Suddenly Sam (October Trilogy #3) by Heather Killough-Walden

Samhain is running out of time. When the clock strikes midnight on Halloween, the door to his realm will close forever, and any precious hope he possessed of winning the heart of the woman he would choose as queen will vanish along with October. A desperate lack of time calls for desperate measures, and Sam finds himself pushing boundaries and breaking rules to claim the heart he loves. But there is more at stake here than even the Death God realized, and as the long hand climbs toward October’s final moments, what is truly to be gained and truly to be lost becomes all too terrifyingly clear.

Logan Wright’s world spins out of control as she is dragged unwillingly into the realm bordering Samhain’s kingdom. But what begins as a struggle to free herself from Sam’s clutches and leave the new yet achingly familiar land she has entered becomes a journey of dawning understanding and self discovery – as October Land, in all of its amber-hued splendor and Autumn magic not only captures her body and soul, but the very heart she is trying so desperately to protect.

Somewhere between the mortal realm and the Realm of the Dead, in the fantastical world of apple orchards and pumpkin patches, cinnamon spice, and midnight masquerades, ten friends quest for power, freedom, and salvation – and one must make the ultimate choice. And the ultimate sacrifice.

Suddenly Sam is the anxiously awaited third and final heart-pounding novel in the award winning young adult paranormal romance trilogy The October Trilogy, by New York Times and USA Today best selling author, Heather Killough-Walden.

I didn’t start this trilogy until last year, so I did get to pick up Secretly Sam immediately after I read Sam I Am. That was fortunate because one book leads right into the other. What wasn’t so fortunate was that Secretly Sam ended in a huge cliff hanger and I had to wait a year to pick up Suddenly Sam to see how the story ended. Yikes! If you are just discovering the October Trilogy, you’re fortunate. And since this book picks up exactly where the last one left off, I suggest you pick up all three at the same time. You can thank me later. 😉

So, was Suddenly Sam worth the torturous wait? Absolutely! Heather’s writing is a constant. I’m just as drawn in and mesmerized by her young adult fiction as her adult PNR. Her descriptions are poetic and her world building in this series was amazing. Half way through I was wishing that I could visit October Land myself. It was as beautiful as it was scary and it fit the personality of the characters who lived there.

Speaking of characters, there was quite a variety in this trilogy. Young, old, wise, impulsive and everything in between. The supporting cast of characters played just as important a role as the main characters and the way the POV changed from chapter to chapter just reinforced that. There was so much to love about this book, but I can’t convey it in a review. It’s one of those things you have to experience it for yourself.

Mystery, magic, danger, romance and raw emotion. The October Trilogy had it all and Suddenly Sam wrapped it all up with a satisfactory end. In true Heather Killough-Walden fashion, readers were reminded that there is no such thing as pure good or pure evil and nothing is always as it seems. The story for these characters is far from over, but the rest is left to our imagination and that’s okay. We can end our time with Logan and company with a satisfied sigh – which is how all good fairy tales should end. 😉

The Warlock King (The Kings #3) by Heather Killough-Walden

Jason Alberich wears the crown of the sovereign of the warlocks, a dark breed that uses darker magic. He wears it well, skillfully wielding a power that would corrupt others. Yet he has paid the price for his control, bearing the scars of a time when his power had control over him. He is haunted by the regrets of a shady past and now lives each day and night with an isolated soul. 

Chloe Septeran is an Akyri like no other. A member of a race that must depend upon warlocks for sustenance in exchange for servitude, Chloe runs from the dark magic users, choosing instead to live free of their hold. She has existed empty and “hungry,” but stubbornly free of the warlock’s dark embrace. However, now the fates have chosen to bring her running to a halt, as the 13 Kings each discover their queens – and the Warlock King discovers his.

A mighty power is awakening, wreaking havoc on the supernatural world. The 13 Kings, their queens, the werewolf nation, and the witch covens with their high leader, Lalura Chantelle, must band together and stand strong in the face of a dawning nightmare that threatens the very fabric of all they hold dear… and from which none may escape.

Jason was first introduced to readers in Heather Killough-Walden’s Big Bad Wolf series. He wasn’t an endearing character in The Spell. As a matter of fact, he was the bad guy… and a very sinister one at that. He did everything in his very dark power to keep Dannai away from her mate, Lucas. Of course he didn’t succeed, but he obviously wasn’t destroyed either. In true Heather Killough-Walden fashion, his character was given a chance at redemption and by the end of The Hunt Jason had turned into a hero. I love it when that happens… *sigh* Of course there are some that still don’t and probably never will completely trust Jason. That just keeps things interesting though.

