Secret Unleashed by Sierra Dean

SECRET UNLEASHED is another great roller coaster from Sierra Dean! She's written a harrowing chapter in Secret McQueen's life, probably the most haunting of all of the books in the series so far.

In SECRET UNLEASHED, Secret is sent to Los Angeles to assist the local vampire Tribunal, partially because it's a job she's well suited to and partially because she doesn't know who to trust in New York with Peyton on the loose. Her only backup? Holden, plus Sig's daytime servant Ingrid. As you can probably imagine, it's a great setup for awkward relationship moments (given the current state of Secret's love life) and also some nice fish-out-of-water moments for Team Secret. Secret is tasked with tracking down a missing vampire but things get incredibly dangerous once she starts. They also get extremely emotional because the missing vampire is none other than Secret's father.

It's hard to properly discuss SECRET UNLEASHED because the most interesting scenes in this novel take place in the second half of the book and I'm loathe to spoil anything for you. I can say that Secret and Holden find themselves in a situation unlike any other they've faced and that it will have lasting repercussions, particularly for Secret. (I don't think it's spoiler-y to mention this since there are eight books in the series and this is only the sixth.)

I'll also say that the usual strong romantic element is missing from SECRET UNLEASHED, largely because the focus of the book is on the aforementioned harrowing experiences. Romance wouldn't fit into this in any sensible way and so Dean back burners Secret's love life to a large extent. There are still scenes revolving around Secret's love for both Holden and Desmond, and they were all very well written. Dean is one of the few authors who write convincing love triangles. It's so easy to picture Secret with either of these two men and I'm eager to see how the situation gets resolved.

I'll wrap this post up by saying that SECRET UNLEASHED is a really exciting story and one that fans of the series shouldn't miss out on.

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Posted by Tynga at 03:00

 Adult, Purchased, Review, Samhain, Samhain Publishing, Sierra Dean, Urban Fantasy, Vampire  Leave your mark

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 by Sierra Dean

Book stats:
Reading level: Adult
ebook: 272 pages
Genre: Urban fantasy
Publisher: Samhain
Release date: February 5, 2012

Series: Secret McQueen #3

Source: Personal shelf

Reviewed by: Jenn

Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository

The only good Secret is a buried Secret

Secret McQueen has hunted vampires, werewolves, and every conceivable supernatural menace-to-society. Seen it all? Not even close. When the queen of the were-ocelots comes to her for help finding a missing girl, the half-vampire/half-werewolf soon realizes how much she has to learn about the things that go bump in the night.

The case of the missing cat is one thing. Pile it up with her new duties as a Tribunal Leader, her tenuous position as mate to the king of the Eastern werewolves, and a slew of new (and unwelcome) supernatural abilities, and Secret is once again in familiar territory. Way over her head. But for this multitasking half-breed, it’s business as unusual.

What knocks her for a loop, though, isn’t her lover’s intoxicating kiss. It’s the missing memories rushing at her from out of nowhere, signaling a rapidly approaching fork in her destiny. Her choice will affect not only her life, but her love.

Warning: Contains a werewolf king with wandering hands, a creepy English professor with nefarious plans, and one hell of an unexpected gala evening at Columbia.

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 jenn at 07:03

 Review, Samhain, Sierra Dean, 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

A Bloody Good Secret by Sierra Dean

Book stats:
Reading level: Adult
E-book: 248 pages
Genre: Urban fantasy
Publisher: Samhain
Release date: September 20, 2011

Series: Secret McQueen #2

Source: Personal shelf

Reviewed by: Jenn

Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository

You can’t keep a good Secret for long.

Secret McQueen, Book 2

After cheating death twice in one night, confessing her true nature to her werewolf soul mates and being asked to kill one of her closest friends, Secret took a much-needed vacation. By running away.

Now she’s back in town—dragged kicking and screaming—determined to clear Holden Chancery’s name. Right after she finds out what he’s accused of. It shouldn’t be hard—Holden has a habit of using their new and scintillating psychic bond to break into her thoughts and dreams at some very, shall we say, awkward moments.

Just a few things stand in her way: a secretive Tribunal leader, a group of would-be vampire slayers and two werewolf boyfriends who refuse to let her operate in her customary lone-wolf style. Even less amusing are the terrifying creatures that someone is using in an attempt to gain control of the council. Even for this out-of-the-ordinary bounty hunter, it’s a challenge with potentially deadly teeth.

Warning: Contains an ever-plucky heroine with no shortage of weapons, super-hot mind games, an ever-complicated love triangle and one hell of a creepy amusement park.

My love affair with Secret McQueen continues after reading A BLOODY GOOD SECRET. As you may remember, I dared you to read the first book in the series last month after really enjoying it. And now I can report that the second book is just as much fun as the first, if not more!

The book opens in rural Manitoba, where Secret grew up with her grandmother. She ran away to Canada to avoid her latest mission from the vampire Tribunal: killing her friend Holden Chancery. But she's kidnapped and dragged home, forcing her to deal not only with her assignment but also the two werewolves she left behind. Desmond and Lucas have very different reactions to her reappearance and I enjoyed watching her negotiate her relationships with these men. Even though she's soul-bonded to both of them, the dynamics of each relationship are quite different and I find myself staunchly on Team Desmond. To further complicate matters, she's also starting to have sexy dreams about Holden, sometimes at extremely inconvenient times, and I appreciate the added dimension of confusion this brings to the relationship table.

