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Skinned #1
Under My Skin
All her parents wanted was for Eryn to live a normal life...Redgrave had its share of monsters before Eryn moved to town. Mauled pets, missing children. The Delacroix family is taking the blame, but Eryn knows the truth. Something stalks the night. Wade, the police chief's son and Redgrave High's resident hottie, warns her the Delacroix are dangerous. But then so is Eryn--in fact, she's lethal. But she can't help falling for one of the Delacroix boys, dark, brooding--human Alec. And then her world falls apart.A normal life? Now that's the real fairytale.
226 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 27, 2010
19 people are currently reading
4864 people want to read
About the author
Judith Graves
27 books254 followersHeya! I'm Judith Graves, an award-winning young adult fiction author, children's book author/illustrator, and screenwriter. I live in Albany, Prince Edward Island with my husband and our sassy fur babies. I write and illustrate stories with attitude.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
December 12, 2009
Snarky heroine, hot guys and werewolves what more could you ask for? Under My Skin will keep you turning the pages.
March 16, 2010
Under My Skin is one of those books, that you sit down thinking you'll read a few pages of it and then a few hours later you're done. I found myself wanting to read more of Judith's mythology and world building. By the time I finished reading the book, I wanted to read more.
The first half of Under My Skin was a little slow for me, but this was due to the building up of the mythology and introducing the reader to the characters and the world in which Judith has created. Being the first in a 3 book series, there needed to be the world building and I think Judith did a good job with it. Had there been a lot of the action that comes later in the book, I think it would have distracted from the mythology and getting to know the characters and what Eyrn is and why she's in Redgrave. I loved the setting of Redgrave.
Eyrn is a very snarky, stubborn character who isn't afraid to fight her worst nightmares in the form of werewolves. That's not all that's hidden within Redgrave's small population. Witches, Vampires and more are introduced as we get to know some stand out characters. Be rest a assured there is some great tension in two hot, bad boys that Eryn is torn between.
There's the dark, brooding Alec, who she has an immediate chemistry with, but there's something about him that she has yet to figure out. I loved her first meeting of him, when she's running in the woods, and he's running with "pet" wolf. Then there's Wade, who she can't help but be drawn to, especially after her dream about him.
Eryn will soon find herself torn between Wade and Alec, and the dark secrets that are unraveling around her in Redgrave. As tensions build between Alec and Wade, who are both trying to help Eryn, she will find herself facing the toughest choice of all. Letting her true nature be revealed.
I liked Under My Skin and I'm looking forward to reading the second book in the series. Judith's book will be released on March 27th!!
**If good reads would allow half star ratings, I would have given it 3.5 stars**
The first half of Under My Skin was a little slow for me, but this was due to the building up of the mythology and introducing the reader to the characters and the world in which Judith has created. Being the first in a 3 book series, there needed to be the world building and I think Judith did a good job with it. Had there been a lot of the action that comes later in the book, I think it would have distracted from the mythology and getting to know the characters and what Eyrn is and why she's in Redgrave. I loved the setting of Redgrave.
Eyrn is a very snarky, stubborn character who isn't afraid to fight her worst nightmares in the form of werewolves. That's not all that's hidden within Redgrave's small population. Witches, Vampires and more are introduced as we get to know some stand out characters. Be rest a assured there is some great tension in two hot, bad boys that Eryn is torn between.
There's the dark, brooding Alec, who she has an immediate chemistry with, but there's something about him that she has yet to figure out. I loved her first meeting of him, when she's running in the woods, and he's running with "pet" wolf. Then there's Wade, who she can't help but be drawn to, especially after her dream about him.
Eryn will soon find herself torn between Wade and Alec, and the dark secrets that are unraveling around her in Redgrave. As tensions build between Alec and Wade, who are both trying to help Eryn, she will find herself facing the toughest choice of all. Letting her true nature be revealed.
I liked Under My Skin and I'm looking forward to reading the second book in the series. Judith's book will be released on March 27th!!
**If good reads would allow half star ratings, I would have given it 3.5 stars**
May 8, 2021
Eryn's parents have disappeared, so she is sent to live with her aunt, uncle and cousin in Redgrave, Alberta. There's something no one knows about her, though - she is half-human, half-wolven (wolven are born, werewolves are turned). Her mother was wolven and her father was a paranormal hunter. He kept Eryn's wolven side under control with various drugs he'd concocted. With him gone, however, Eryn no longer has access to those drugs. In Redgrave, she meets and becomes friends with Brit, a goth girl, and falls for one of the town outcasts, Alec Delacroix. Then, she meets and is also drawn to the hot boy at school, Wade. Unfortunately, Eryn has arrived in Redgrave as people and pets are disappearing with no explanation. And, there are more secrets in this town than Eryn's alone.
