From Goodreads: Nick Cross always listens to the voice in his head. Because if he doesn’t? Things can go really, really wrong. Like the day he decided to go off script and saved a girl from being run over . . . and let another one drown. Trying to change the future doesn’t work.

But this summer at the Jersey Shore, something’s about to happen that Nick never could have predicted. He meets a girl named Taryn and finds out about the Book of Touch. Now the path that he thought he was on begins to shift . . . and there’s no way to stop things from happening. Or is there?

In a life where there are no surprises, nothing has prepared Nick for what he’s about to discover–or the choice he will be forced to make…

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This was a very interesting premise, but I thought the novel, overall, was somewhat predictable.  The idea of knowing the future has always intrigued me, and I know it intrigues authors as well, because I’ve read a few other novels that follow this same premise.  Thus, the idea, sadly, isn’t knew.  However, I found Balog’s explanations behind the Book of Touch to be completely unique, and I really enjoyed that aspect of the story.  Though I hate to say it, the beginning of this novel didn’t grab my attention as, like I just said, others have been down this road before, and Nick is really not an interesting character.  However, Taryn’s appearance and disclosure of her family’s curse, finally, renewed my interest in the novel.  While Taryn shows up rather quickly within the novel, I truly felt like it took forever for her to explain how she and Nick were connected, and how he came to be the way he was.  Perhaps she disclosed it rather quickly, I didn’t note the page number, but, for me, it felt like a very long time in getting to the main purpose of the story.  However, once Balog gets there, the story becomes very intriguing, and I enjoyed it through to the end.

If you haven’t read any novels out there about a character being able to see and change the future, then I suggest picking up this novel.  Balog is a very good writer and I think you’ll probably enjoy the read from start to finish.  Three stars.

Random House Children’s Books has been extremely gracious in allowing me to read an ARC of this novel, via Netgalley, prior to its release on August 14, 2012.

From Goodreads: Before WICKED was formed, before the Glade was built, before Thomas entered the Maze, sun flares hit the earth and mankind fell to disease.

Mark and Trina were there when it happened, and they survived. But surviving the sun flares was easy compared to what came next. Now a disease of rage and lunacy races across the eastern United States, and there’s something suspicious about its origin. Worse yet, it’s mutating, and all evidence suggests that it will bring humanity to its knees.

Mark and Trina are convinced there’s a way to save those left living from descending into madness. And they’re determined to find it—if they can stay alive. Because in this new, devastated world, every life has a price. And to some, you’re worth more dead than alive.

The prequel to the New York Times bestselling Maze Runner series.

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I’m sorry to say that, while I liked this novel, I don’t think it did a great job of connecting to the series as a prequel.  Yes, it’s showing how the world was devastated by the sun flares, and how a virus was concocted that wiped out much of humanity, but even with the prologue and epilogue, I didn’t feel like the stories were really that intertwined, and so I found myself a little confused.

Mark and Trina are new characters to the series and their lives, along with Alec, Lana, and a few others, don’t really seem to have any association with the series as far as I can tell.  Had I known that going in, I probably wouldn’t have picked up this book, truth be told.  I was looking for something that would lead right up to the beginning of The Maze Runner, something that would not only explain the outbreak, but also the need for the maze in the first place, and this book isn’t it.  After I went back and re-read the prologue and epilogue, I guess I can somewhat see how the novels come together, but in retrospect, all the filler in-between, then, really wasn’t needed as I still don’t see it’s connection to the series.

Now, as I’ve only read the first book in the series, The Maze Runner, perhaps this prequel will make more sense once I’ve read the other books, but I’m not sure if that is true… I’ll have to read and see.  But either way, I have to say that I just wasn’t as impressed with this novel as I was with The Maze Runner.

