Once again, Amanda Carlson kicks off her novel with a bang and doesn't let the reader -- or Jessica -- catch her breath, not even for a moment. COLD BLOODED is a fast-paced fight against everyone, just when things seemed like Jess might get a brief respite. In this third outing, Jess has to face off against vampires, demons, and werewolves while also trying to find her friend. In some novels, it would feel like too much but Carlson does a great job of jamming all of this in without having her reader feel like s/he's drowning, most likely because you know that there's a reason for each and every scene. Plus, Carlson does a great job of building tension -- you know things are going to escalate, and they do, and then it gets even crazier!
Case in point: Ray. He was such a tool in the first novel, and an even bigger pain in the butt the second time around, but he has a serious character arc in COLD BLOODED. It completely blindsided me and I loved it! I had no idea that this is what Carlson had up her sleeve but I was very impressed with what she's done and how she did it. I've gone from despising Ray to being completely intrigued by him. I don't want to say too much about his transformation because it would be such a spoiler but I will say that it was one of my favourite storylines in COLD BLOODED.
I also really enjoyed the development of Jessica's character. She's really coming into her own as a leader and as a werewolf and it's nice to watch her evolution. She's still not 100% confident about her abilities, especially since no one really knows what she is, but she's come along way from the first pages of FULL BLOODED. She's not done yet, though, since there are at least two more Jessica McClain books in the pipeline.
Carlson's Jessica McClain series is definitely one that you'll want to check out if you haven't already given it a try. It's high-octane urban fantasy, packed with surprises, romance, and action!
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