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Anna Strong Chronicles #3
The Watcher
Newly-made vampire Anna has become a Watcher-one of the supernatural world's enforcers- even as she fights to control her vampiric rage. When a series of very dangerous events threatens to draw out her unstable powers, her Watcher mentor sends her away for her own safety. But if there's one thing Anna has always been able to find, it's trouble.
304 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published November 27, 2007
32 people are currently reading
1291 people want to read
About the author
Jeanne C. Stein
49 books549 followersJeanne C. Stein is an American Urban Fantasy author living in Colorado. She now lives in Colorado, but was raised and educated in San Diego, which is the setting for her contemporary vampire fantasy.
Jeanne is active in the writing community, belonging to Sisters in Crime both nationally and in San Diego and Los Angeles. She also belongs to Horror Writers of America, RWA and Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers. She was named RMFW’s Writer of the Year for 2008 an honor given to a writer who has contributed to the organization as well as achieved success in publication.
She writes the blog "Biting Edge" with Mario Acevedo at :
http://www.biting-edge.blogspot.com/
Jeanne is active in the writing community, belonging to Sisters in Crime both nationally and in San Diego and Los Angeles. She also belongs to Horror Writers of America, RWA and Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers. She was named RMFW’s Writer of the Year for 2008 an honor given to a writer who has contributed to the organization as well as achieved success in publication.
She writes the blog "Biting Edge" with Mario Acevedo at :
http://www.biting-edge.blogspot.com/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 126 reviews
December 30, 2010
This is the third book in the Anna Strong Chronicles. It was written in a style consistent with the first two. It was a pretty good book and I think if you liked the first two, you would also like this book.
Anna is signed on to be a Watcher. As normal things get out of control. A lot happens in this book. Anna is involved in everything from helping seek down a witch bent on summoning demons into the world, to retrieving her lost boyfriend Max from what are thought to be more typical enemies.
So much happens in this book that it is almost dizzying. That would be one complaint I have with this book; there is just too much going on. Another complaint I have would be that Anna is *still* making the same mistakes and vowing to correct them. Will the girl ever learn? Her character really needs to start changing and growing. My last complaint is that the secondary characters are not getting enough plot time to develop them into characters you know and love. Maybe there was just too much packed into this novel to be able to do that?
There were a couple things I really like. I liked that we finally got to spend some time with Max; he seems like he is an interesting character and I liked what happened between him and Anna. I also like the inclusion of the witches as another sub species in this book; it is nice to get some new fun things in there.
Will I read the next book? Probably. I do think there are better series out there. But these books are a quick read, fast-paced, and draw me in; so I will keep reading them. I just hope that Anna starts to get herself together a little bit better and grow some as a person.
Anna is signed on to be a Watcher. As normal things get out of control. A lot happens in this book. Anna is involved in everything from helping seek down a witch bent on summoning demons into the world, to retrieving her lost boyfriend Max from what are thought to be more typical enemies.
So much happens in this book that it is almost dizzying. That would be one complaint I have with this book; there is just too much going on. Another complaint I have would be that Anna is *still* making the same mistakes and vowing to correct them. Will the girl ever learn? Her character really needs to start changing and growing. My last complaint is that the secondary characters are not getting enough plot time to develop them into characters you know and love. Maybe there was just too much packed into this novel to be able to do that?
There were a couple things I really like. I liked that we finally got to spend some time with Max; he seems like he is an interesting character and I liked what happened between him and Anna. I also like the inclusion of the witches as another sub species in this book; it is nice to get some new fun things in there.
Will I read the next book? Probably. I do think there are better series out there. But these books are a quick read, fast-paced, and draw me in; so I will keep reading them. I just hope that Anna starts to get herself together a little bit better and grow some as a person.
October 23, 2014
Still readable, but this will never be my favorite series nor will Anna ever be my favorite person. I plan on reading the next book, though. It kind of reminds me of Evanovitch's 'Stephanie Plum' series in some ways. An OK, quick read, but it doesn't really grab me.
November 4, 2011
Question: Could Anna Strong BE any more of a tramp?