Though there is a lot of action in this novel, I never really felt any kinship with any of the characters.  Their plight was terrible to face, but I actually found much of their ordeal to be repetitive and a bit dragged out.  I felt like the characters kept getting themselves into the same types of situations: running for their lives, then flying away, only to end up running for their lives, and then flying somewhere else.  And on top of that, a lot of the descriptions were a little too gross for me.  Had this been a horror novel, I wouldn’t have minded, but as it’s YA dystopian, I think it was a bit much.  In my opinion, the first time the reader was told what the virus did to humans gave more than enough description for us to fill in the blanks.  I didn’t need the constant repetition of bashing brains in, etc., to get the point.  But, that’s a personal preference, and some may really enjoy it as it did give the crazies with the virus a little more validity in terms of being very afraid of them.

Overall, I think the story was decent and I did like it, for the most part.  And, though I wished for more of a connection with the characters, it was worth the read. Three stars.

Random House Children’s Books has been extremely gracious in allowing me to read an ARC of this novel, via Netgalley, prior to its release on August 14, 2012.

From Goodreads: Samantha Carter believes that a vampire is responsible for the brutal deaths of four women in her hometown.

Desperate to prove this, Samantha seeks the friendship of a Preacher, two Cowgirls and a Cowboy. Together they are hired by the mysterious Englishman, Spencer Drake, to travel by steam train up into the mountains in the search of gold. But it’s on this journey that Samantha discovers vampires are very real and far more dangerous than she had ever imagined.

To stay alive, Samantha needs to figure out why things have gone so terribly wrong for her – but more importantly why she is out of time.

**This is a mature New Adult Novel for ages 17 and up. Contains sexual situations and scenes of horror**

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In his newest series, O’Rourke takes on cowgirls and cowboys, but adds a deadly twist: vampires and weres walk among them. But, what the synopsis doesn’t tell you is that not only are there vampires and werewolves, but also many intriguing characters, time travel, and, oh yes, some memory loss.  This makes for an epic read as Samantha Carter attempts to hunt down a killer… the man she believes might be Jack the Ripper.  Is it possible he was a vampire?  You’ll have to read to find out…

Now, readers beware.  This is just as well written as any of O’Rourke’s other books, but unlike his others, this novel is purely for adults.  Yes, it’s not until a little over half-way through that the explicit sexual scene takes place (which, sadly to say, is not something I like to read in any novel—bit of a prude here), but that aside, there are also many horrific, detailed, bloody scenes that begin way before that.  Scenes that will make your blood crawl, your eyes bug out, and your lunch might just want to come up to say hello as well.  In other words, it’s a tad bit gross.  But, I don’t mind extreme horror when it’s well done, and O’Rourke has once again written a wonderful novel filled with mystery and intrigue, and it definitely piqued my interest and kept me guessing.  I truly did enjoy the novel, aside from the explicit sex scene, and I am eagerly awaiting the next novel. Four stars.

I received a copy of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.

From Goodreads: After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin.

Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king’s council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she’ll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom. Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilarating. But she’s bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her… but it’s the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best. Then one of the other contestants turns up dead… quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.

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I thoroughly enjoyed this novel.  Celaena’s story is one of heartbreak, and yet there is triumph there as well.  Treated horribly by those around her, forced into tortured slavery, her disposition is phenomenal, and her ability to interact with others as well as she did amazed me.  I have no doubt that I wouldn’t have acted so well in front of the court!  While still always cautious and wary of others, I found Calaena to be a true heroine, even if she is an assassin, and am extremely interested in her back story, which is alluded to throughout the novel, and which I believe is covered in more depth in the prequel novellas that I’m about to scoop up and devour.

Maas has done a superb job creating a story that instantly wraps up the reader within its grasp, and it’s a story that, though long, is virtually perfect.  The wit and banter between the characters, especially Celaena, Dorian, and Westfall, was hilarious and I really liked the dynamics between them all.  I think a love triangle will develop more so in the next book, but I’m definitely routing for Dorian, though Westfall is great too!