I really enjoyed this and am looking forward to reading the next in the series. I liked the characters, especially Eryn and Brit. Even though this is a YA book, there were a few illustrations present that I quite liked; in one instance, it helped me picture something I'm not sure I would have otherwise. And there is a very cool illustrated border on each page, as well.
I really enjoyed this and am looking forward to reading the next in the series. I liked the characters, especially Eryn and Brit. Even though this is a YA book, there were a few illustrations present that I quite liked; in one instance, it helped me picture something I'm not sure I would have otherwise. And there is a very cool illustrated border on each page, as well.
August 18, 2010
**Mild spoilers for first couple chapters**
“Under my skin” revolves around a teenage girl named Eryn who is living a more than complicated teenage life. Her parents have disappeared and she is shipped off to somewhere in northern Alberta to live with her Aunt, Uncle and cousin. On top of all that, you guessed it, there’s some paranormal goodness brewing. Eryn is half human and half wolven, which means that she has the ability to morph into a wolf thanks to her mother’s genetics. Since her father is human and hunter of the paranormal outlaws, she has chosen to live in her human skin but that doesn’t leave her without bloodlust and animal instincts that her wolf side carries deep within her.
In this small northern town, Redgrave, everything seems as normal as Eryn appears on the outside. There is typical high school drama and cliques and annoying family members to put the icing on the cake. Eryn befriends a couple outsiders in school hoping to ignore her wolven side from bursting out, but easy and normal doesn’t seem too common to come by in Eryn’s existence. She becomes torn between a beautiful and highly ridiculed boy in town simultaneously while she gets intrigued by the police chiefs can’t-do-no-wrong son who is pretty much king of their school. Even with her best efforts forward, some rogue werewolves begin making a mess in her new town. During her attempts to hunt to keep her town safe, she stumbles over the most unlikely allies and enemies. Like any other paranormal book, nothing is what it seems and trust should be a four letter word.
The concept of this book is good. The paranormal details and facts are interesting how they all get wrapped together and the characters are likeable but a little long winded. There’s some good wit and character interaction that you can get hooked on. Only problem I have with this book is the slow pace. A lot more action and revelations could have been stuffed in this pretty book. I’ll be giving the 2nd book a read when it hits the shelves in 2011. The bones of this first book shows some promise, so, I hope we get a lot more meat with our bones next time around.
“Under my skin” revolves around a teenage girl named Eryn who is living a more than complicated teenage life. Her parents have disappeared and she is shipped off to somewhere in northern Alberta to live with her Aunt, Uncle and cousin. On top of all that, you guessed it, there’s some paranormal goodness brewing. Eryn is half human and half wolven, which means that she has the ability to morph into a wolf thanks to her mother’s genetics. Since her father is human and hunter of the paranormal outlaws, she has chosen to live in her human skin but that doesn’t leave her without bloodlust and animal instincts that her wolf side carries deep within her.
In this small northern town, Redgrave, everything seems as normal as Eryn appears on the outside. There is typical high school drama and cliques and annoying family members to put the icing on the cake. Eryn befriends a couple outsiders in school hoping to ignore her wolven side from bursting out, but easy and normal doesn’t seem too common to come by in Eryn’s existence. She becomes torn between a beautiful and highly ridiculed boy in town simultaneously while she gets intrigued by the police chiefs can’t-do-no-wrong son who is pretty much king of their school. Even with her best efforts forward, some rogue werewolves begin making a mess in her new town. During her attempts to hunt to keep her town safe, she stumbles over the most unlikely allies and enemies. Like any other paranormal book, nothing is what it seems and trust should be a four letter word.
The concept of this book is good. The paranormal details and facts are interesting how they all get wrapped together and the characters are likeable but a little long winded. There’s some good wit and character interaction that you can get hooked on. Only problem I have with this book is the slow pace. A lot more action and revelations could have been stuffed in this pretty book. I’ll be giving the 2nd book a read when it hits the shelves in 2011. The bones of this first book shows some promise, so, I hope we get a lot more meat with our bones next time around.
