Grave Secret by Sierra Dean

I discovered this series less than a year ago so I was able to devour the first four books, the novellas, and the spinoff pretty quickly. I'm almost caught up now, as I just finished GRAVE SECRET, which I was desperate to read after the end of KEEPING SECRET. I needed to know what kind of relationships Secret would maintain with the main men in her lives and what the next Horrible Thing would be. Well, in GRAVE SECRET, I got my answers to both but I was only partially satisfied.

The relationship side of GRAVE SECRET is very satisfying. Secret gives Lucas a very satisfying cold shoulder because he's a giant jerk who has been using her to solidify his power base. I liked him at first but he's become less appealing as we've learned more about his true motivations. Soul bond or no, Lucas Rain is an [expletive here] and I'm pleased that Secret wants nothing personal from him anymore. It's a situation that still leaves her with Holden and Desmond to deal with, but Secret's personal life gets back-benched when she learns that Kellen has gone missing. I've always really liked Kellen as a character so I was quite invested in knowing what had happened to her. The answer was something of a surprise but I generally liked this part of the novel.

I was less fussy about Secret's interactions with Aubrey. I won't say who Aubrey is but I will say that Secret is a total tool in her dealings with this character. I found it incredibly frustrating to watch her interactions with Aubrey because she had some really smart moments followed by a stack of incredibly stupid ones, which had severe consequences. I generally love Secret's brash, balls-out approach to life but I found her maddening in parts of GRAVE SECRET, which hadn't happened before. I still love the series but I found the second half of the book less satisfying because Secret was acting TSTL in some ways. Her mistakes lead to some interesting moments and Secret redeems herself in the end but it was rough going for a while there.

There is also one truly upsetting moment in GRAVE SECRET. You'll know what I'm talking about when you read it and you will be devastated. It involves a character I adore. In fact, I think GRAVE SECRET has a lot of emotional punch, especially when it comes to Kellen. She's always been a bit superficial but we really get to see her heart this time around and it's a nice story.

As always, Dean will leave you eager for the next instalment in Secret's crazy life, which should be extremely satisfying since an old enemy rears his head. I've got my e-reader queued up to SECRET UNLEASHED as you read this!

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Posted by Tynga at 03:00

 Adult, Purchased, Review, Samhain, Secret McQueen, Sierra Dean, Urban Fantasy, Vampire, werewolf  1 Person left their mark

Keeping Secret by Sierra Dean

The fourth Secret McQueen novel takes us out of New York City and into Louisiana, the seat of Secret's family's domain. (Her uncle Callum presides over the territory neighbouring Lucas' domain.) It's the first time we get to see where Secret could have grown up, if her mom wasn't such a crazy lady. It makes for a really interesting experience for Secret since she seems what life as a werewolf princess might have been like -- the good and the bad. Mostly, there's bad in the neighbourhood but there are also some great moments. We get to meet an interesting new group of werewolves, including some siblings that she never knew existed. She also has a little swamp adventure as part of her getting-to-know-them phase, which is quite a hair-raising trip.

On the romance side, Secret is buying wedding dresses, choosing flowers, and all that good wedding stuff. Unfortunately, she's still conflicted. She feels a sense of duty and will marry Lucas but she's still soul-bonded with Desmond and actually loves him more. It's a really neat love triangle, which is something I don't say very often since love triangles can so often be a device rather than a really interesting plot point, but the Lucas-Secret-Desmond is one that really resonates for me.

There's also a really great line about Secret Rain and it made me nearly laugh myself out of my seat.

Holden fans won't be disappointed by KEEPING SECRET since there are also some great scenes between Holden and Secret. Their relationship is quite complicated and it seems to get more twisty with every novel. Some of the other great characters in the series also have some nice moments, like Mercedes, Sig, and Shane. I won't say too much about them since some of them are in the latter part of the novel but I will say that KEEPING SECRET is a real treat and sure to please all of the Secret McQueen fans out then. It's also another strong instalment in a stand-out urban fantasy series. People, you need to read these books!

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Posted by Tynga at 03:00

 Adult, Purchased, Review, Samhain, Secret McQueen, Sierra Dean, Urban Fantasy, Vampire, werewolf  2 People left their mark

Deep Dark Secret by Sierra Dean

DEEP DARK SECRET is Secret McQueen's third novel-length adventure and Sierra Dean has upped the stakes on both the romantic and political front. The previous two novels have focussed primarily on vampire business and added some werewolf romance but DEEP DARK SECRET turns that formula on its head, with the politics being werewolf in nature. Lucas' territory is being encroached upon by Secret's family and it forces Lucas and Secret's relationship issues to the foreground of the novel. I've always found Lucas to be a bit high-handed and autocratic and I was none too pleased with his behaviour in DEEP DARK SECRET since he takes this behaviour to new levels. Thankfully, Secret doesn't take to this very well, which leads to some awkward but important conversations. She does, however, go along with some of the situations he creates for the good of the pack, which shows how much she's learned about her status in the pack and how her actions affect not only her own future but those of her packmates. It's great to see her becoming more aware of the bigger picture, but it would be nice if Lucas wasn't always forcing decisions on her. I hope that the next book, GRAVE SECRET, shows us a more considerate side of our determined werewolf king but I doubt it.

On the plus side, some of Secret's other relationships (romantic and otherwise) are not so fraught, which is good considering she has to find Genevieve's missing niece Lucy. The mission takes some interesting twists and turns and the series mythology expands to include previously undiscussed supernatural elements. The Big Bad is a type of monster common in urban fantasy and paranormal romance but Dean does a nice job of making it her own (and extremely icky). The climactic battle is really exciting and it has some nice surprising elements that I think everyone will enjoy.

We actually get to learn a lot about Secret's past because an ex-boyfriend features rather prominently in DEEP DARK SECRET. Secret's interactions with him give us a lot of insight into her character, and also highlight how much she's grown since we first met her. There was one reveal in particular that will likely have serious ramifications for the series, but it comes towards the end of the novel so I won't spoil it for you. You'll just have to read DEEP DARK SECRET for yourself if you're curious! :)

Though I didn't like DEEP DARK SECRET as much as the previous installments in the Secret McQueen series, it's still a fun, fast urban fantasy ride that delivers the level of action, humour, and sexiness I've come to expect from Sierra Dean. The characters continue to grow, Secret continues to kick butt and snark her way through all of her challenges, and her life gets ever more complicated. I can't begin to guess what might befall Secret next but I can't wait to read it!

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Posted by Tynga at 03:03

 Adult, Purchased, Review, Samhain, Secret McQueen, Sierra Dean, Urban Fantasy, Vampire, werewolf  4 People left their mark