This book is fast paced and its fantasy world is intense.  I really liked learning about Wyrdmarks and the Fae magic, though I wouldn’t say that this novel revolves around those elements.  Really, it’s a story of survival, where everyone battles against each other, like in The Hunger Games, but instead of a battle to the death, it’s more like a reality TV show where the loser goes back to wherever they came from.  In Celaena’s case, that would be back to the slave mines, a fate worse than death.  With much riding on the outcome of the sparing and ability tests, Celaena has more than enough on her plate, but something is also stalking her and her opponents.  Throw in the shredded remains of her competitors here and there, and this novel also takes on a mystery as the people of court attempt to figure it out before it’s too late.

With all these numerous elements Maas employs throughout her novel—love, betrayal, mystery, intrigue, murder, mayhem, duels, fancy feasts, and witty banter—this novel is a must read.  Five stars.

I won an ARC of this novel from Becky at Book Bite Reviews, who picked me up a signed copy of this amazing novel during BEA!

From Goodreads: “You’re going to hate me forever when you learn my secret.”

Seventeen-year-old stoner Aaron Foster was offered a choice: go to jail or turn undercover narc to find the dealer who’s funneling drugs into Miami’s Palm Hammock High School. But Aaron has never been good at getting close to people. He’s human wallpaper, a stoner wastecase who’s obsessed with video games and street magic.

With a cop from Narcotics breathing down his neck, Aaron gets himself invited to parties where the deals go down. To get close to the school’s biggest players, Aaron lies to everyone–most of all, the cute but troubled Morgan Baskin. With the Everglades party on Halloween night–and a planned drug bust there–just days away, Aaron realizes that he’s falling hard for Morgan . . . and trying to protect her could cost him everything.

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While I enjoyed the premise of this story very much, I found that it progressed a bit slowly and I never really connected with the characters.  Don’t get me wrong, I liked the novel, I just wasn’t as enamored as I thought I was going to be going in.  Mainly, I wasn’t a fan of Aaron, and as he’s the protagonist, that’s a big deal for me.  If I’m not in love with the characters, then I automatically won’t be in love with the book; just a fact of life.  Aaron was an all right guy, trying to do the right thing, but his constant wishy-washiness really irked me.  I understand that he’s under a lot of pressure from the cops, and that he’s “falling in love,” but even so, the fact that he couldn’t decide if he wanted to protect himself and his family or a girl he liked was a bit jarring.  Perhaps it’s just me, but I believe family comes first, and since Aaron has just met his new stoner friends, Morgan and Scully, I don’t think he made the right choices when it came to family versus friends.  But again, I’m not in his situation, so I can only say what I think I would do.   And thinking I’d do something and actually doing it are two different things… so perhaps I’d be in the same boat as Aaron.

But, characterization aside, I also had an issue with the fact that Aaron was forced to be a Narc at 17.  Now, I don’t know the law, but Aaron states, repeatedly, that he’s under age and the police never spoke to his mother, so I got the distinct impression that what the police were doing was illegal coercion.  Now, again, I’m not familiar with police policies, but threatening to throw a 17 year old in jail unless he becomes a Narc, without going through the proper channels, such as parents and lawyers, seemed a bit unreal.  As in, I don’t think they can do that.  But I haven’t researched this topic, so I could be wrong, and probably am.  But either way, I found it a bit jarring.  At least, if Aaron questions it, why not do the right thing and tell his mother?

Overall, the story was interesting enough, though I wish there had been more action.  Like I said earlier, it’s a bit slow, but towards the end it speeds up to a point that is a little overwhelming, and then everything comes crashing together.  I wouldn’t say it’s a happy ending, but at least Aaron comes out of it having learned some valuable lessons. Three stars.

Flux Books has been extremely gracious in allowing me to read an ARC of this novel, via Netgalley, prior to its release on August 8, 2012.

Seventh Star Press Announces New Anthology Project With James R. Tuck

Seventh Star Press proudly announces a new anthology project with James R. Tuck, author of the highly acclaimed Deacon Chalk stories released by Kensington Publishing. An open call for submissions has been issued regarding the new anthology, Thunder on the Battlefield, which will take the reader on many adventures within the realms of Sword and Sorcery.