March 7, 2010
When Eryn's parents go missing, the Council decides it's best that she live with her Aunt & Uncle in Redgrave. On the outskirts to nowhere, they suggest a paranorm-free place like Redgrave would keep her safe as they search for clues to find what happened to her parents. When animals & kids go missing, someone needs to take the blame - the Delacroix family. Eryn struggles as she discovers there's more to this sleepy town then meets the eye!
Wow, this debut by Judith is action packed! If you love paranorm, this is one you need to check out. From vampires to werewolves to witches (well there's more but I don't want to spoil it for you), there's no holding back on beasties. Eryn is part wolven (shapeshifter) and part human. Her human father had created concoctions to suppress the wolf inside of her BUT with him gone, so were the meds. Hands down, she was my favorite character in the book, with her kick ass, sarcastic attitude. Her cousin, Paige, is one you love to hate, you can't help but laugh at what she does & sometimes just want to slap her! Of course, there's a hot guy, actually two, but ones a part vampire and we aren't really sure about him. There is a downfall to adding so many characters with so many beastly abilities and unfortunately this means that the plot sorta takes a backseat for a big chunk of the book. Along the way questions are answered, but there were times when I wasn't sure exactly what the conflict in the story was all about. I think however, the very powerful ending more then makes up for this and I'm dying to see where book two takes us!
Wow, this debut by Judith is action packed! If you love paranorm, this is one you need to check out. From vampires to werewolves to witches (well there's more but I don't want to spoil it for you), there's no holding back on beasties. Eryn is part wolven (shapeshifter) and part human. Her human father had created concoctions to suppress the wolf inside of her BUT with him gone, so were the meds. Hands down, she was my favorite character in the book, with her kick ass, sarcastic attitude. Her cousin, Paige, is one you love to hate, you can't help but laugh at what she does & sometimes just want to slap her! Of course, there's a hot guy, actually two, but ones a part vampire and we aren't really sure about him. There is a downfall to adding so many characters with so many beastly abilities and unfortunately this means that the plot sorta takes a backseat for a big chunk of the book. Along the way questions are answered, but there were times when I wasn't sure exactly what the conflict in the story was all about. I think however, the very powerful ending more then makes up for this and I'm dying to see where book two takes us!
May 31, 2012
It was during the night, on my weekly search for new books to add to my reading list that I stumbled across Under My Skin, I have to say when I read the blurb for the book I was sold, I had to get my hands on it, instead of waiting for the following day to go look for a print copy in my local B&N I downloaded it straight to my Nook Color.
I loved how the beginning draws you in, Judith as delivered in a way that you can clearly imagine the story unfolding before your eyes. I also have to say usually my first concern is whether or not the continuation of a book will deliver just the same, as I continued to read on through the night I had a hard time wanting to put it down, you know when you were a kid and use to tell your parents just five more minutes? I found myself 40 minutes later still reading. I loved the characters in the book; they each have a unique personality, and found most of the plot refreshing. Mixing a bit of different paranormal beings into one book can be hard, because I had read a few where there have been a mix of paranormal beings but it doesn’t feel as a whole, it feels as if many parts are clinging trying to connect and bring the story together, However Judith Graves does an amazing job of mixing the different aspects of the paranormal into this book. Though there is a bit of a love triangle in the story the plot doesn’t focus on it, however I feel that love triangle will deepened in Judith’s second book in the Skinned Series and look forward to seeing how this triangle develops.
4/5 bats
Marie from Paranormal Reads
I loved how the beginning draws you in, Judith as delivered in a way that you can clearly imagine the story unfolding before your eyes. I also have to say usually my first concern is whether or not the continuation of a book will deliver just the same, as I continued to read on through the night I had a hard time wanting to put it down, you know when you were a kid and use to tell your parents just five more minutes? I found myself 40 minutes later still reading. I loved the characters in the book; they each have a unique personality, and found most of the plot refreshing. Mixing a bit of different paranormal beings into one book can be hard, because I had read a few where there have been a mix of paranormal beings but it doesn’t feel as a whole, it feels as if many parts are clinging trying to connect and bring the story together, However Judith Graves does an amazing job of mixing the different aspects of the paranormal into this book. Though there is a bit of a love triangle in the story the plot doesn’t focus on it, however I feel that love triangle will deepened in Judith’s second book in the Skinned Series and look forward to seeing how this triangle develops.
