Schrödinger's Bookshelf

Schrödinger's Bookshelf

Archive for category Romance

Succubus Shadows, by Richelle Mead (Kensington, 2010)

Sep 1

Posted by Michael M. Jones in Divine/Infernal Beings, Romance, Urban Fantasy, Vampires | No Comments

Ever since she broke up with her mortal boyfriend Seth, succubus Georgina Kincaid has been in a royal funk, and it’s been getting worse ever since she reluctantly agreed to help plan Seth’s wedding to one of her best friends. Acting noble and self-sacrificing when all you really want to do is steal the groom-to-be away is hard at the best of times, downright impossible when you’re a creature of Hell whose job is to corrupt the good and steal their life energy. Georgina’s always been a woman of drastic contrasts, though.

The more down she gets, however, the more it seems like some strange outside force is trying to lure her away, stalking her at her most vulnerable. So she throws herself into work, tries not to obsess about Seth, and attempts to discern why another succubus is in town “on vacation.” When she learns just what’s after her and why, she realizes all hope may be lost. Because caught under their power, she’ll relive the worst and most defining moments of her centuries-long life, and be driven to the breaking point of despair. Can the love and obligation of her friends save her, and if so, at what cost?

Now onto its fifth book, this series about the succubus with the moral streak just keeps getting weirder and more engaging. All along, Mead’s been dropping hints that Georgina isn’t like other succubi, and that there may be irregularities with her contract with Hell. Here, the plot thickens and progresses a little; there may not be concrete answers, but we get more insight into her checkered past, seeing who she was long ago and where she started to rebel against her Hell-given directives. We also see more of the strangely compelling interaction between the forces of Heaven and Hell, and it’s becoming ever clearer that it’s not a struggle of absolutes. We’re already familiar of the odd friendship between Jerome, Georgina’s supervisor, and Carter, his angelic counterpart for the Seattle area, and now it seems there really is something else going on behind the scenes. Naturally, the rest of Georgina’s friends are present, and the subplot involving the vampire Peter, who has the hots for a cute little Gothlet who rejects him for not being vampiric enough for her tastes, is sure to raise a few laughs.

Internal mythology aside, this series continues to straddle the line between urban fantasy and paranormal romance, with the continuing thread of Georgina’s on-again off-again relationship with Seth, who was her favorite author until he became the love of her life. Clearly, the feelings still exist on both sides, even when they’re apart, and it’s entirely possible that their bond exists on a deeper level than either expected. Unfortunately, explanations will have to wait for another book, though there’s some interesting progress made here.

What else? Well, as to be expected when one’s reading a story about a succubus, there is sex, and the sex varies between tawdry and sleazy (when Georgina’s seducing some mortal scumbag to jack up her internal energy lvels) and blisteringly hot (when it’s someone she cares about). Mead’s good at finding that line between erotic and explicit, so it doesn’t impact the overall flow of the story, like it might in some books.

Fans of the series will undoubtedly enjoy this latest installment of Georgina Kincaid’s adventures, and appreciate the development of the slow-burning overarching storyline that’s been present in each book. It’ll definitely be interesting to see what Mead has planned for future books.

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Steamed, by Katie MacAlister (Signet, 2010)

Sep 1

Posted by Michael M. Jones in Romance, Science Fiction | No Comments

Following a bizarre lab accident, computer technician Jack Fletcher and his flighty sister Hallie are literally blown into another world. They wake up aboard the airship Tesla, commanded by the dynamic Octavia Pye, a red-haired, corset-wearing ray-gun wielding firebrand who captures Jack’s heart and libido from the second he sees her. Once Jack comes to terms with his new surroundings, he’s thrilled; a steampunk aficionado whose life has always taken unexpectedly strange turns, this is a world he was born to inhabit. Now he’s living the good life, traveling by airship, fighting pirates and saboteurs, romancing Octavia, and dealing with international intrigue. Just toss him a pair of goggles and he’s all set.

Octavia’s not sure what to make of her weird new stowaway, who seems way too fascinated by her corset and keeps muttering things about goggles and steampunk … whatever that is. He’s not a spy, and possibly not a raving lunatic (much) and there’s a distinct chemistry between them, and while she can’t afforded to get distracted, she’s allowed a little fun, right? They’ll have to rely on one another if they want to prevent an assassination attempt which could spark a war. Oh, and as for Hallie? When she’s not catatonic, she’s losing her grip, running away, or getting in trouble. Never mind her. She’s just there for the sequel.