Writers are encouraged by James to explore the possibilities of the genre.   The time of the story could be placed in an ancient world, or even perhaps a futuristic one where a cataclysm has set a modernistic society back into a barbaric age.  The setting could be the heart of Africa, the steppes of Russia, the snowbound wastes of Iceland, or  the hills of China.  Warriors were found throughout the ages, the Celts, the Vikings, the Samurai, the Israelites, the Zulu, the Romans, and many more.  The challenge to the writer is to bring their best and make it heroic.

James brought the project to Seventh Star Press for a number of reasons. “I have been extremely impressed with the professionalism I have seen from Seventh Star Press. Their books are quality, they always make a big presentation at conventions, and their authors are happy. Happy authors mean a LOT in this business. Plus, with the stable of incredibly talented authors working with Seventh Star I knew that this anthology would be taken seriously and done right.”

James, whose latest Deacon Chalk adventure, Blood and Silver, is to be released in mass market paperback by Kensington on August 7th, is a former bouncer and a professional tattoo artist who lives in the Atlanta area with his wife, two children, and four dogs.  His first Deacon Chalk novel, Blood and Bullets, was released in February of 2012 and received high praise in urban fantasy circles.

What inspired James to do a project like Thunder on the Battlefield?  As James explains in his own words:

“Because sword and sorcery rocks my face off!

“On a serious note, I was a young kid when I discovered sword and sorcery for the first time. I have always been an artist, drawing when I should have been studying, and I found this artist, you may have heard of him, named Frank Frazetta. His artwork blew my preteen mind, just took the top of my skull right off and spilled in all this masculine power and feminine beauty and horrible monstrosity right inside my brainpan. I studied that book I had found, furrowed away in the back corner of my junior high library. Reading, I discovered these were the covers to books.

The guidelines include a 10,000 word maximum, 2,000 word minimum.  The full call for submissions is now posted at the Seventh Star Press site at:

http://www.seventhstarpress.com/submissions/

The deadline for submissions is January 31, 2013.

From Goodreads: On a rainy spring day in Seattle, young software tycoon Micah Taylor receives a cryptic, twenty-five-year-old letter from a great uncle he never knew. It claims a home awaits him on the Oregon coast that will turn his world inside out. Suspecting a prank, Micah arrives at Cannon Beach to discover a stunning brand new nine-thousand square foot house. And after meeting Sarah Sabin at a nearby ice cream shop, he has two reasons to visit the beach every weekend. When bizarre things start happening in the rooms of the home, Micah suspects they have some connection to his enigmatic new friend, Rick, the town mechanic. But Rick will only say the house is spiritual. This unnerves Micah because his faith slipped away like the tide years ago, and he wants to keep it that way. But as he slowly discovers, the home isn’t just spiritual, it’s a physical manifestation of his soul, which God uses to heal Micah’s darkest wounds and lead him into an astonishing new destiny.

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While I knew that this novel was Christian Fiction, I was not expecting as much preaching as I noted in this novel. I was thinking it would be more along the line of a Frank Peretti book, in which God is a focus, but allusions are made more than direct preaching.  However, that is not what I found in this novel.

Rooms started out just as any novel does, enticing the reader through the manifestation of a house and the mystery behind Micah’s eccentric uncle, but about a quarter of the way through, the novel becomes a constant preaching of the Bible, which is okay, but I felt that it took away from the story at large.  While the mystery was still evident within the novel, I felt that the religious preaching and connotations were overbearing and made it hard for me to progress with the novel, as I became a bit bored.  I would recommend this to any strong believers in the Christian faith as the book does a great job expressing the Bible’s message, but it honestly wasn’t my cup of tea. One star.

B&H Publishing Group has been extremely gracious in allowing me to read a copy of this novel, via Netgalley.

From Goodreads: When the environment is ravaged by rising sea levels and monstrous storms, America is divided and survival becomes more precious than love.

After their haven in the woods is compromised, Nada and her tribe must decide whether they want to hike all the way from California to Washington D.C. in the dead of winter with the Guardians on their tail. Nada isn’t certain she wants to spend the rest of her life living in an underground shelter with Isaac, even if it means living comfortably and free of fear. Nada thinks this is the most difficult decision she has ever had to make until an even more difficult decision presents itself. Will love or shelter conquer all?