Chloe falls on the side of not trusting Jason. Understandable, since she doesn’t trust any warlock. Finding herself drawn to him as strongly as she wants to run from him makes it even harder. The pull that these two have toward each other can’t be fought, and Jason has no intention of letting Chloe get away. Chloe doesn’t make it easy. Like all the other queens, she is strong and won’t bow to Jason immediately, King or not. She discovers all on her own that Jason isn’t who he seems on the surface.

I’m really enjoying this series so far. It’s pulled me in just as fast as the Big Bad Wolf series did. Of course, that may have something to do with the fact that some of my favorite characters from that series make frequent appearances. The world of the Kings and the Wolves are intertwined and whether they like it or not, they need each other. One of my favorite characters in both series is Lalura. She is spry and feisty and she has no problem at all putting both the Kings and the Wolves in their place. The fun part is that when she speaks, they pay attention and the respect goes both ways.

A lot happened in The Warlock King beyond just the romance between Jason and Chloe. Danger is lurking everywhere and not even the found queens are totally protected from it. A few more mysteries were solved in The Warlock King, but there are still more that need to be solved. Things aren’t necessarily as they seem and just when you think the danger has passed… Did I mention that Heather Killough-Walden is also notorious for the occasional cliff hanger? Yep, I never saw that one coming…. 🙂 This installment of The Kings definitely took everything up a notch.

Even though The Kings is a stand alone series, you should really treat yourself to the Big Bad Wolf series as well. The Warlock King made me want to start the series over again… at least from The Spell (which happens to be my favorite, by the way.) They aren’t all available independently any longer, but you can still pick up The Heat, The Strip, The Spell and The Hunt in a 4-book compilation from Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Death’s Angel (Lost Angels #3) by Heather Killough-Walden

Since the beginning of time, the archangels have longed to know true love. When four female angels were created for the four archangels, Michael, Gabriel, Uriel, and Azrael, a chaos spurred by jealousy erupted, and the archesses were secreted away to Earth. The four favored archangels followed, prompting a search that has lasted millennia.

As the Angel of Death, Azrael could never be like his brothers. While the others fell to Earth in human form, Azrael descended as a vampire. Today, as the lead singer of a popular rock band, he keeps his true nature hidden–a powerful darkness constantly at odds with his angelic self. Beneath his mask, Azrael holds onto the hope that he will one day find the archess who will complete him.

At his brother Gabriel’s wedding, Azrael set his golden eyes on Sophie Bryce, the maid of honor. He is certain she is his destined mate, and will do anything to make her his. But Sophie is unaware of her archess identity, and is haunted by unspeakable demons of her own.

When supernatural forces emerge from the shadows, threatening Sophie, Azrael is the only one who can protect her. But to do it, he must reveal his true, savage self.

I never thought that I would say this, but the farther I get into this series, the more trouble I’m having deciding what series of Heather Killough-Walden’s I like the most. It’s hard to believe that there would be any competition for the  Big Bad Wolves, but the Archangels in the Lost Angels series are coming close. (Just don’t tell Malcom Cole.) 😉

Az’s book starts where Messenger’s Angel ended, at Gabriel and Juliette’s wedding. I’ve been looking forward to Azrael’s story since this series began. He’s been in the shadows, quite literally and he’s come close to breaking my heart in almost every book. In Death’s Angel, readers find out exactly how much he has suffered. I knew that this one was going to be intense and as usual, Heather Killough-Walden did not disappoint.

Sophie had almost as much painful history as Azrael did. She lost her parents at a young age and she was basically on her own. She found herself fixated on Azrael but she knew that he was searching for his Arches so she tried to ignore the attraction. Watching Azrael’s patience and Sophie’s turmoil would have been enough to keep readers on the edge of their seats, but there was so much more to Death’s Angel, much, much more.

As if the Adarians and Samael weren’t enough to contend with from an enemy standpoint, there are forces in this book that none of the brothers or Max understand. All the bad guys seem to be coming out to play and their main goal seems to be to keep the Archangels from finding and mating with their Archesses. This book was definitely a turning point in the series. A lot more players were thrown into the mix, more questions were raised than answers given and the stakes just kept getting higher. After this one I can see things going in several different directions and I’m not going to make any assumptions.

Michael’s book is next and after the way things were left at the end of Death’s Angel, it can’t come soon enough. Readers were definitely left hanging, so consider yourself warned.