4/5 bats
Marie from Paranormal Reads
March 23, 2010
I am not sure where to start without spoiling the story. Debut author, Judith Graves, does a wonderful job setting up her paranormal world in UNDER MY SKIN. The first in a trilogy finds Eryn in a small town in Northern Alberta. This was suppose to be a quiet place where she could lay low after the disappearance of her parents and instead she finds herself face to face with a werewolf. Eryn's story is one where she is attempting to learn about herself as a half-wolven, paranormal. She soon finds herself a part of a group of teens who hunt and fight paranormal beasties. And if it wasn't enough to have one resident hottie in the form of Alec Delacroix, hunter, she finds another part of herself attracted to Wade, a vampire and equally hot.
UNDER MY SKIN has great characters (I liked all of them), humor, action, and pending romance. What more can you want?!
UNDER MY SKIN has great characters (I liked all of them), humor, action, and pending romance. What more can you want?!
May 14, 2010
Under My Skin has all the elements of a good paranormal YA – werewolves, vampires, shamans and sprites. It has secrets, danger and of course a love triangle.
I really liked Grave’s spin on werewolves. There are Wolven who are born and werewolves which are made. Eryn is a half breed Wolven who has had her wolf kept in check by a drug her father has been giving her. When her parents go missing Eryn has to deal not only with their loss but also with her primal wolf impulses – impulses that may put her and those she loves in danger.
Eryn also works as a Hunter for The Council - a group that keeps paranormal creatures in check. The council has moved Eryn to Redgrave to keep her safe while they look for her missing parents. Despite her secrets she manages to make a friend in Brit the resident goth chick who warns her against taking up with Alec Delecroix whom she has encounter while running in the woods.
OK – I didn’t really get pulled into this book right away but once Alec entered the picture (it’s always about a boy…isn’t it??) I was hooked.
Brit: “He’s hot alright, but……..You don’t want to go there.”
Eryn: “I don’t?” But the image of his long dark hair, broad shoulders, and powerful thighs had already registered on my but – I - really - think - I – do – want – to – go - there interest meter”
Alec and his brother Matt are also Hunter’s and Eryn joins with them to help fight the paranorms all while trying to keep her secret fearing Alec will reject her if he finds out.
Wade also enters the picture as the sexy son of the local police chief and this sets up a pretty good love triangle. I usually get stressed out over these, but I loved both guys and could see it going either way. I think Alec gets a little short changed once Wade enters the picture but Alec’s mom has a pretty ominous prediction about Alec and Eryn so this storyline is guaranteed to get more time in the next book.
There is quite a bit more going on in Under My Skin but I don’t want to reveal spoilers so I hope I’ve peaked your interest enough for you to check it out.
I did have a few issues. One was the aforementioned love triangle. As I said I loved both guys and Eryn is drawn to both for different reasons and it makes complete sense. But her response to both boys is pretty intense and gave me a case of whiplash at how fast she could go from guy to guy.
It seems that the book walked the line of YA and adult. The themes and romantic interactions bordered on more of an adult paranormal but then it would slip into more of a breezy high school vibe – lowering the intensity for me.
Under My Skin leaves a few things up in the air: Can the council be trusted? Is Wade evil? Is there more to Alec than meets the eye? How far will Eryn have to go to save the ones she loves? And what the heck does that vision mean??? I have my own thoughts on that last one but I will just have to wait and see…arghh – I’m not the most patient person!
Liked: The boys! Nice love triangle. Lays the foundation for a really good series.
Nitpick: There were illustrations throughout the book. They were very nice but took me out of the story and I prefer to have my own vision for what a character looks like. Not too distracting though. As with most first books in a series, it had a lot going on to lay the foundation for the future storylines.
I really liked Grave’s spin on werewolves. There are Wolven who are born and werewolves which are made. Eryn is a half breed Wolven who has had her wolf kept in check by a drug her father has been giving her. When her parents go missing Eryn has to deal not only with their loss but also with her primal wolf impulses – impulses that may put her and those she loves in danger.
Eryn also works as a Hunter for The Council - a group that keeps paranormal creatures in check. The council has moved Eryn to Redgrave to keep her safe while they look for her missing parents. Despite her secrets she manages to make a friend in Brit the resident goth chick who warns her against taking up with Alec Delecroix whom she has encounter while running in the woods.