This is a post-apocalyptic novella.

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I’m having a really hard time coping with the end of this series!  A really hard time!  Talk about the unexpected!  I guess I should have seen it coming; I mean, the beginning of the series, book one, even said it was going to happen, but I didn’t think it was literal… This book defies the rules of good versus evil here, and I can’t quite cope!  Nor can I get it out of my mind. This, although it bugs me to no end, makes this an awesome read!  I love books that make me stop and analyze, re-think, and examine myself, and that’s exactly what Welti has caused me to do through this epic ending to such a good series.

I’d love to tell you what happens, but I can’t… and likewise, I really can’t discuss the characterization here either, because I think it’ll give away the ending, but just know that this was a jarring conclusion that still has me reeling, hours after reading it.  Amazing.  And in all honesty, I can’t see how this series could end any other way, though I really wish it did!  You have to read this.  Trust me.  Four stars.

I received a copy of this novella from the author in exchange for an honest review.

From Goodreads: When the environment is ravaged by rising sea levels and monstrous storms, America is divided and survival becomes more precious than love.

After a harrowing rescue and escape, Nada sets off to rescue Isaac from the prison where she was forced to abandon him. During this long journey, Nada’s feelings for Daedric intensify… until they discover Isaac roaming the mountains north of the Salton Sea–and he’s not alone. Isaac is accompanied by a mysterious and beautiful girl, a fellow prisoner who was also set free by the Guardians. Nada is conflicted about how she will fit into their tribe, and how she factors into Isaac’s past. Meanwhile, Isaac must decide whether to ditch everyone for their own good or stay true to his promise to Nada to “never give up.”

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In this second installment of the No Shelter trilogy, we follow Nada as she attempts to right a wrong and find Isaac in hopes of bringing him home safely. We learn a little bit more about Nada’s personality as this novella unfolds, especially as the love triangle between her, Isaac, and Deadric begins to climax.  I have to admit, I found myself miffed with Nada throughout much of this novella.  I think that she made some terrible choices, and I wanted to reach through the pages and strangle her on many occasions, especially when it came to acting on her feelings.  However, she lost her mother when she was about 15, and so she hasn’t had the guidance she needs to understand what love versus lust is, and I think, had her mother survived, things would have panned out differently in this novella.  And, that being said, reader beware, there are some situations within the novella that make me think this is more suited for 18+ readers, as some explicit scenes take place that I don’t believe are suitable for teens and younger readers, so just keep that in mind as you read.   

That aside, I was very interested in the love triangle, though I still dislike Isaac—there is something off about him, but I don’t know what it is.  I don’t trust him, and while Nada seems to, she also doesn’t seem to have a clue what she’s doing.  Daedric is a great guy, but I’m not 100% sure about him either… perhaps it’s because Nada has only known him for a few months… I don’t know, but we’ll see what happens in the final installment, which I’m about to read!

Now, in terms of the story line of book two, I felt a little bit like it happened too fast for me to really connect with all the characters and situations.  I’d love to slow it all down and learn even more about the perils of their travels and the characters’ innermost feelings because I think it’s a very good story.  So much could have happened within the weeks that are glossed over while the characters travel about, and I’m dying to know all the details, but I also understand that too much detail can be boring as well.  Thus, it’s a hard line to tote when writing, and I think Welti did a good job sticking to the information readers needed, and not making the story so full of detail that it put the reader to sleep.  This is definitely a fast-paced read, and if you like post apocalyptic stories, then this series is for you!  Three and a half stars.

I received a copy of this novella from the author in exchange for an honest review.

From Goodreads: When the environment is ravaged by rising sea levels and monstrous storms, America is divided and survival becomes more precious than love.