Okay. Let me set the scene. She comes home to find a naked dude in her bed, fast asleep. So, what does dear, sweet Anna do? Shout "Hey you! Whatcha doing in my bed? Get the hell out!" No wait! I've got it. She takes off all of HER clothes, climbs into bed with him, and starts playing with his boy bits! Then she chews on his neck for a bit, until he finally speaks, and she realizes IT'S HER BOYFRIEND! -and that's a bad thing obviously. Because you wouldn't want to be manhandling your ACTUAL BOYFRIEND would you Anna? Oh no. That wouldn't be nearly trampy enough for you, would it? I'm mean, you've already cheated on him twice in the previous two books. Third time's a charm, right?
*deep cleansing breaths* Ah, that's better.
I officially quit this series. It has to be one of the worst ever. In the whole world. Possibly the Universe.
Okay. Let me set the scene. She comes home to find a naked dude in her bed, fast asleep. So, what does dear, sweet Anna do? Shout "Hey you! Whatcha doing in my bed? Get the hell out!" No wait! I've got it. She takes off all of HER clothes, climbs into bed with him, and starts playing with his boy bits! Then she chews on his neck for a bit, until he finally speaks, and she realizes IT'S HER BOYFRIEND! -and that's a bad thing obviously. Because you wouldn't want to be manhandling your ACTUAL BOYFRIEND would you Anna? Oh no. That wouldn't be nearly trampy enough for you, would it? I'm mean, you've already cheated on him twice in the previous two books. Third time's a charm, right?
*deep cleansing breaths* Ah, that's better.
I officially quit this series. It has to be one of the worst ever. In the whole world. Possibly the Universe.
February 20, 2012
now i have to decide again between 2 or 3 stars, i think i might go with 2 because anna was more irritating in this book than the others, im still holding out hope that she'll eventually grow up but my hope is getting smaller and smaller. i have to say anna was better as a human, she wasnt so into herself then she also didnt whine as much.
i also have to say that im irritated over the fact that Anna never got around to dumping Max she was a coward and just waited until he walk away - so what if there relationship was a joke they were still together and she shouldnt of cheated on him with anyone who was willing.
but if i ignore Anna completely the rest of the book was pretty entertaining. i'll prob read the next book not sure at this moment.
i also have to say that im irritated over the fact that Anna never got around to dumping Max she was a coward and just waited until he walk away - so what if there relationship was a joke they were still together and she shouldnt of cheated on him with anyone who was willing.
but if i ignore Anna completely the rest of the book was pretty entertaining. i'll prob read the next book not sure at this moment.
December 27, 2008
This one had me struggling!! I was so mad that I decided to put off the next book in the series....for now. I really liked Anna's character until this book. She just seems like one big brat who thinks she knows everything. And frankly, it turned me off! The premise of the story was poor constructed and it just did not keep my attention. So, I have to give it the lower rating and move on to something better!!
September 15, 2024
Maybe 3.5* I don’t really love the main character, she’s too onery/angry. But I continue reading the series…
April 11, 2012
Anna is still adjusting to the fact that she has been turned into a vampire but that does not mean that the world has slowed down. She has gone back to work with David, chasing down bail jumpers and has taken on the role of a watcher - a vampire who polices other vampires at the behest of Williams - the chief of police. Anna still has to travel to Mexico to feed because she refuses to heed the advice of the shifter Culebra, Fray and Williams to get a human boyfriend to full fill her sustenance needs. Anna is determined master her vampire nature and stay in control.
Unfortunately for Anna mastering control turns difficult when David her partner hints that their partnership should be dissolved and her long time boyfriend Max goes missing. When Anna approaches Williams, she learns that she has been completely left out of the loop about the real dangers occurring in the supernatural world, because he deems her untrustworthy, due to the fact she does not think through her actions sufficiently. After revealing her true nature in front of a father and daughter, when she intervened in a domestic violence situation, Williams sends her off to Mexico to disappear while he deals with the threat of a coven of witches who are attempting to raise a demon. What Williams does not realize is that his decision will actually put her on the front line. Anna now has to stop a demon killing vampire from rising, save her friend Culebra and her boyfriend Max.