Steamed is … interesting. As billed, it’s a comedy steampunk romance from the prolific and talented Katie MacAlister, her first real stab at this particular subset of science fiction. She wastes little time in setting up her male lead and thrusting him into an alternate world, and wastes little more time in making sure he and the female lead meet and start to doing what romantic leads do. Everything else – the traveling, adventures, action, airship piracy, assassination attempts – is just window dressing for the romantic entanglements of Jack and Octavia. (I’m serious: Jack’s sister really is excess baggage for much of the book, and if there’s not a sequel where she gets her own man, I’ll eat my hat.)

Based on the premise and setting, I wanted to like this book a lot. But I can’t help but feel something was lacking. In a word, it’s shallow, with very little extra thought given to fleshing out the history and details of the setting, beyond what’s needed for the immediate moment. You get the feeling that if you turn the corner too quickly, you’ll find the actors catching a quick smoke while waiting for the next show. In fact, the entire book has an oddly fetishistic tone to it; you’ve got all the trappings of steampunk with very few of the complexities. Airships, corsets, ray guns and weird mechanical widgetry don’t embrace the true depths of steampunk, but rather the easiest outward manifestations. Were it not for the passages told from other points of view, it would be all too possible to interpret this book as a hallucination brought on by the explosion in the first chapter, all conjured up by Jack’s subconscious and some toxic smoke. Certainly, he gets everything he could ever want, including the hot redhaired airship captain and the chance to play pirate.

Not that there’s anything wrong with that, mind you. I mean, sign me up for the same thing. But still, it was odd to read through this and come away feeling as though I was missing something. Admittedly, there’s some real chemistry between the leads, and the intimate scenes have a real spark to them, and there’s plenty of good-hearted humor to be found along the way – all hallmarks of MacAlister’s writing and to be expected – so not all is lost.

The final verdict? Steamed scratches an itch and fills a niche I didn’t realize existed, but it nonetheless comes off as flighty and superficial, preferring to leave the subtleties and complexities for other endeavors down the line. It’s great popcorn reading, but could have been so much more.

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Gentlemen Prefer Succubi, by Jill Myles (Pocket Star, 2010)

Jul 26

Posted by Michael M. Jones in Divine/Infernal Beings, Romance, Urban Fantasy, Vampires | No Comments

When Jackie Brighton wakes up in a Dumpster after a particularly vigorous night of drinking and ill-advised cheap, meaningless sex, she doesn’t realize that it’s the end of life as she knew it. Gone is the plain, boring, dissatisfied-with-her-looks museum docent. Hello, succubus. Now sporting a body that drives men mad, an insatiable sexual appetite, and assorted powers she’s still figuring out, she’s inducted into a strange new world where angels walk in the daytime, vampires stalk at night, and people like her are caught securely in the middle. Remy Summore, succubus and porn star, takes poor Jackie under her wing and shows her the ropes, while bad boy vamp Zane and the irresistible angel Noah flit in and out of the picture with the passage of the sun. In between sex fixes, Jackie gets caught up in the Byzantine schemes of Heaven and Hell, and sent on a quest for an artifact which could tip the balance once and for all. What’s a girl to do?

With her debut, Jill Myles starts a new series which dwells somewhere in the Venn diagram created by paranormal romance, erotic fantasy, and comedy. How else can you explain a story where the main character can describe two people having sex as going at it like “rabid wombats during mating season”? How else do you account for the spicy, enthusiastic, sometimes explicit sex the main character must indulge in every few days? It’s certainly an interesting combination of elements, especially given that the protagonist is more than happy to blow off a life of porn and sleaze for a job as a museum tour guide – a profession roughly on the same level as librarian, schoolteacher, and secretary as far as repressed sexuality goes.