We also get to learn more about how the Tribunal assigns missions to Secret and how Holden has been affected by his position as Secret's warden. It was a nice change of pace to see Secret think about the ramifications of her actions, even though it was all in retrospect. The author also starts to reveal what it means to be a warden, since Secret is now in that position with Brigit. (Can I just say that I love how Brigit has become incorporated into the story, going from the nameless blonde that Secret saves to a bigger part of the story?) The Holden storyline also shows us what Secret was like when she was younger, which was neat. She's still much the same since only six years have passed since Secret moved to New York but it's nice to see that she has developed some smarts and skills since first meeting Holden and Keaty. If that's not enough, there's also some great reveals about Sig but they left me with a lot of questions about his relationship with Secret.

As with the first Secret McQueen book, A BLOODY GOOD SECRET ends with a titillating piece of information that makes me glad I used a Christmas gift card to get all of the existing ebooks. I can't wait to see what Sierra Dean does to Secret next!

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Posted by jenn at 06:41

 Review, Samhain, Sierra Dean, Vampire, werewolf  6 People left their mark

Daring You To Read...Something Secret This Way Comes by Sierra Dean

Daring You To Read is a weekly feature here on Tynga’s Reviews where we dare you to read some of our favorite older releases (at least 6 months old). All the books/series we choose to feature are titles we adored and think you should give them a shot! We think it’s a super awesome way to discover that special book who might have slipped off your radar!

You’ve already read the book? Let’s us know what you thought!
You are accepting the dare? We’d love to know!
Have a dare of your own? Leave a comment ^^

A lot of the bloggers I follow have been talking about Sierra Dean's Secret McQueen books in the past few months so I thought it was high time I gave her a try. Turns out, it was an excellent decision because I loved reading SOMETHING SECRET THIS WAY COMES and I hope you will, too.

Set in a New York where vampires, werewolves, and all sorts of other supernaturals live hidden from human eyes, the Secret McQueen series is full of action, humour, and sexiness. Secret is a unique being: a half-vampire, half-werewolf bounty hunter. Only four people know her secret: her friend, Keaty, her vampire handler, Holden, her grandmother, and Calliope, the immortal Oracle. Secret works hard to keep her heritage to herself, even as she works for the vampire Tribunal and has abilities from both halves of her heritage, though she does her best to supress her werewolf side. All of that changes, though, when she meets Lucas Rain, King of the East Coast werewolves, while hunting for an old enemy who's come back to seek revenge.

Be forewarned, there is a serious love triangle in his book, involving Secret, Lucas, and Desmond, Lucas's lieutenant. If you're not into love triangles, you may want to shy away from this series, since the romance is a significant part of SOMETHING SECRET THIS WAY COMES. The nice thing about this triangle is that Secret is soul-bonded to both men so it's not just a question of who will she choose. It's a question of how does she choose between two soul mates she just met.

Despite a strong romantic storyline, there's plenty of non-sexy action to keep you busy. Sierra Dean has created some great fight sequences and you'll feel like you're in Secret's shoes. In fact, the book opens with a bang and the quick pace is sustained throughout the novel. A lot happens in SOMETHING SECRET THIS WAY COMES but I never felt overwhelmed. Instead, I was carried away by Secret's mission and life, eager to see what else could possible befall our intrepid heroine. Plus, Secret has some great friendships and interesting relationships with both humans and other supernaturals and it's neat seeing how she negotiates her very complicated and somewhat compartmentalized worlds.

SOMETHING SECRET THIS WAY COMES is a quick, fun novel jam packed with all kinds of action. And an explanation about why Secret's name is Secret. Having just finished reading SOMETHING SECRET THIS WAY COMES, I'm really excited to have A BLOODY GOOD SECRET queued up on my e-reader because I'm desperate to see how Secret will deal with the last line of SOMETHING SECRET THIS WAY COMES. You'll feel the same if you give this book a try so make sure you have a few bucks set aside for the second book in the series!

Want more? I bet you do! Here's the cover copy for SOMETHING SECRET THIS WAY COMES:

Some secrets are dangerous. This Secret is deadly.

Secret McQueen, Book 1

For Secret McQueen, her life feels like the punch line for a terrible joke. Abandoned at birth by her werewolf mother, hired as a teen by the vampire council of New York City to kill rogues, Secret is a part of both worlds, but belongs to neither. At twenty-two, she has carved out as close to a normal life as a bounty hunter can.

When an enemy from her past returns with her death on his mind, she is forced to call on every ounce of her mixed heritage to save herself—and everyone else in the city she calls home. As if the fate of the world wasn’t enough to deal with, there’s Lucas Rain, King of the East Coast werewolves, who seems to believe he and Secret are fated to be together. Too bad Secret also feels a connection with Desmond, Lucas’s second-in-command…

Warning: This book contains a sarcastic, kick-ass bounty hunter; a metaphysical love triangle with two sexy werewolves; a demanding vampire council; and a spicy seasoning of sex and violence.

Read an excerpt (Click on the excerpt tab)

Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository

And here's the rest of the series, including two e-novellas: "The Secret Guide to Dating Monsters" (#0.5) and "Secret Santa"(#2.5):

What do you think? Have you read this series? Are you willing to accept my dare?

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Posted by jenn at 06:10

 Daring You to Read, Samhain, Sierra Dean, Vampire, werewolf  2 People left their mark