A Sinister Game by Heather Killough-Walden

In a world ruled by Game Leaders, a dark and dangerous man proposes a wager….

“If you can escape me for seven rounds, Victoria – if you can keep from being taken off of the board for that long, I will admit defeat and step down as Gray leader. But if I find you,” he let the words sink in. “And if I capture you….” His voice trailed off just as his gaze trailed over her lips, her throat, her breasts.
His green eyes locked on hers again and she felt she would die right there at that table.
“Then you’ll join me. You’ll give yourself to me for one night.” His smile was the devil’s promise. “This is the wager.”

But this is a game far more complicated and far more deadly than either of them anticipated. As the real world unfolds around them, what they thought they knew becomes obsolete, and the rules are ruthlessly changed… in this SINister game.

I have to admit that when I first started A Sinister Game, it didn’t immediately grab me. I think it may have been the set-up, which was a necessary part of the story. The flip side is that once it did grab me, it didn’t let go.

The world that Heather Killough-Walden created in A Sinister Game was so much more than it seemed at first. So were the main players. It was a sinister, dark world whose powers that be not only manipulated the players in The Game, but also the residents outside its walls. It was quite a complex and scary concept.

As to be expected from any book by this author, there was amazing heat between the main characters. In this case, Victor and Victoria. Also to be expected, the lines between good and evil tended to blur. Killough-Walden is an expert at blurring those lines. You never know exactly who you should be rooting for and you find your loyalties changing almost as fast as the action and drama force you to turn the pages. It definitely makes for an interesting read.

I’ve mentioned before that I’m a sucker for mythology and A Sinister Game has an interesting mythological tie-in. I wasn’t expecting it, but once it was introduced everything seemed to click into place.

It’s hard to find a category for this book. It’s an interesting mix of mythology, dystopian, sci-fy and paranormal romance. It’s full of action, mystery, danger, intrigue as well as romance. Basically, it has pretty much everyone covered.

Secretly Sam (October Trilogy #2) by Heather Killough-Walden

It’s been a week since Logan Wright and her friends managed to defeat Samhain, the Lord of the Dead, and put an end to the death and destruction he caused in his relentless pursuit of her.

All has been quiet.

But it’s always quiet before a storm, and as the October wind picks up once more and red eyes peer from the darkness, it becomes clear that “Sam Hain” is far from finished. He’s after something precious, something that can only be found here, and he isn’t going to go away without it.

In this second installment of the pulse-pounding young adult series The October Trilogy, Logan and her companions face an enemy that has grown more powerful, more determined, and more dangerous in spades. Samhain, who has once more become Sam Hain the indomitable god-turned-vampire, has his mesmerizing sights set on Logan Wright, body and soul.

Nothing is going to sway him this time. He’s learned his lessons and adapted. Time is running out. And nothing is more deadly than a Death God on a schedule.

So I finally read Sam I Am and wasn’t surprised at all that I found another Heather Killough-Walden series to become enamored with. Then I read Secretly Sam and I’m officially hooked. Wow! Talk about a roller coaster ride. Just when you think you know where this book is going everything gets turned upside down.

This is really a hard book to review. Mainly because I really don’t want to spoil it for anyone. Logan is thrown for a loop in Secretly Sam and not in a good way. The supporting characters in the series are front and center in this book and have as much to do with the action as Sam, Donovan and Logan.

The only bad part about this book is that I have to wait an entire year to find out what happens next. Yikes! Talk about cliff hangers. The perfect part about the wait is that I know what I’ll be reading next October. The October Trilogy is nothing if not the perfect Halloween read. If this doesn’t get you in the spooky, eery, Halloween holiday spirit, nothing will. Enjoy!

Sam I Am (October Trilogy #1) by Heather Killough-Walden

Seventeen year-old Logan Wright has always turned to the make-believe world of her written words to escape the pain of her real life. Through her writing, she lives vicariously, creating gorgeous but dangerous male characters who hunt down, and fight for, their chosen mates. For a vice, it’s a safe one. Normally. 
However, this is October. 
The moon is full, the cemetery is filled with mists, and the misspoken words of an ages-old spell have released an ancient force. It is shapeless – nameless. Until it happens upon the words of a beautiful young bard and takes the wickedly handsome form of one of her creations.
Now Logan finds herself the object of desire for a boy who appears to be everything she ever dreamed of. Sam Hain is tall, strong, and gorgeous. He wants her; there’s no denying that. So, what’s the problem? 
Sam’s kisses come with sharp teeth – and a dark promise. 
Logan, her friends, and her long-time crush must band together in order to save her from the force they unwittingly awakened. They have one month. And it’s going to be a long one.