As one might guess, this was not one of my first choices for reading material. My wife stole the book I’d just started, and left me this in its place, like a literary pack rat, and I was desperate. Hey, I don’t mind romances, even the paranormal semi-erotic kind, but the bare-chested Fabio-type on the cover wasn’t a good sign…. To my surprise, what I found was a rather enjoyable, if occasionally silly, read. While it doesn’t quite stack up to Jackie Kessler’s Hell on Earth series, or Richelle Mead’s Georgia Kincaid series, both of which also star succubi doing what they do best, this initial entry in the Succubus Diaries is a lot better than one might expect. The main character has a lot going for her (besides her new bra size) and there’s a genuine spark between her and both of the men who’ve come into her life. Toss in Remy, who acts both as voice of reason and comic relief, and you’ve a good, solid cast to wrap the story around. The sense of humor laced throughout the narrative certainly helps, and there’s every possibility I’ll sneak a peek at the next book. (I’m buying it for my wife, you see….)

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Succubus Heat, by Richelle Mead (Kensington, 2009)

Jul 26

Posted by Michael M. Jones in Divine/Infernal Beings, Romance, Urban Fantasy | No Comments

It’s not easy being a succubus in love. Worse still to be a succubus still suffering from a painful breakup with the love of her life. With author Seth Mortenson out of her love life (and now dating one of her mortal coworkers), Georgina Kincaid has, to put it mildly, developed an attitude problem. After Georgina sleeps with her therapist for a quick energy fix, her demonic boss Jerome decides that it’s time for a scenery change. And off Georgina goes to Vancouver, Canada, to help another demon deal with an embarrassing case of Satanic cult in the area. Canada. Land of Tim Hortons.

Of course, things don’t go easily at all. The cultists may be idiots, but there’s a genuine supernatural entity manipulating them, and Georgina suspects it’s all part of demonic politics and jockeying for territory. Her fears are confirmed when Jerome vanishes, leaving Seattle without a demon-in-charge and the immortals under his control powerless. Just like that, Georgina loses her powers and succubus need for life energy, making her closer to human than she’s been in many centuries. While her vampire coworkers go off to try and get a tan, Georgina throws herself into finding Jerome and solving the mystery of his disappearance. But was it Cedric from Vancouver, or Janette from Portland, or some other demon that would benefit from a little local reorganization? And how does the Army of Darkness fit into the plan? To further complicate matters, Georgina and Seth are drawn back to one another, even though he’s dating Maddy and Georgina is sleeping with bad boy magician Dante. Can they resist temptation, or will Georgina’s newfound ability to get physical without sucking out life force be enough to justify rekindle the flames of passion?

In Succubus Heat, we get to see our heroine at her most vulnerable, emotionally, physically, and supernaturally, but it doesn’t slow her down for long. Even bereft of her powers, she’s still following her nature, trying to do the right thing for her friends even though she’s technically a creature of evil. One thing you can say about Georgina: she’s predictable. Also loyal, stubborn, foolhardy and impulsive. You just know she’s going to make some dumb mistakes along the way, which is half the fun. And when the men in her life all manage to converge, it’s not just her dating life that’s going to take the hit.

It’s the little touches which continue to make this series fun, like Georgina’s mortal job as a bookstore manager, and her love for cats and salsa dancing. Or Jerome’s insistence on looking like John Cusack. Or the vampires who hit the beach when their nocturnal status is temporarily negated. Or the Army of Darkness and their lame Satanic-worshipping pranks. Or Tawny, the world’s worst succubus. Or Carter, the grunge-wearing angel who has a special interest in Georgina’s fate. Things like this really make the world memorable and entertaining.

There’s a genuine mystery underlying the plot here. That, coupled with adept characterization, some intensely hot sex scenes (what else do you expect when a succubus is involved), and wry humor, makes Succubus Heat as enjoyable as its predecessors in the series, and worth checking out. I’m still interested to see just where Richelle Mead plans to take things in books to come. I suspect it won’t be what any of us expect.

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Succubus Dreams, by Richelle Mead (Kensington, 2008)

Jul 26

Posted by Michael M. Jones in Divine/Infernal Beings, Romance, Urban Fantasy | No Comments

Even though she’s got the boyfriend of her dreams (fan-favorite writer Seth Mortensen), and a day job she loves (managing a Seattle bookstore), Georgina Kincaid’s life is anything but wine and roses. Maybe, just maybe, it’s because she’s really a succubus, tasked with seducing men and damning their souls to Hell, and she can’t consummate her relationship with Seth lest she kill him by accident. Maybe it’s because her demonic superiors are getting on her case about not paying enough attention to the job, and the imp who originally brought her into the “business” has shown up in Seattle with an inept new succubus he wants Georgina to mentor. Or maybe it’s because she’s having weird dreams of a happy, content, normal future that leave her drained when she wakes up. Any of these things would be bad enough; all of them at once is a recipe for disaster.

