Take Two: Hot Blooded by Amanda Carlson

Jenn reviewed this book when it released in 2013 and you can read her thoughts here, now it's my turn to give it a go!

Jessica has had a lot on her plate since this journey started (was it really just a week ago??) and this time won't be a vacation either. It's in fact her toughest challenge yet, but she must rise and shine if she hopes to save her mate from an angry, sadistic Goddess.

If I had one word to choose to describe Hot Blooded it would definitely be action-packed. From beginning to end there isn't a single down moment, so don't even think of taking a breath! Jessica sets on her mission with her twin brother, their friend Danny and a duo of unreliable vampire siblings. On their journey, they face challenge after challenge and the things they have to face are simply unpredictable. Carlson dug up some really old mythology to throw in the mix and surprise us, and she did it well.

If I had one complaint about this novel it would be how Jessica's blood always seemed to be the answer to every challenge they faced and how her 'instincts' were always right. She has no idea why she does this or that, but when confronted by Tyler, she just says she has no idea but it feels right. It just felt like an easy way out. I wish she'd made at least one or two mistakes, the whole thing would've felt more plausible. I mean, she's a newbie werewolf, with no idea what she's doing, facing a Goddess backed up by the Underworld and she makes no mistakes? Please...

The whole story revolves around a limited number of characters and it felt right in such a retrieval mission. Everyone contributed and felt equally important, even human Ray, whom I came to appreciate along the journey. Naomi (one of the vampires) also turned out to be a pleasant surprise and I hope we see more of her in the future.

I wish Rourke had been present, but since the whole deal was to save him it makes sense he isn't there lol But I would lie if I said I wasn't impatient to know more about him and to finally see Jessica and him as a couple. Their relationship has been pretty chaste thus far and it would be about time they get down and dirty hahaha

Overall, I liked this installment and I would definitely recommend this series to urban fantasy lovers. You will find sassy and loveable characters, action-packed encounters and thrilling plot-lines. I'm sure you won't be disappointed!

Read More

Posted by Tynga at 01:09

 Amanda Carlson, Hachette, Jessica McClain, Orbit, Paranormal Romance, Purchased, Review, Urban Fantasy, werewolves, Witch  1 Person left their mark

Red Blooded by Amanda Carlson

I was really looking forward to RED BLOODED because every chapter in Jessica's story has been so amazing. Sadly, this instalment, while good, was not quite as stunning as I'd hoped it would be. This isn't to say that it's a bad story -- far from it -- but Carlson has set the bar quite high in her previous books and RED BLOODED fell just a teensy bit short for me.

RED BLOODED takes us to a different part of the Jessica McClain universe: the Underworld. I've been curious about this since the end of the previous novel and, as usual, Carlson throws us almost immediately into the action, with Jessica getting accidentally sent to Hell before she's ready. ('Cause where would the fun be if she was all prepared, right?) Much of the novel is Jessica on her own in Hell because time moves more slowly in the Underworld. As a result, Jessica spends much of the novel trying to find her brother Tyler and avoiding the thousands of demons who live in the Underworld and who would love to get their hands on her. Carlson does a good job of creating an Underworld that's not exactly the same as what we've seen in other series, and she even has time to introduce her take on the chupacabra, which I quite enjoyed.

One of the best things about RED BLOODED is that we see a lot of the series mythology get unpacked. We learn more about the various prophecies that have come into play and what they mean for Jessica and her friends and family. I found this aspect of the novel to be extremely satisfying and I'm sure that you will, too, since it's part of the payout that we've been waiting for. I'm thrilled that Carlson doesn't make us wait longer, though this is typical for her. (One of the major reasons I'm such a fan.)

Despite all of this goodness, and the page time with some fascinating new characters, there was just something about RED BLOODED that didn't live up to its predecessors. I think it's just a matter of this book being a teensy weensy little bit less fabulous than Carlson's other stories; it remains a wonderful piece of urban fantasy. It's hard for me to pinpoint exactly why I didn't super love RED BLOODED because the are no bad parts to the book but I will say that the usual Carlson spark was just a little dimmer than usual. Despite this, I remain a staunch Jessica McClain and Amanda Carlson fan and I strongly urge you to give this series a try if you haven't already!

Read an excerpt

Read More

Posted by Tynga at 03:00

 Adult, Amanda Carlson, Hachette, Jessica McClain, Netgalley, Orbit, Review, Urban Fantasy, werewolf  Leave your mark

Cold Blooded by Amanda Carlson

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!

Read an excerpt

 

 

Read More

Posted by Tynga at 03:00

 Adult, Amanda Carlson, Hachette, Jessica McClain, Netgalley, Orbit, Review, Urban Fantasy, werewolf  Leave your mark