If you’ve visited before you already know that I am a fan of Heather Killough-Walden. I’ve read all of her Big Bad Wolf Series (more than once actually *blush*.) I was more than excited when I found out she was starting The Kings Series as a spin-off to my beloved wolves. When she announced her Lost Angels Series, I didn’t hesitate to grab them as soon as they were released. Why then has it taken me so long to pick up The October Trilogy? I honestly have no idea, I’m just glad that I finally did.

The premise of Sam I Am was pretty interesting. Beyond the fact that Sam Hain is the Lord of Death the fact that a character that Logan created in her fictional writings more or less came to life is quite a concept. (A scary concept if you look at it from a creative standpoint – Yikes!) Throw vampires, werewolves and teen drama into the mix and what’s not to love?

Logan was a strong character, despite her low self esteem and life circumstances that could have made it easy for her to give into Sam and his temptation of escape. She didn’t have a lot of friends, but the ones that she had were true. There were a few moments that I would have liked to have locked Dom and Logan in a room and made them talk to each other about their feelings, but I seem to have that reaction a lot when I read YA books, so I won’t even go there. 😉

Basically, Sam I Am was a perfect October read. It had just enough ‘edge of your seat’ scariness to turn it into a page turner and the right amount of teen drama and crush moments to keep everyone happy. The next book in The October Trilogy, Secretly Sam is available now and given the fact that Sam I Am ended with a ‘what the heck?’ moment, I’m kinda glad I waited a while before picking the first book up. Luckily, I have Secretly Sam waiting patiently on my Kindle.

The Spell (Big Bad Wolf #3) by Heather Killough-Walden – DejaVu Review

Dannai, who is also known as the Healer, has begun dreaming of werewolves. She’d always been able to hide the fact that she was a dormant, using her magic to shield the sweet, promising scent from the alphas she’s been forced to work around. But now that they’ve invaded her dreams, her world has really been turned upside down. For, though every dormant dreams of her intended mate, Dannai is dreaming of two wolves, not one. And neither one of them is good news. One is a notorious killer. The other is Lucas Caige. Lucas Caige is a man with a haunting past. A warlock took his brother from him fifty years ago and he’s spent his life outrunning that dark magic. But fate has a way of throwing sand in your gears-and just when Caige thought he could forever leave behind the magic that brought pain to his life, his path crosses that of the Healer. Dannai unwittingly casts her spell over him the moment he lays eyes on her. She’s stunning, she’s kind, and everything about her wreaks havoc on his senses. She’s also magic incarnate. But if Dannai thinks that’s going to stop him from doing everything in his power to make her his mate, the little witch has another thing coming.

You may have heard me mention that I am a fan of Heather Killough-Walden’s Big Bad Wolf Series. Actually, I think they may have been the first true paranormal romances involving shape shifters that I read. So I wonder if that means I can blame her for my addiction? Probably not, but it was worth a try. *sigh*

I can honestly say that I think The Spell was one of my favorites in this series. I’m not exactly sure why, but it may have been that Danny was the first of the female dormants that new what she was. Looking back, it may have also been because a lot of key characters were brought to the forefront in this one. Regardless, The Spell is a book that I have read more than once and I’m sure that this won’t be the last time. There are some characters that you just can’t say goodbye to. Even though Danny and Lucas are brought back in other books and we’ve met them before in previous BBW stories, this one is special.

Lucas is a true alpha male in every sense of the word. He’s damaged though, and his salvation is someone who he should view as his enemy. The twist here is that Danny knows it. She’s been dreaming of him and another alpha. One is beyond evil and the other is someone who hates everything she stands for. The circumstances and draw that bring these two together is amazing and it’s what makes this story so full of – well, magic.

There are a few mysteries in this book solved. A lot of drama and heart break. Some very hot and steamy scenes, old enemies resurfaced and a few new mysteries thrown into the mix. Throughout the book the story is woven seamlessly and… well, you just need to read it to understand.

This book marks a turning point in the series. I didn’t realize it when I first read the book, but it is the next to the last in the Big Bad Wolf Series. At first I was really upset when I found out that the series would soon be over. Then I realized that Heather Killough-Walden had bigger plans. Her Kings Series ties both series together in a way that I never could have imagined. The lives of these characters come full circle and although the alpha wolves we have grown to love are no longer front and center, they are still an integral part of the new world that Heather has created. You can read both series independently, but you really get so much more out of it if you read them together.