As Georgina’s relationship with Seth frays around the edges due to stress and lack of time spent together, she digs into the mystery of her strange dreams, even as she attempts to train Tawny, who may just be the worst succubus to ever fail at seducing a man. But Georgina quickly realizes that whatever is going on in the Emerald City is bigger and badder than she anticipated, especially when a host of heavenly agents show up and start doing mysterious things on the periphery of the action. Even enlisting the aid of Dante, a dream interpreter with a dark past and a sordid nature, doesn’t make things any less complicated. Something out there is using Georgina as part of a dangerous, demonic agenda, and if she doesn’t do something drastic, there’ll be Hell to pay.

The third installment in the adventures of Georgina Kincaid, Succubus Dreams follows our heroine as her routine is twisted into knots, as she finds it impossible to separate her personal and professional lives, and as she learns the price for getting too attached to people. Richelle Mead really does a great job of putting the screws to Georgina’s contentment. As always, she draws from a variety of mythological sources to paint a picture of a supernatural-infested Seattle, where angels and demons go about their business with nary a mortal realizing. And Mead injects the series with a sense of unpredictability as she throws a wrench into the loving relationship built up between Georgina and Seth in the first two books, leaving things wide open for the future.

There’s a lot to like about this series, from its mixture of romance and mystery, to the memorable characters and ever-unpredictable plot, and Succubus Dreams has all of those things in ample supply. And as one might expect from a series starring a (reluctant) succubus, there are some pretty steamy points as well, when Georgina’s forced to turn on the “charm,” either for work or for more private reasons. Mead manages to keep it sexy and hot without letting it slide into sleazy, which is always a risk when you’re dealing with soul-sucking Hellspawn.

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Speak of the Devil, by Jenna Black (Dell, 2009)

Jul 26

Posted by Michael M. Jones in Divine/Infernal Beings, LGBTQ Interest, Romance, Urban Fantasy | No Comments

Here’s the scoop: exorcist Morgan Kingsley is being sued by a father who blames her for an exorcism that left his son brain-dead. Her license has been suspended, she’s been living out of a suitcase ever since her home was burned down, and the exiled king of the demons is illegally living in her body. Her boyfriend is upset with her for having both trust and secrecy issues, and the only people she can count upon are the people she fears and distrusts the most. It’s clear that someone’s trying to destroy her life, and Morgan’s had enough of that, thank you very much. If she can’t figure out who has it in for her, and why, she’ll be in real trouble … and for once it’s not someone trying to kill her because of Lugh, her unwelcome guest. But with her personal life already in shambles, how much more does Morgan have to lose? Plenty. Here’s hoping she can hold it together long enough to survive.

I’ll be honest. I don’t keep returning to this series – four books and counting – because I like the main character. Morgan’s a self-absorbed, irritating person, the sort who invariably makes life much harder for herself than it needs to be. She constantly alienates and abuses everyone who might be willing and able to help her, drives away her allies, and tosses common sense and self-preservation out the window on a regular basis. It’s hard to imagine how she’s lasted this long. No, I’m here because of the supporting cast, and specifically for Adam and Dominic. It’s pretty damn rare to find such a positive portrayal of a loving, committed homosexual BDSM-practicing couple in any series outside of the erotic section, and their presence more than makes up for Morgan’s shortcomings. While they’re used, at least a little, for titillation (this series does not shy away from erotic moments), they’re also in a functional, sane relationship, one presented as healthy and matter-of-fact, even if some aspects of what they do squicks the main character. I think Adam and Dominic could headline a book of their own, especially since Adam’s a cop hosting a demon and Dominic’s a mortal with a passion for cooking. Another breakout supporting character is Barbara “Barbie” Paget, a private investigator who plays a large part in the events of this book, for good and for bad. Again, she seems like she’d be a great lead at some point.