I wish I could say that this book was compelling, but the plot seemed to just limp along, with Anna falling into situations without being active. This would be bad enough for a regular protagonist, but it makes zero sense given that Anna tracks down fugitives for a living. This is now the third book in the series, and I have given up hope of actually seen her investigate anything. To make matters worse, Anna is prone to fits of spunky agency and Kellie independence.
It's no longer enough to have an ass kicking female protagonist for a book to be pro woman. Anna is essentially surrounded by men. I suppose that Stein feels that because she is in a male dominated profession that this is appropriate, but it simply falls into the category of typical female representation. With the exception of her mother - who is referenced and does not actually appear in this book, Anna's interactions with women are all extremely antagonistic. David's girlfriend Gloria, has made an appearance in all three books thus far and her role is simply to be the jealous catty girlfriend who attacks Anna's performance and femininity at every turn. Essentially, this means that their only interaction is to fight over David.
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Unfortunately for Anna mastering control turns difficult when David her partner hints that their partnership should be dissolved and her long time boyfriend Max goes missing. When Anna approaches Williams, she learns that she has been completely left out of the loop about the real dangers occurring in the supernatural world, because he deems her untrustworthy, due to the fact she does not think through her actions sufficiently. After revealing her true nature in front of a father and daughter, when she intervened in a domestic violence situation, Williams sends her off to Mexico to disappear while he deals with the threat of a coven of witches who are attempting to raise a demon. What Williams does not realize is that his decision will actually put her on the front line. Anna now has to stop a demon killing vampire from rising, save her friend Culebra and her boyfriend Max.
I wish I could say that this book was compelling, but the plot seemed to just limp along, with Anna falling into situations without being active. This would be bad enough for a regular protagonist, but it makes zero sense given that Anna tracks down fugitives for a living. This is now the third book in the series, and I have given up hope of actually seen her investigate anything. To make matters worse, Anna is prone to fits of spunky agency and Kellie independence.
It's no longer enough to have an ass kicking female protagonist for a book to be pro woman. Anna is essentially surrounded by men. I suppose that Stein feels that because she is in a male dominated profession that this is appropriate, but it simply falls into the category of typical female representation. With the exception of her mother - who is referenced and does not actually appear in this book, Anna's interactions with women are all extremely antagonistic. David's girlfriend Gloria, has made an appearance in all three books thus far and her role is simply to be the jealous catty girlfriend who attacks Anna's performance and femininity at every turn. Essentially, this means that their only interaction is to fight over David.
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June 20, 2013
The third in the Anna Strong Chronicles, this paranormal action thriller is filled with well .. action! Anna Strong is a bounty hunter and newly turned vampire. Learning her new strengths and weaknesses, she is trying to "control" her vampire side when things get a little crazy. Someone is trying to kill her, and Stein does a good job of weaving several scenarios into one strong plot. Character development and humor are a little thin but still good. How many times must the heroine sleep with different men? It just gets old after the first few times... but the action and a few sidekick characters keep things interesting. Stein writes the action scenes strong and very vividly. High marks for that! I'll look forward to reading the next in this series to see how Anna develops. Overall, not a great read but good nonetheless.
April 21, 2016
Actual Rating: 3.5 stars
Not what I've come to expect of these novels but still interesting and if you enjoy this series worth at least one read through.
I'm not sure what I was expecting but it wasn't this. This felt to me like a bunch of small stories all compiled together to attempt to make one bigger story. It didn't have the desired effect for me though. I'm confused as to what the cover is about, the snake didn't have much to do with the book at all aside from a small lead that didn't go anywhere.
I still really like Anna and respect what she is trying to accomplish in her life. The weird love triangle thing she has going on with Max and David is also intriguing.
Overall; A quick and fun read but would've appreciated some deeper plot detail. Definitely not the best book in the series but not horrible enough to turn me off of reading them.
Not what I've come to expect of these novels but still interesting and if you enjoy this series worth at least one read through.
