Hunting Werewolves and Other Bad Dates by Kel Carpenter and Meg Anne

This story is a mixed bag. On the good side, it presents an interesting world of supernatural creatures who are working their way toward a civil war with each other. There’s a mystery regarding who murdered the heroine’s twin brother. There are family secrets as well, all of which should have made for a compelling tale. The opening sequence is pretty good as well.

The problems begin as we get to know the main character. She’s just not likable and goes out of her way to be annoying and offensive. And just when you think you can’t take any more, she gets worse. This is a strategy authors sometimes use to ease the reader in to discovering the heroine is actually vulnerable and sympathetic, but I never had that reaction in this book. She just became worse and worse, and if there was a choice between a good decision and a bad decision to be made, you could count on her to make the bad one every time.

It's very hard to overcome a thoroughly dislikeable main character. Usually, the love interest helps, but he was a mess also, if for different reasons. While I’m quite certain that these two are destined to fall deeply and totally in love, it makes no sense because they irritate each other completely. He simply does not have the patience to deal with her. But to make matters worse, for no discernible reason I could determine, he immediately goes out on a big limb for the woman which puts him in serious trouble with the other supernatural creatures and doesn’t actually help her.

As if all of this poor characterization and poor plotting weren’t enough of a problem, the book ends on a genuine cliffhanger which resolves none of the story elements. This one is pure frustration.