But what about the plot, you ask. Here I’ve been going on and on about the characters, but the plot? Well, it’s pretty much as described above: someone’s systematically destroying aspects of Morgan’s personal life, including her career and her relationships, and it has almost nothing to do with the overarching plot involving Lugh and his slow struggle to defeat his usurper brother and regain his throne in the Demon Realm. While there’s some small progression in terms of character growth and adding new elements to the mix, there’s not much made towards what I’ve always considered to be the real plot of the series. Maybe I’m missing the larger picture and where this fits in, or maybe it’s more of a plot detour. I guess we’ll see. Meanwhile, throughout the course of this book, Morgan does, what else, everything she can to sabotage her own chances of success, including ditching her allies/bodyguards at every opportunity and shooting herself in the legal foot. It’s frustrating to watch a protagonist go through so much trouble when a touch of patience, understanding, and trust would have saved her the grief.

But you know what? I’ll be here for the next book in the series anyway. Perhaps in morbid fascination, I have to see how this turns out, and of course, I want to see the supporting cast get more time in the sun. They’re what makes this series memorable, as far as I’m concerned. Before I wrap this up, let me reiterate: this is by no means a bad book, or a bad series, for all that I’ve got some major complaints. Black lures me back with each new volume because there’s a lot of potential here, and some solidly enjoyable underpinnings to the series. Speak of the Devil still has plenty going for it, enough to keep fans happy at the very least.

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Soulless, by Gail Carriger (Orbit, 2009)

Jul 26

Posted by Michael M. Jones in Historical, LGBTQ Interest, Romance, Shapeshifters, Urban Fantasy, Vampires, Wizards, Mages and Spellcasters | No Comments

Miss Alexia Tarabotti is not your average young lady. At twenty-six and unmarried, her chances of finding a prospective husband are almost nil. Worse still, she’s half-Italian and her coloring quite definitely takes after that side of the family. Olive skin is -so- out, after all. Worst of all, she has no soul. As a so-called, and extraordinarily rare, preternatural, she can negate the supernatural qualities of werewolves and vampires with but a touch, a fact she keeps to herself as much as possible. After all, proper ladies don’t go around touching the undead willy-nilly, no matter how accepted they are in British society.

When a strange vampire attacks Alexia at a party, she quite sensibly defends herself, accidentally staking the vampire in the process. The ensuing mess brings her into contact with Lord Maccon, a Scottish werewolf who works for the Bureau of Unnatural Registry, who’s had a bone to pick with Miss Tarabotti ever since a certain incident involving a hedgehog. This sets off a bizarre and unconventional series of events involving Alexia, Lord Maccon, an American scientist, and the so-very-flamboyant vampire Lord Akeldama. It seems that packless werewolves and solitary vampires have been disappearing, while fledging vampires are turning up with disturbing frequency, their origins a mystery. When people try to kidnap Alexia, Lord Maccon decides to see to her protection personally. But can they stop arguing long enough to figure out what’s going on? And at what point will propriety be thrown out the window in favor of expediency?

Soulless is charming, whimsical, and splendid. Part comedy of manners, part Regency send-up, part urbane fantasy, part alternate history, part steampunk, it’s a beautiful blending of disparate elements that’s bound to appeal to a wide range of readers. With its wry, tongue-in-cheek tone and a thoroughly plausible worldview, it’s easy to fall into the story and get swept up in the action. Alexia Tarabotti is a heroine to admire, a saucily-independent, feisty young woman who addresses every situation with her unique mixture of common sense and proper manners. Her constant foil and occasional romantic interest, Lord Maccon, is a gentleman and a werewolf, and it’s no wonder that opposites attract and sparks fly every time they’re together. (Honestly? Miss Tarabotti and Lord Maccon are one of the cutest, most adorable, most entertaining, most natural couples I’ve seen in a long time, and their interactions fill me with a glee bordering on guilty pleasure.) Lord Akeldama makes for one heck of a memorable supporting character, stealing every scene he’s in with a colorful swish that would be the envy of any drag queen, while still maintaining that immortal presence one expects of a centuries-old vampire.

This book overflows with a sense of wonder and unapologetic playfulness, starting with the first page (…she had retreated to the library, her favorite sanctuary in any house, only to happen upon an unexpected vampire…) and continuing right up to the very end. In lesser hands, the clever banter and self-aware tone could have been cutesy, twee, or just plain groan-inducing; Gail Carriger rises above those pitfalls to give us something rich and delightful and thoroughly appealing. I simply must insist upon more, and the sooner the better.