I'm not sure what I was expecting but it wasn't this. This felt to me like a bunch of small stories all compiled together to attempt to make one bigger story. It didn't have the desired effect for me though. I'm confused as to what the cover is about, the snake didn't have much to do with the book at all aside from a small lead that didn't go anywhere.
I still really like Anna and respect what she is trying to accomplish in her life. The weird love triangle thing she has going on with Max and David is also intriguing.
Overall; A quick and fun read but would've appreciated some deeper plot detail. Definitely not the best book in the series but not horrible enough to turn me off of reading them.
January 18, 2015
I agree with Williams. Anna thinks nothing through or the consequences of her actions, she's almost tstl...almost because she still manages to come out on top.
I missed seeing Daniel this book and I'm really hating Max right now especially since he expected Anna to willingly fall into line whilst he went off with the DEA and did who knows what.
The storyline progressed slightly...and only slightly there's still no movement in her emotional maturity and she seems to be still quite stubborn in accepting her vampire side.
I missed seeing Daniel this book and I'm really hating Max right now especially since he expected Anna to willingly fall into line whilst he went off with the DEA and did who knows what.
The storyline progressed slightly...and only slightly there's still no movement in her emotional maturity and she seems to be still quite stubborn in accepting her vampire side.
April 18, 2011
I've enjoyed each book in Jeanne's series. I'm looking forward to reading the next!
July 28, 2014
Her name should be Anna Idiot and all the other players are no better.
January 4, 2023
More random thoughts
1) More nasty female characters. Where's Anna's female friends? Or any female character of substance that is not antagonistic or downright villainous? I want more Sorrell for example.
2) I do like that Anna is a fairly sexually active (she is vampire now after all) but that so far there is very little romance in the series. (I read romance genre books for that).
3) The action ramped up a bit for me in this one, but yet again, it was obvious from the start who at least one of the villains was.
4) Why lie to Anna about David? Totally unnecessary.
5) I am liking the world more and more in each book. I like the very animalistic nature of the vampires, that some of the common preconceptions are carried out in this world (like not eating solids, like garlic-phobia) but also that some are subverted (like day walking). But the lack of reflection thing doesn't make sense, especially given that they still photograph in stills and on video.
6) I think this is the one where we meet a black character. A police officer who appears in one very short scene. No sign of any other POC characters yet though that I can recall.
7) Why are (almost) all of the villains Hispanic? Why Why does Anna seem to hate Mexico so much still but ends up going there?
1) More nasty female characters. Where's Anna's female friends? Or any female character of substance that is not antagonistic or downright villainous? I want more Sorrell for example.
2) I do like that Anna is a fairly sexually active (she is vampire now after all) but that so far there is very little romance in the series. (I read romance genre books for that).
3) The action ramped up a bit for me in this one, but yet again, it was obvious from the start who at least one of the villains was.
4) Why lie to Anna about David? Totally unnecessary.
5) I am liking the world more and more in each book. I like the very animalistic nature of the vampires, that some of the common preconceptions are carried out in this world (like not eating solids, like garlic-phobia) but also that some are subverted (like day walking). But the lack of reflection thing doesn't make sense, especially given that they still photograph in stills and on video.
6) I think this is the one where we meet a black character. A police officer who appears in one very short scene. No sign of any other POC characters yet though that I can recall.
7) Why are (almost) all of the villains Hispanic? Why Why does Anna seem to hate Mexico so much still but ends up going there?
September 6, 2020
Anna needs the wise up
Well I think the series is pretty good but I also think Anna as with a lot of lead characters of most books is pretty stupid. She seems to have little common sense some of which is understandable because of the lack of trust, which is also understandable. She knows she doesn't know anything about her new life but still refuses to find out more about it. Three books now and she still hasn't learned to erase someone's mind like the others did in the first book.
Well I think the series is pretty good but I also think Anna as with a lot of lead characters of most books is pretty stupid. She seems to have little common sense some of which is understandable because of the lack of trust, which is also understandable. She knows she doesn't know anything about her new life but still refuses to find out more about it. Three books now and she still hasn't learned to erase someone's mind like the others did in the first book.
