versus malevolent. The benevolent Djinn races are Jann, Sila, and Marid. The malevolent are Ghul, Shaitan, and Ifrit. Any can be good, or evil.

Azar is our protagonist, and works as a local firefighter. I found that part rather amusing since she is a Ifrit Djinn. To catch an arsonist Azar has to expose what she is to human Arson Detective, Keenan Reilly. An act punishable by immediate death from the Djinn Council. Along the way Azar gains help in an unlikely form of a motley crew.

I found this novel engaging, and action packed. The sex scenes were great, and the actual story-line took precedence. Sometimes we lose the plot with too many sex scenes. This book had the right about of sex and sexual tension. There was a few edge of my seat moments as well. The Djinn Council do not mess around. Geeze. One group of people I would not ever want to meet. This novel does end on a tiny cliff hanger, but there will be a second book. We are not left hanging on what happens with the arsonist, and Azar exposing her Djinn existence to a human. If you’re looking for a new read, this is the one. The author is also an Indie Author. As always, Happy Reading! -Quare Eligere