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Ravenous, by Sharon Ashwood (Signet Eclipse, 2009)

Jul 26

Posted by Michael M. Jones in Romance, Urban Fantasy, Vampires, Wizards, Mages and Spellcasters | No Comments

She’s a witch. He’s a vampire. Together and separately, they bust ghosts, cleanse haunted houses, and deal with the other paranormal weirdness that’s come into public view ever since the supernatural community revealed itself at the turn of the century. Holly Carver and Alessandro Caravelli have a great partnership going, one unencumbered by romance or deeper ties. After all, Holly’s got a nice, normal boyfriend, and Alessandro doesn’t get involved with his meals. Of course, things can always change.

A routine house cleansing turns ugly when they discover there’s far more to the situation than meets the eye, signaling the start of a deadly new case . . . and an alteration in the boundaries of their friendship and partnership. A demon has escaped into our world, and the last person to successfully fight it was Holly’s ancestor, who died in the process. With much of her greater magical ability still blocked after a childhood incident, Holly will have to dig deep into her untapped potential, and deal with some very painful moments, if she’s to have any chance of surviving the troubles ahead. Alessandro’s got his own problems, though: Omara, his vampire queen, is in town and commanding both his loyalty and attention, at a time when he’s growing more and more attracted to Holly. And Omara’s problem may just be tied into the matter of the escaped demon.

Can this star-crossed, mismatched couple of vampire and witch overcome everything that stands between, and against them, in order to embrace their newfound attraction to one another, or will they be torn apart by duty and demons? It all depends on who you ask.

Ravenous is a splendid new offering in the paranormal romance field. Sharon Ashwood has offered up a setting that starts with the simplest, most logical of twists — what if the supernatural community went public just because it was easier than trying to stay hidden in the modern world — and moves on from there. Holly and Alessandro are a likeable pair with genuine chemistry; the sparks flying between them practically leap off the page and singe the reader’s fingers. It’s hard not to root for them, even though Ashwood tosses some rather appealing alternatives into the mix, in the form of various secondary characters. Omara herself, the age-old vampire queen, possesses an intriguing mix of vulnerability and sensuality, giving us an amoral immortal bloodsucker you just want to hug and reassure. Detective Conall Macmillan, a cop who gets inadvertently caught up in things, has plenty going from him, a workaholic who secretly cooks in his spare time. Ashwood clearly excels at creating these characters, and it’s not hard to guess who just might take center stage in her next book.

As an urban fantasy, Ravenous delivers a fast-paced, sharp-edged story that avoids predictability, and I’m quite intrigued at the way she brings the idea of an extradimensional prison for demons and other nasties into play here. I look forward to seeing her explore the setting in future volumes. As a paranormal romance, it’s definitely got a lot going for it, from the amazing chemistry between the characters to the page-scorching moments of eroticism that blaze to life every now and again, from the merest kiss to more in-depth encounters. Ashwood has an exquisite way with words, something that sets her apart from many of her genre-peers, and I’ll definitely be picking up her future releases.

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Rogue, by Rachel Vincent (Mira 2008)

Jul 26

Posted by Michael M. Jones in Romance, Shapeshifters, Urban Fantasy | No Comments

As part of making peace with her father, one of the most powerful werecats in North America, Faythe Sanders has taken on the job as one of his enforcers. With her partner/boyfriend Marc, she helps to keep unaffiliated werecats — strays — from trespassing in their Pride’s territory, which encompasses a great deal of south-central America. It’s not what she wants, but as one of the very few female werecats around, she’s obliged to serve the Pride. However, when dead strays start turning up in their territory, Faythe realizes that there’s something going on, and the answers won’t make anyone happy. Guided by one anonymous phone call after another, she and the other enforcers turn up a series of dead werecats, as though someone’s on a journey and leaving corpses in their wake. But what does this have to do with a number of missing human women? And why is Faythe’s ex-boyfriend, a man she hasn’t seen since she left college months ago, now leaving her increasingly bizarre, threatening phone calls? Murderers, mysteries, grudges and indiscretions, they’re all converging on Faythe just when she’s trying to figure out her future. Marc’s getting serious, and Faythe’s not sure she’s ready for that level of commitment. . . .

