Review: Frost Moon (Skindancer #1), by Anthony Francis

Title: Frost Moon (Skindancer #1)
Author: Anthony Francis
Format: eGalley
Source: NetGalley

From Goodreads: "In an alternate Atlanta where magic is practiced openly, where witches sip coffee at local cafes, shapeshifters party at urban clubs, vampires rule the southern night like gangsters, and mysterious creatures command dark caverns beneath the city, Dakota Frost's talents are coveted by all. She's the best magical tattooist in the southeast, a Skindancer, able to bring her amazing tats to life. When a serial killer begins stalking Atlanta's tattooed elite, the police and the Feds seek Dakota's help. Can she find the killer on the dark fringe of the city's Edgeworld? Among its powerful outcasts and tortured loners, what kind of enemies and allies will she attract? Will they see her as an invader, as a seducer, as an unexpected champion ... or as delicious prey?"

My Opinion: When I read the synopsis for this book, I just knew I had to read it! Magical tattoos? I'm there! What I got was so much more than I was expecting!

The MC, Dakota Frost, is bad ass, 6'2", not including the height her mohawk adds, and covered in tats - how could I not love her? She dresses to show off her "assets" and barges into danger without thinking twice if her friends need her help. She owns a tattoo parlor in the Little Five Points area of Atlanta and is best known for her "magical tattoos", tats that actually move, including butterflies that rise up off of your skin and fly around! I love it! She also hangs out with a very eclectic group: vampires, werewolves, magicians, and a blind witch (one of my favorite characters). She's called in by the cops to help find a serial killer who is removing the magical tats from people's skin while they're still alive. She's also helping the DEI (Department of Extraordinary Investigations), which includes a very special man in black. 

The world building is awesome in this book! When Dakota starts asking around and goes beneath the city to question the Edgeworlders who hang there, I could feel the menacing atmosphere. The pace was quick but not so quick that you didn't have time to get to know the secondary characters. One of my other favorites was a stray weretiger named Cinnamon who attached herself to Dakota! She was so cute and energetic, and she brought out the protective mama bear side of Dakota that seemed to round out her personality. 

All in all, I loved this book and I can't wait to read the next book in the series. I highly recommend it to fans of paranormal/fantasy with awesome kick ass heroines:D