When seventeen-year-old Nada and Isaac stumble upon a handsome stranger in the woods, their cozy alliance and romance begin to unravel. This stranger promises Nada the impossible in exchange for helping him rescue his sister from a prison in the last corner of civilization in the western United States. But this rescue operation is wrought with complications, including the fact that the girl they are supposed to save is the ex-President’s daughter. This mission puts everyone’s life at risk, especially Isaac–the one person who has always been there for Nada. Now Nada and her small tribe must choose between a somewhat comfortable existence in the mountains and the chance at a life free of fear and starvation.

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This is the first novella in a series of three that tells the post-apocalyptic tale of Nada and her friends as they attempt to survive in what’s left of America.  Mainly told from the viewpoint of Nada, readers instantly dive into her world as she begins her story with a statement that can’t help but pique the reader interest: “I didn’t know how sharp my blade was until Isaac used it to stab me in the back.”  With an intro like that, I was highly engaged and ready to know what exactly Nada meant… literal?  Figurative? I’m thinking figurative since Isaac is not my favorite character in the world and he does some pretty awful things in this novella… but as this is just the first installment, I guess I’ll just have to wait and see…

Like I said… Isaac isn’t my favorite.  Perhaps it’s because he’s a player, but I feel like there is something else there too that just rubs me the wrong way.  Especially after what happened with Mary—and I can’t stand her.  Nada seems a bit naive and too trusting to survive the wilderness, but I could be wrong.  She’s done well for herself so far, but I didn’t feel like I really got to know her (or Deadric) very well, like I’d wanted to, and yet, they’re my favorite characters in the series so far.  I’m hoping to learn more about them in the second novella of the series, and I’m about to start it now, so stay tuned.  Three stars.

I received a copy of this novella from the author in exchange for an honest review.

From Goodreads: Yetzirah is a world where pocket wizards control pockets of reality. Where anything you want is possible and only people who know pain can visit. But what happens to the magic of Yetzirah when the rules of our world begin to intrude?

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This is a highly imaginative story that lovers of fantasy will enjoy.  The fact that its main characters are adults is another plus, as it lends itself to both adult readers and YA readers alike.  I was thinking, before I began, that it would solely be a YA/MG read, but I was very wrong, and glad to note it!  As an adult, I sometimes feel that there aren’t enough clean fantasy adult novels out there that I want to read, but Yetzirah is exactly what I was looking for!  Full of magic, an alternate universe, quirky wizards, and a race against time, this was a thrilling ride that I think most any reader will enjoy. 

Yetzirah is a world that only those who have faced trauma are able to enter.  They are the broken people who have undergone atrocities that no one should ever face.  The wizards that reside there have chosen to stay, leaving the real world behind, and Elise is very close to doing the same, much to the dismay of her twin sister, Elena.  And, as the story unfolds, we learn the truth about all the characters, what their life has been, why they enjoy Yetzirah so much, and the hardships they face.  I loved the characterization and I adored the different pockets throughout the world as well; the creations are so imaginative that it really blew me away.  This is a great story that I think all should read in order to get away from real life for a while.  Three and a half stars.

I received a copy of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.

From Goodreads: The moon is full tonight. And something is going hunting…

When Val Sherwood and her friends went for a hike with the Sunset Hills Ecology Club, they didn’t expect to see more than the usual wildlife. But when stories told around the camp fire came true, Val had to find a way to live ’til morning.

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This was an interesting story dealing with lycanthropes.  If you like werewolves, I suggest taking a look into this novel, especially if you’re partial to young YA and MG reads.  Basically, the novel begins around a campfire and a battle between good and evil ensues.  Val Sherwood is bitten, and it then becomes her job to protect her friends as the evil werewolf in question attempts to kill everyone in the Ecology Club.  At the same time that Val must attempt to protect her friends, she must learn to live with her new condition, and her interactions with others while she’s attempting to do so provide enough humor to make the story comical. 

I thought the characterization within the story was very well done, though the story moved very quickly, making it difficult to connect on a deeper level with the characters.  I liked Val well enough, and her friends were interesting, though that fact that they couldn’t just listen and take orders irked me a tad bit.  Overall, though, this is a pretty good read and I think those who enjoy werewolf tales will enjoy it.  Three stars.

I received a copy of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.