There’s a lot happening in Rogue, but it all ties together as the story progresses, and not always in predictable ways. At times it feels like the characters were making some convenient leaps of logic, but in general, the underlying mysteries were fairly well laid-out. There were enough surprises planted along the way to keep the reader from getting complacent, and the addition of several new characters into the mix helps to spice things up. Unfortunately, the part of the story that didn’t work for me is the relationship between Faythe and Marc. He’s a little too demanding when it comes to reassurance and emotional reciprocity, and too quick to take things the wrong way, while she’s a bit too self-absorbed and unwilling to compromise on the important issues. Naturally, this makes for a lot of arguing and hurt feelings, and their relationship just doesn’t seem like one that could last long-term without some serious work on both their parts. I hope we see some more growth in this area if they’re meant to be the central couple in a series that’s as much romance as it is urban fantasy. Faythe wins points in my book, however, for ‘fessing up when she realizes she’s the inadvertent cause of a major problem, rather than trying to hide her suspicions. It bodes well that she’s willing to accept the consequences, though we won’t find out just what happens as a result until the next book.

Rachel Vincent has created an interesting, if somewhat stylized, society for her werecats to inhabit, where the males vastly outnumber the females, and the females are supposedly relegated to breeding and status symbols, and not much more. It’s clear that there’s more to it than that, but we’re still getting the information in bits and pieces. We get to see Faythe’s mother in action, which is a nice change of pace, and another moment of revelation, for us and Faythe.

I’ll definitely pick up the third in the series, if just to see how Faythe deals with the consequences of her actions, and to see if she and Marc have any chance at a lasting, loving, relationship after all. It’ll likewise be nice to see more of the werecat world, and how it works on a grander scale. Rogue, like Stray before it, is a perfectly pleasant paranormal romance, and the use of werecats as its central conceit helps to distinguish it from others in the field. I enjoyed it.

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Pride, by Rachel Vincent (Mira, 2009)

Jul 26

Posted by Michael M. Jones in Romance, Shapeshifters, Urban Fantasy | No Comments

In the werecat world, there are three ironclad laws which mean a death sentence if violated. No infecting humans and turning them into werecats. No revealing the existence of werecats to the outside world, under any circumstance. And no murder. Faythe Sanders is on trial for breaking two of these laws, ever since it was discovered she’d accidentally infected her ex-boyfriend back in college, abandoning him to his fate and killing him when he finally tracked her down for some payback of his own. Of course, in Faythe’s defense, she didn’t even know it was possible to infect him the way she had, and the death was entirely self-defense. Unfortunately, now she has to convince a tribunal of her innocence, and there’s every indication that they want her to fail, all part of werecat politics. Things aren’t looking too good . . . that is, until the proceedings are disrupted by the arrival of an extraordinarily rare werebear who wants to know what the werecats plan to do about a rogue pack of their own killing hikers and making a ruckus in his territory.

Investigating this mess, Faythe and her family discover a stray tabby, a teenage werecat female who’s pretty much gone feral in the wilderness and knows next to nothing of the werecat world . . . a state of affairs literally unheard of in their tight-knit society. Worse still, there’s still that pack of killer werecats prowling the area, and they have their sights set squarely upon claiming the tabby for their own. Can Faythe, her estranged lover Marc, and the others save the tabby, stop the killers, and appease the werebear, all without revealing their existence to the world? And will it be enough to commute Faythe’s death sentence? No matter what happens, Faythe’s love life may never be the same again, as those werecat politics lead to some unsettling changes around her.

This series has taken some interesting turns thus far, and Pride continues that trend. I’m not sure if it’s a strength or a weakness that some of the major plot points this time around hinge upon things that the werecats consider impossible until proven otherwise. After all, it doesn’t speak well of werecat society that there can be so much about their own nature they either don’t know or have dismissed as myth. However, that’s a minor speed bump of plausibility in an otherwise engaging story. Faythe’s continuing maturation and acceptance both of responsibility and consequences provides a nice undercurrent to the overall mystery and action that takes up the majority of the plot. Rachel Vincent keeps introducing fascinating secondary characters, such as the stray tabby, Kaci, and the reclusive werebear, Elias Kellar, and I hope we’ll see more of them as the series continues. Sadly, Faythe’s on-again, off-again relationship with Marc remains frustrating — one wants to lock them in a room together and make them talk about their respective issues and stop being idiots about the whole thing.

While I may have my complains about this series, and this book in particular, I can’t deny thoroughly enjoying it overall. Maybe I’m just a sucker for werecats, but it’s certainly a fun exploration of the concept, and I’m looking forward to Faythe’s next set of adventures.

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