If you need more convincing, check out my reviews of The Heat, The Strip, and The Hunt from the Big Bad Wolf Series and The Vampire King and The Phantom King from Heather’s new Vampire King Series.

The Phantom King by Heather Killough-Walden – Bout-of-Books 4.0 Review

Siobhan Ashdown was born of magic; it rides her blood like a phantom, tainted and dark and unpredictable. She is a warlock, and the power within her is unlike any before known to her kind. So it’s no surprise that the most powerful of the demons who feed off of this warlock magic not only recognizes the enormous potential she represents but determines that he will possess her at any cost. Even if it means war with the entire supernatural world.

Thanatos has ruled Purgatory as the Phantom King since time immemorial. King of a vast plane of solitude, he is a free spirit, a lone rider, a tattooed man of wind and dust and nonexistent boundaries. Then he turns around one morning to find himself face to face with Siobhan Ashdown, a woman with hair as red and wild as his soul, eyes like melted gold, and a spirit as elusive as his own. Time stops, the world tilts, and the fact that she attacks him right off the bat does little to deter his romantic convictions.

Thirteen Kings are severed by lust and greed, an ancient vampire and his rogue creation lay claim to what is not theirs, the whisperings of war begin to shake the foundation of the supernatural world, and primordial evil awakens from its slumber to slither across the land in this second installment in the Big Bad Wolf spinoff series, The Kings, by Heather Killough-Walden.

I’m loving Heather Killough-Walden’s The Kings Series. It may have something to do with my love of the Big Bad Wolf Series, but I think I would like it regardless.

You can get the gist of the series from the description. In The Vampire King, the 13 Immortal Kings found out that each one of them was destined to find their queen. In The Phantom King, Thanatos finds that he is next in line. As usual, fate plays some nasty tricks on the destined pairing. The fact that the destined queens so far have no idea that the supernatural world exists just adds to the drama. Well, they mostly don’t know. There is something uniquely special about each one of the queens. Siobhan just happens to be a warlock.

Part of what I have liked about this series so far is how Heather Killough-Walden has interwoven the lives of all these paranormal beings. In each book we have gotten a glimpse into some of the other Kings. The reader is also treated to some glimpses into characters that were first introduced in the Big Bad Wolf Series. Since I wasn’t quite ready for that series to end, I’m loving the fact that we haven’t totally said good-bye to them. Their lives are woven into the future of the Kings as well. That doesn’t mean that you have to read the Big Bad Wolf Series to appreciate The Kings Series. For me, it’s just an added bonus.

I liked the pairing and the story in The Vampire King, but I think I liked the pairing of Thane and Siobhan even better. There was just something about them that seemed even more natural as a couple. I liked Thane’s vulnerability and Siobhan’s strength and determination to fight the darkness of her magic. Even so, Roman’s story is far from over  and I’m looking forward to see how the drama for the rest of the Kings play out in future books.

The Strip by Heather Killough-Walden (Deja Vu Review)

Green-eyed Malcolm Cole is a cursed werewolf, an alpha in the most powerful sense who has given up hope for any kind of happiness or peace in his life. Until he catches wind of Claire. Claire St. James, Charlie among friends, is an amazing young woman with an incredibly special gift. Cole recognizes this at once and swears on the spot to claim Charlie as his mate. Of course, he isn’t the only one with such plans. Charlie is too precious to let go without a fight, and one of the most powerful alphas in the world has already staked a claim, whether Charlie-or Cole-like it or not.

I’m not sure if this is the 3rd or 4th time that I’ve read through this series. I seem to get wrapped up in it every time I do, so it doesn’t really matter. Part of the reason why I like The Strip is because of Malcolm Cole. It seems almost wrong to like him as a character since he was the bad guy in The Heat, but that’s part of what makes it so good.  I love it when an author can turn your attitude toward a character around totally. Turns out Heather is a pro at it. 😉

Talk about damaged characters. Charlie is one of the most heartbreaking characters Heather has written so far. She lost her parents, she’s physically attacked more than once and the only person who seems to be able to make her physically strong enough to fight back uses mental and physical abuse to get the job done. She has a close core of very good, protective friends, but they can only do so much, especially when the bad guys even start chasing her in her dreams. What’s worse is, she’s about to find out that she is part of a world she never even knew existed.