OK – I didn’t really get pulled into this book right away but once Alec entered the picture (it’s always about a boy…isn’t it??) I was hooked.
Brit: “He’s hot alright, but……..You don’t want to go there.”
Eryn: “I don’t?” But the image of his long dark hair, broad shoulders, and powerful thighs had already registered on my but – I - really - think - I – do – want – to – go - there interest meter”
Alec and his brother Matt are also Hunter’s and Eryn joins with them to help fight the paranorms all while trying to keep her secret fearing Alec will reject her if he finds out.
Wade also enters the picture as the sexy son of the local police chief and this sets up a pretty good love triangle. I usually get stressed out over these, but I loved both guys and could see it going either way. I think Alec gets a little short changed once Wade enters the picture but Alec’s mom has a pretty ominous prediction about Alec and Eryn so this storyline is guaranteed to get more time in the next book.
There is quite a bit more going on in Under My Skin but I don’t want to reveal spoilers so I hope I’ve peaked your interest enough for you to check it out.
I did have a few issues. One was the aforementioned love triangle. As I said I loved both guys and Eryn is drawn to both for different reasons and it makes complete sense. But her response to both boys is pretty intense and gave me a case of whiplash at how fast she could go from guy to guy.
It seems that the book walked the line of YA and adult. The themes and romantic interactions bordered on more of an adult paranormal but then it would slip into more of a breezy high school vibe – lowering the intensity for me.
Under My Skin leaves a few things up in the air: Can the council be trusted? Is Wade evil? Is there more to Alec than meets the eye? How far will Eryn have to go to save the ones she loves? And what the heck does that vision mean??? I have my own thoughts on that last one but I will just have to wait and see…arghh – I’m not the most patient person!
Liked: The boys! Nice love triangle. Lays the foundation for a really good series.
Nitpick: There were illustrations throughout the book. They were very nice but took me out of the story and I prefer to have my own vision for what a character looks like. Not too distracting though. As with most first books in a series, it had a lot going on to lay the foundation for the future storylines.
June 2, 2015
In the book Under My Skin by Judith Graves is considered a paranormal genre of book because of the paranormal creatures in the book. This book was about a teenage girl who is part human and part wolf named Eryn. Her parents disappeared and she moved to the town of Redgrave to live with her uncle. aunt and cousin. Eryn met some other teenager from Redgrave that she eventually learned were a lot like her, they all come together to realize there is people trying to ruin the young children of Redgrave by turning them into wolfs. They then figure out that it is not the original person they thought it was and there is a giant fight scene hurting many of the main charter like Eryn, Britt, Matt and Alec.I think that the characters in this book could have been more believable then how they seemed. The main characters encounter many arguments with a vampires in the town because they think he is causing all the problem and changing all the teenagers. My favourite character in the book was Britt because she kept her secret from people so well and used it as an excuse not to run. My favourite part of the book was the fighting scene between Eryn and her friends and the wolves, however my least favourite part is how she did not really make the book as paranormal it was more about a high school life while kinda incorperating paranormal creatures. That is the one thing I would change , I would make it so that it is more around the supernatural type of thing with an even bigger back story then a paranormal book with a small back story. I thought this book would be better then i was told i would recommend this book for people who have interests in fairies, vampires and more paranormal things then supernatural.
May 22, 2010
This book definitely exceeded my expectations. While I'm not a fan of the cover or of the somewhat juvenile pictures found throughout the book, the story was surprisingly good. Graves puts a new spin on things that go bump in the night and those who hunt them. I expected another supernatural romance novel that gained popularity on the tailcoats of the Twilight phenomenon. Instead, I got an original tale of witchcraft and paranormal butt-kicking.
Eryn, a snarky teenage girl, has always had a weird and extremely dangerous life. She is forced to walk the line between the supernatural world and the ordinary world. Its easy to see why she's as tough as she is. The entire novel is filled with her sarcastic comments and witty comebacks. Although she puts on the front of a tough girl who can handle anything, she's really insecure and vulnerable underneath. In the beginning Eryn annoyed me a teensy bit, but by the end of the book, I'd really grown to like her.
While fighting her worst nightmares and struggling to learn the secrets of her parent's disappearance, Eryn is torn between two very different boys. There's dark, brooding Alec who is a hunter like her. Then there's Wade, who seems to understand Eryn like no one else can, even if he does have a dark side. I really enjoyed this love triangle aspect of the novel. It definitely sets a good foundation for the next books in the series.