October 17, 2021
“The Watcher” struck me as a bit of a potboiler, there's a lot to read about but very little development in the overall storyline.
And one of the plotlines in the book - who is stalking Anna? - comes to a very sudden end after a fairly preposterous explanation.
The sudden appearance, in the flesh, of her Guardian Angel was quite funny.
If you've read the first two books in the series you know what to expect.
2.5 Stars
And one of the plotlines in the book - who is stalking Anna? - comes to a very sudden end after a fairly preposterous explanation.
The sudden appearance, in the flesh, of her Guardian Angel was quite funny.
If you've read the first two books in the series you know what to expect.
2.5 Stars
January 7, 2018
Great book
I love all the twists and turns Jeanne Stein puts in her books. She keeps things exciting and interesting. I can't wait to read the next one.
I love all the twists and turns Jeanne Stein puts in her books. She keeps things exciting and interesting. I can't wait to read the next one.
March 8, 2018
Enjoyable escape.
March 16, 2018
Thank You Ms Stein
Ken
Ken
January 15, 2019
This was sooo boring. There was almost no significant plot that moved the series forward.
April 21, 2019
I went back to this series after a break. I think Anna is trying too much. I’ve read better books in this genre. I’ll give it one more try....
July 10, 2019
There are way better series out here than this one.
Read
May 8, 2020Audiobook
October 21, 2021
Boring read, boring heroine
September 9, 2022
Another decent paranormal outing.
March 12, 2017
Looking forward to reading novel #4
March 5, 2017
I had the privilege of meeting Ms. Stein at Mystery and Imagination bookstore in 2009 thanks to Christine and Malcolm. However, graduate school and work has slowed my personal reading down. I greatly enjoyed picking the series back up briefly and look forward to when I have free time again to catch up.
May 4, 2012
3.5 of 5 Stars
I have been reading/listening to this Anna Strong series on audiobook and I am getting more caught up in the series. Anna Strong is a bounty hunter turned vampire. In The Watcher, Anna's mentor (who happens to also be the chief of police) has Anna hunting down rogue vampires and protecting the human population. He is training Anna to balance her new vampire nature with her human nature. Meanwhile, Anna's friends get themselves into various types of trouble. Her on/off again boyfriend Max is being targeted by the drug lord Martinez, Culebra has trouble of some kind going on, and her partner David is being manipulated by his girlfriend Gloria. Being a protective friend, Anna is determined to help her friends out, even if it means becoming the target herself.
This particular installment in the series was quite interesting. I feel like quite a bit happened and there are many different facets to this book. Anna is an intriguing heroine. She is fiercely protective of her friends, but she has definite flaws. She is not faithful to Max, her boyfriend, she makes poor decisions when she is upset, and she hasn't fully come to terms with all the changes in her life due to her new vampire status. Given, with each book, she accepts her new life more, but she still has a way to go. The vampires in the Anna Strong world are very interesting. They drink blood, but the blood can be tainted by the person. When Anna drinks the blood of evil people, she needs to cleanse herself with a new feeding. Also, sex and blood are combined, and this is part of why Anna has such problems with fidelity. I keep feeling like Anna doesn't give Max and David enough credit. She does not want to be real with them about being a vampire, she tries to keep her new nature hidden, but she is only putting wedges into her relationships. She does this to protect them, but she needs to learn to have more faith.
The supernaturals in this world are very interesting and diverse. Anna has shapeshifter friends, including Frye and Culebra. Culebra becomes much more interesting in this book, he comes across as tough and indestructible, but in the end needs Anna's help. A witch is determined to achieve her own ends, and Anna is caught in the trap. Williams, Anna's mentor, takes some really odd actions in The Watcher. He is protective of Anna on one hand, mad at her on the other, and overall confusing. He doesn't exactly know what to do with her, and his ego gets int he way.
I am very curious to see what happens next for Anna. Her romantic life is messed up, Culebra got brought down a notch, and Williams is in for some surprises as well. I am looking forward to reading/listening to the next book and finding out what craziness Anna gets into next.
