****Copy received for an honest review through Netgalley.****
Full Blood (Jessica McClain, book 1) by Amanda Carlson
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Edition Reviewed: eBook
Amazon: Paperback | Kindle
Goodreads: Full Blooded
Born the only female in an all male race, Jessica McClain isn’t just different—she’s feared.
After living under the radar for the last twenty-six years, Jessica is thrust unexpectedly into her first change, a full ten years late. She wakes up and finds she’s in the middle of a storm. Now that she’s become the only female full-blooded werewolf in town, the supernatural world is already clamoring to take a bite out of her and her new Pack must rise up and protect her.
But not everyone is on board. The werewolf Rights of Laws is missing text and the superstitious werewolves think that Jessica means an end to their race. It doesn’t help when Jessica begins to realize she’s more. She can change partway and hold her form, and speak directly to her wolf. But the biggest complication by far is that her alpha father can't control her like he can the rest of his wolves.
When a mercenary who’s been hired by the vampires shows up to extract information about the newly turned werewolf only days after her change, they find themselves smack in the middle of a war and there's no choice but to run together. When it’s up to Jessica to negotiate her release against her father’s direct orders, she chooses to take an offer for help instead. In exchange, Jessica must now swear an oath she may end up repaying with her life.
Review:
“Whirlpools swirling, cascading, twirling. Hawaiian roller coaster ride!” Yeah! What a rush! It's this crazy thrill ride from page one to the end. Which means big cliffhanger that you'll want to have the next book on hand for. It's really hard to find a book that never slows down and just keeps careening down a path of edge-of-your-seat fun. That said this book isn't all that original and is probably what killed some of my overall enjoyment.
Jessica is a strong leading lady that Urban Fantasy fans have come to expect from the genre. She's strong willed, mouthy, occasionally foolhardy, and has an ego. She definitely rolls with the punches as they come and deals with things well. (To the point where I felt like it wasn't . . . emotionally accurate. Or maybe it's better described that her character and others in the book aren't fully real at this point.) The “Oh, this just happened OK!” moving along attitude took away from some of the build up, but kept the ride vrooming by. Which ended up working fine! Even with the predictable plot that felt like it was borrowing from a lot of urban fantasy and paranormal romances and patching a tale together.
What did it for me is that Jessica as the first female werewolf in ages spells out the new dawn for our furry friends. She can do things that the old world werewolves could, and the abilities were thought to be lost. If the story would have stopped at her being the only female werewolf in ages, I would have been beyond excited. The fact that she's morphing into this all powerful werewolf? Not too much. Even if with paranormal I like my leads to be human. My mind rushes to Anita Blake as she get more and more powerful with each volume, which ends up dehumanizing her. Maybe I'm being biased, but superwoman is not what I signed up for.
Another sour point for me is that Jessica immediately finds her mate. Nope she can't start her story without having her significant other. She needs a man to help further her along. Personally I would have liked to have seen her personal growth as a single woman of the werewolves playing the field. Too many times it feels like the old chain and ball has to be put on before the character—or the reader—can find out who they truly are.
Full Blooded does a wonderful job of mixing Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance! Fans of either genre will be thrilled and will love the action. There's sex, fighting, mystery, alliances and politics, prophecies, witches, vampires with thousand year old agendas, and more. Everyone will be able to find something to like. Personally, with not enough female werewolves out there I'm all for it. Especially at times when I feel like Jessica could be just as awesome as Riley (from the Riley Jenson books). Safety bar down and I'm ready for the next ride!
Sexual Content: Some sexy fun time, nothing over the top.
3/5- Adored it, just a few minor details held it back.
| Previous book(s) in series: | ||
| Reviewed on BW: | Amazon: | Goodreads: |
| Full Blooded (1) Hot Blooded (2) Cold Blooded (3) Red Blooded (4) Pure Blooded (5) | Full Blooded (1) Hot Blooded (2) Cold Blooded (3) Red Blooded (4) Pure Blooded (5) | Full Blooded (1) Hot Blooded (2) Cold Blooded (3) Red Blooded (4) Pure Blooded (5) |
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