I'm going to recommend this fun read to anyone that enjoys a good mystery along with some paranormal romance. The Skinned series is currently set to be a trilogy. The next book, Second Skin, comes out on March 27th. That's too far away for me!
Eryn, a snarky teenage girl, has always had a weird and extremely dangerous life. She is forced to walk the line between the supernatural world and the ordinary world. Its easy to see why she's as tough as she is. The entire novel is filled with her sarcastic comments and witty comebacks. Although she puts on the front of a tough girl who can handle anything, she's really insecure and vulnerable underneath. In the beginning Eryn annoyed me a teensy bit, but by the end of the book, I'd really grown to like her.
While fighting her worst nightmares and struggling to learn the secrets of her parent's disappearance, Eryn is torn between two very different boys. There's dark, brooding Alec who is a hunter like her. Then there's Wade, who seems to understand Eryn like no one else can, even if he does have a dark side. I really enjoyed this love triangle aspect of the novel. It definitely sets a good foundation for the next books in the series.
I'm going to recommend this fun read to anyone that enjoys a good mystery along with some paranormal romance. The Skinned series is currently set to be a trilogy. The next book, Second Skin, comes out on March 27th. That's too far away for me!
Read
May 23, 2011Eryn is new to Redgrave. She is also part wolven, but tries to hide this from her friends as well as herself. Redgrave, however, is a town that has quite a bit of paranormal activity going on, and it gets harder for Eryn to control the bloodlust within. Her closest friends are the Delacroix boys, who seem to have secrets of their own. The police chief's son, Wade, has warned her to stay away from the Delacroix boys, saying that they are bad news, but then again, they say the same thing about Wade. Who is telling the truth? With both Alec Delacroix and Wade trying for her affections, who will she choose?
Upon receiving this book my initial thoughts were "lame cover art" and "REALLY lame interior art work", but I'm glad I looked past those things. Judith Graves’ first book in the Skinned series is a great read for both teens and adults. I must admit that I did feel a touch of Twilight deja vu while reading about the love triangle between Wade, Alec, and Eryn, but this book is loads better than Twilight! Beyond the blossoming romance in this novel, there is also the mystery of what is causing all of the paranormal activity in town. Waiting to find out the cause of kids going missing, and the animal attacks, makes Under My Skin a page-turner from beginning to end. The romantics out there will want to know who Eryn is going to end up with. This is a great first novel from Graves and I am truly looking forward to see what happens in the next installment of this series. This book would make a great addition to all libraries. Recommended.
Contains: Kissing, Mild Violence
Reviewed by: Rhonda Wilson
Upon receiving this book my initial thoughts were "lame cover art" and "REALLY lame interior art work", but I'm glad I looked past those things. Judith Graves’ first book in the Skinned series is a great read for both teens and adults. I must admit that I did feel a touch of Twilight deja vu while reading about the love triangle between Wade, Alec, and Eryn, but this book is loads better than Twilight! Beyond the blossoming romance in this novel, there is also the mystery of what is causing all of the paranormal activity in town. Waiting to find out the cause of kids going missing, and the animal attacks, makes Under My Skin a page-turner from beginning to end. The romantics out there will want to know who Eryn is going to end up with. This is a great first novel from Graves and I am truly looking forward to see what happens in the next installment of this series. This book would make a great addition to all libraries. Recommended.
Contains: Kissing, Mild Violence
Reviewed by: Rhonda Wilson
November 11, 2012
Reviewed by Monica Sheffo for TeensReadToo.com
Eryn isn't like other girls. After all, that's what got her sentenced to living in Redgrave. She is a part-wolven, part-human girl banished to the small town in an attempt to destroy the magic that runs in her veins.
But when she discovers that she isn't the only magical being around, everything changes. Suddenly, she is the newest member of Redgrave's own paranormal detective squad, as well as being caught in a love triangle as epic as the TWILIGHT saga's.
She finds herself being forced to choose who she really wants to be with - the dark, brooding Wade, or the protective Alec. In a place where wolves are frequent guests and vampires run the town, will Eryn's life ever be normal?
Dripping with wit and humor, Judith Graves' UNDER MY SKIN is electric. Eryn battles werewolves, vampires, and high school armed with her unique sarcasm that all teens can relate to. She writes with a brutal honesty that makes her story stand out in a sea of novels and connects with the readers. Ms. Graves steps inside the reader's mind and leaves with the promise of two sequels in the future to keep your thirst at bay!