Paranormal and urban fantasy readers, I recommend giving the Anna Strong series a try. Anna is a flawed heroine, but she is easy to relate to and root for. The paranormal world is diverse, and the books are well written. If you are looking for a new paranormal/vampire/shifter series, here is one to try.
Note about the audiobook: I really enjoyed listening to this book. The narrator, Dina Pearlman, does a fantastic job reading the story and distinguishing the characters. Excellent book to listen to, I recommend the audiobook version for those who enjoy listening to books.
I have been reading/listening to this Anna Strong series on audiobook and I am getting more caught up in the series. Anna Strong is a bounty hunter turned vampire. In The Watcher, Anna's mentor (who happens to also be the chief of police) has Anna hunting down rogue vampires and protecting the human population. He is training Anna to balance her new vampire nature with her human nature. Meanwhile, Anna's friends get themselves into various types of trouble. Her on/off again boyfriend Max is being targeted by the drug lord Martinez, Culebra has trouble of some kind going on, and her partner David is being manipulated by his girlfriend Gloria. Being a protective friend, Anna is determined to help her friends out, even if it means becoming the target herself.
This particular installment in the series was quite interesting. I feel like quite a bit happened and there are many different facets to this book. Anna is an intriguing heroine. She is fiercely protective of her friends, but she has definite flaws. She is not faithful to Max, her boyfriend, she makes poor decisions when she is upset, and she hasn't fully come to terms with all the changes in her life due to her new vampire status. Given, with each book, she accepts her new life more, but she still has a way to go. The vampires in the Anna Strong world are very interesting. They drink blood, but the blood can be tainted by the person. When Anna drinks the blood of evil people, she needs to cleanse herself with a new feeding. Also, sex and blood are combined, and this is part of why Anna has such problems with fidelity. I keep feeling like Anna doesn't give Max and David enough credit. She does not want to be real with them about being a vampire, she tries to keep her new nature hidden, but she is only putting wedges into her relationships. She does this to protect them, but she needs to learn to have more faith.
The supernaturals in this world are very interesting and diverse. Anna has shapeshifter friends, including Frye and Culebra. Culebra becomes much more interesting in this book, he comes across as tough and indestructible, but in the end needs Anna's help. A witch is determined to achieve her own ends, and Anna is caught in the trap. Williams, Anna's mentor, takes some really odd actions in The Watcher. He is protective of Anna on one hand, mad at her on the other, and overall confusing. He doesn't exactly know what to do with her, and his ego gets int he way.
I am very curious to see what happens next for Anna. Her romantic life is messed up, Culebra got brought down a notch, and Williams is in for some surprises as well. I am looking forward to reading/listening to the next book and finding out what craziness Anna gets into next.
Paranormal and urban fantasy readers, I recommend giving the Anna Strong series a try. Anna is a flawed heroine, but she is easy to relate to and root for. The paranormal world is diverse, and the books are well written. If you are looking for a new paranormal/vampire/shifter series, here is one to try.
Note about the audiobook: I really enjoyed listening to this book. The narrator, Dina Pearlman, does a fantastic job reading the story and distinguishing the characters. Excellent book to listen to, I recommend the audiobook version for those who enjoy listening to books.
October 27, 2013
The third book in the Anna Strong Vampire Series finds the main protagonist Anna, still adjusting to her life as a vampire, and embarking on new adventures.
OK...so i have to say I was a little disappointed with this one...not because it wasn't good but it just felt a bit...unfinished and under-developed.
The book starts off ...(semi-where-it-left-off) Anna is now working with her vampire Mentor, Police Chief Williams, in this supernatural secret society as a "Watcher" where she basically goes around killing rogue vampires....disregarding the fact that she doesn't even have a full grasp of what she is, or what she can do....
I felt the story was under-developed for the most part because nothing was explained. As the reader, you're kind of thrown into everything and expected to kind of know whats going on or spend the whole time guessing and making assumptions.