Then there is Malcolm. He is damaged as well, but hides it behind his tough exterior. Lily saw through it, even though he kidnapped her and tried to break her. I think that’s what won me over. That, and there is no character more Alpha or respected by his pack than Malcolm Cole. He was still brass, opinionated, domineering and cruel, but you could even see that toughness slowly melt when it came to Charlie. It started out as the same type of scenario that drove him to capture Lily, but then it turned into so much more. The protective mate came out in him and that changed everything.

The twists and turns in this one keep the pages turning. Even after reading it more than once, I had a hard time putting it down. Sometimes knowing what is coming is even worse. I also loved getting to know characters from previous books a little better. The subtle foreshadowing gives you a hint of things to come. The snarkiness between Malcolm and Lily was fun too. I love those two together. After all they went through in The Heat, that should be so wrong, but I can’t help it.

There are aspects of these books that are hard to read. The abuse and violence is sometimes raw to the point of being painful. These characters suffer, mostly at the hands of pure evil. As hard as it is to read, I don’t think the outcome would be the same if it was totally left out. I don’t condone this type of abuse, and by writing about it, I don’t assume that the author does either. These books aren’t for everyone, as I’ve said before and not just about the Big Bad Wolf series, but about others as well. The concept of the Alpha is what it is. They are strong, domineering, powerful and fierce. They are also protective, love unconditionally and are fiercely loyal when it comes to their mate. It’s a totally different world and Heather does a great job of bringing out the pain and beauty of both aspects. Sometimes there’s a fine line between good and evil in both fantasy and reality.

The Strip is the second book in the Big Bad Wolf series. At the end of this one you find out that there is much more to come for all the previous characters as well as some new ones. There are 4 books and the next one, The Spell, is probably one of my favorites. It will be the last of my Deja Vu reviews for the series because I reviewed The Hunt months ago. I’m not sure why I skipped the rest, but at least I’m making up for it now. 😉

The Heat by Heather Killough-Walden (Deja Vu Review)

Lily St. Claire is a simple Southern girl who has no idea what she is in for when she decides to move back to her home town in Louisiana after a decade of being away. But between the two very different alpha werewolves who instantly begin fighting to claim her as their mate and the serial killer who has her in his sights, she’s about to find out.

Would you believe me if I told you I’m not exactly sure how many times I’ve read this book? The sad thing is that I’ve read it several times and this is the first time that I’ve reviewed it. Sure, I’ve rated it so people know that I liked it, but this is the first time that I’ve actually sat down and put into words why I liked it. For that I owe not only Heather Killough-Walden an apology, but also potential readers as well. Like I said, that’s what my Deja Vu Review posts are all about. I’m trying to rectify that lapse in reviews. The fact that I get to go back and read some of my favorites is just an added bonus. *sigh*

The Heat is the first book in Heather Killough-Walden’s Big Bad Wolf Series and an introduction that got me hooked. As I read further into the series, I realized that even though I fell in love with the characters, it didn’t end up being my favorite. That happens to me a lot in series though so it’s no reflection on the book at all. It’s just the nature of the beast. First books lay a lot of ground work. Even though there isn’t a tremendous amount of that in The Heat, it’s still there.

Readers need to know that this book is definitely not for everyone. The alpha males in this book are very ‘alpha’ and at times borderline abusive. If you’re not a reader who is used to that strong sense of ownership and protection that comes from a book centered around that mind set, you might as well not pick this one up. There is a lot of violence and abuse that happens in this story. It brings out the strength and determination in Lily and it shows readers exactly how strong the bond is between an alpha and his chosen mate. It’s raw, powerful and intense. If you can get past all that, it’s also funny, romantic and an easy, quick read. It’s a great introduction to the world that Heather has created.

If you continue reading the series and following these alphas you’ll discover something else about Heather’s writing and story lines. She’s extremely good and making you change your mind about characters that you thought that you were supposed to hate. It doesn’t happen right away. There are still aspects of the character that you don’t quite trust, but eventually you unexpectedly find yourself changing your attitude. It really took me by surprise the first time it happened, but now I’ve come to expect it. The beauty of it is, you never know exactly where your loyalty is going to lie next. I think that’s what I like so much about this series and others that Heather has written. They are never predictable or cut and dry. I’m also sure that’s why I like to go back and re-read them. It helps me remember why I thought I should hate the characters in the first place.

If you haven’t read The Big Bad Wolf Series and you like a hot, alpha male story line, you should check them out. There are 4 books in the series. The Heat, The Strip, The Spell and The Hunt.