The Exile by CT Adams

Genre:  Adult Urban Fantasy

The Fae Series, Book 1

CT Adams' website

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Description (taken from Goodreads):

Brianna Hai runs an occult shop that sells useless trinkets to tourists—and real magic supplies to witches and warlocks. The magical painting that hangs in Brianna's apartment is the last portal between the fae and human worlds.

A shocking magical assault on her home reveals to Brianna that her father, High King Liu of the Fae, is under attack. With the help of her gargoyle, Pug, her friend David, and Angelo, a police detective who doesn't believe in magic, Brianna recovers what was stolen from her and becomes an unwilling potential heir to the throne.

Brianna is your typical occult shop owner.  You know the kind that is half-witch-half-fae.  She left the fae world to join her mother in the human world.  And while she collects and sells magical artifacts, her father watches from the only known portal between the two worlds.  Needless to say, it only takes a small catalyst to bring her back to the fae world.

After receiving a gift from her father, King Liu, Brianna has to find something to send in return.  With the help of her coworker and friend, David, she's able to find the perfect piece of art.  When they struggle to get it home, David's brother, Nick, just happens to be in the neighborhood to offer them a ride back to the shop.  Seems like the perfect opportunity to introduce the magic and the fae.  In an attempt to save what's hers, she along with her two companions end up in the fae world.  But it's kind of hard to not make an attempt at war when the other side is willing to kill her.  And of course it draws the attention of her father.  Brianna is now back as princess of the fae.

I loved this book from start to finish.  While I had a hard time with the intro and sticking with the characters as the narrator changed, I was captivated by all of the action.  There were so many side stories keeping up with the main plotline that I felt like I was in an actual person's world.  The only issue I had is I felt like everything tied up too nicely with the ending.  It set everything up perfectly and didn't offer too many twists.  But the story itself is still worth it.

This is a definite for urban fantasy fans.  It has just a dash of romance in it (almost non-existent); it's more focused on Brianna's past and her path forward.  It's good!

Thanks goes to Tor for providing me a review copy.