The book is called "Watcher" which makes you believe that the premise of the plot is going to be about her being a Watcher, and her duties to this secret supernatural society...but she only takes one "Watcher" job in the book and it's kind of pointless and unnecessary because it doesn't add to the story.
The book really focuses on Anna trying to figure out what happened to her friend and other mentor, Culebra after some powerful witch showed up at his place of 'business' and he disappears. She's also trying to figure out where her 'boyfriend' Max is, and why all of a sudden an FBI agent named Foley, who claims to be Max's friend is looking for him. She's also trying to figure out who is stalking her, and how to balance being a vampire and keeping her humanity.
the plus side? Anna is a great character and i really like her. the writing is good and the pace of the book was decent, so i'll more likely than not, read the next book...hopefully this was a fluke and the next one will be better...
OK...so i have to say I was a little disappointed with this one...not because it wasn't good but it just felt a bit...unfinished and under-developed.
The book starts off ...(semi-where-it-left-off) Anna is now working with her vampire Mentor, Police Chief Williams, in this supernatural secret society as a "Watcher" where she basically goes around killing rogue vampires....disregarding the fact that she doesn't even have a full grasp of what she is, or what she can do....
I felt the story was under-developed for the most part because nothing was explained. As the reader, you're kind of thrown into everything and expected to kind of know whats going on or spend the whole time guessing and making assumptions.
The book is called "Watcher" which makes you believe that the premise of the plot is going to be about her being a Watcher, and her duties to this secret supernatural society...but she only takes one "Watcher" job in the book and it's kind of pointless and unnecessary because it doesn't add to the story.
The book really focuses on Anna trying to figure out what happened to her friend and other mentor, Culebra after some powerful witch showed up at his place of 'business' and he disappears. She's also trying to figure out where her 'boyfriend' Max is, and why all of a sudden an FBI agent named Foley, who claims to be Max's friend is looking for him. She's also trying to figure out who is stalking her, and how to balance being a vampire and keeping her humanity.
the plus side? Anna is a great character and i really like her. the writing is good and the pace of the book was decent, so i'll more likely than not, read the next book...hopefully this was a fluke and the next one will be better...
May 14, 2010
I'm finding that I like this series. I know that a lot of people wish Anna would "get with it" a bit faster, but I wonder just how fast I would get with it if this kind of life change happened to me. Some readers feel that she isn't learning anything and is making the same mistakes over and over again. I'm not so sure about that. I just think the time line for the series is a lot shorter than most readers realize.
The characters live in Southern California. There isn't the kind of weather that most people think of as seasonal to give clues. People who have lived in Southern California know that there really are seasons but what the seasons look like won't register on most readers, and the author isn't handing out clues either. It is also possible that all three books just fill up a few weeks during the long Southern California summer.
I like the series enough that I'm going to buy the next one or two books that are out. Those 4 stars are actually 3.5 because this series isn't totally grabbing me, but it is good enough to continue.
I'm not going to bother doing a plot summery. There is more than enough of that out there. Anna is still trying to figure out her new situation. She sees a photo of herself taken after the change. She is so new to the change that she still doesn't know that she can be photographed. She is still trying to figure out how to get her hair cut. In fact, under the craziness of the plot where people are trying to kill her and her friends, she is still trying to just figure out normal life.
The characters live in Southern California. There isn't the kind of weather that most people think of as seasonal to give clues. People who have lived in Southern California know that there really are seasons but what the seasons look like won't register on most readers, and the author isn't handing out clues either. It is also possible that all three books just fill up a few weeks during the long Southern California summer.
I like the series enough that I'm going to buy the next one or two books that are out. Those 4 stars are actually 3.5 because this series isn't totally grabbing me, but it is good enough to continue.
I'm not going to bother doing a plot summery. There is more than enough of that out there. Anna is still trying to figure out her new situation. She sees a photo of herself taken after the change. She is so new to the change that she still doesn't know that she can be photographed. She is still trying to figure out how to get her hair cut. In fact, under the craziness of the plot where people are trying to kill her and her friends, she is still trying to just figure out normal life.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 126 reviews