Eryn isn't like other girls. After all, that's what got her sentenced to living in Redgrave. She is a part-wolven, part-human girl banished to the small town in an attempt to destroy the magic that runs in her veins.
But when she discovers that she isn't the only magical being around, everything changes. Suddenly, she is the newest member of Redgrave's own paranormal detective squad, as well as being caught in a love triangle as epic as the TWILIGHT saga's.
She finds herself being forced to choose who she really wants to be with - the dark, brooding Wade, or the protective Alec. In a place where wolves are frequent guests and vampires run the town, will Eryn's life ever be normal?
Dripping with wit and humor, Judith Graves' UNDER MY SKIN is electric. Eryn battles werewolves, vampires, and high school armed with her unique sarcasm that all teens can relate to. She writes with a brutal honesty that makes her story stand out in a sea of novels and connects with the readers. Ms. Graves steps inside the reader's mind and leaves with the promise of two sequels in the future to keep your thirst at bay!
November 20, 2017
Anyone who knows me knows I'm a cover whore! If a book has a pretty cover I am all for it. But unfortunately, looks can be deceiving of course. I did not see much potential in this book. It was like Twilight and Buffy the Vampire Slayer thrown together into one book. And I didn't really care for the character's. Not saying they were bad they just didn't matter to me. I really thought I was going to like this book and I kept pushing until around page 120 and I gave up. Oh, and I could've done without the illustrations, those were just creepy.
June 21, 2012
3.5 STARS
Eryn was moved to Redgrave because it was a town with no paranormal activity. She was told to lay low after her parents sudden disappearance. However, that's a bit hard when she seems to be a magnet for the paranormal. As soon as she appears in town, the paranormal happenings of Redgrave seem to be popping up everywhere. And while all of this happens, Eryn begins the struggle against her inner she-wolf while balancing a love triangle between one that is evil and one that is kind. A normal life? Yeah, that's Eryn's dreamed fairytale.
The plot of this book isn't much different than the average young adult paranormal novel, besides the fact that it's incredibly light-hearted at times. If you've read C.C. Hunter's Shadow Falls Series, you can compare the way that Eryn thinks to the way that Kylie thinks. Serious, but laced with little, sarcastic sayings that make you shake your head.
Our protagonist is of half-paranormal descent, but she fought off her paranormal lifestyle with the help of her human fathers drugs. With his disappearance, the medicine that kept her inner wolf at bay vanished, only to let Eryn know that instead of helping her, her father's medicines had separated her from all other wolven of her kind. Somehow, someway, she was different, powerful, and incredibly sought-after. She struggles to keep her secret at bay while uncovering the secrets of the town of Redgrave and fighting off an odd love-triangle that doesn't take center focus of the novel. The characters and mystical beings brought to light in it may be unique, but the plot is pretty self-explanatory, though it was full of some surprises that are too juicy to reveal.
The beginning of the novel was a little slow. There was a lot of world-building. Redgrave is so full of the paranormal that there had to be an explanation behind it all. Plus, this is the first in a series. If the world-building didn't happen now, it wouldn't happen at all. After the world-building is over, the plot thickens, secrets come to light, and mysteries unfold before your eyes. And at the end there's some action that will blow any action lovers mind. It's paced well.
I was totally shocked when I began turning the pages of this book on my Kindle and realized that pictures were incorporated every now and then. There were possibly only a total of 5 or 6, maybe more for a paperback than a Kindle, but they were all so interesting. Val Cox is a beautiful illustrator and it was a pleasant little surprise that helped you visualize the characters the way the author intended you to do so. I've never come across pictures in a young adult novel before.
The characterization in the novel was unique. Eryn was very stubborn and strong. She struggled to keep her identity a secret while coming into her powers, but never let that get in the way of things. She was focused and driven--the type of girl who sprints headlong towards danger instead of away from it. She faces her biggest fears in the form of werewolves without a second though. All of the other characters had odd quirks about them that would come to light as the book continued. You met them and began to speculate on what exactly they were, only to be completely shocked about their true identities and actions. There's an entire assortment of the paranormal in here.
If you're looking for a book full of romance, this isn't it. The romance in this novel was odd to say the least. There's one kiss, and one kiss only. Alec and Eryn had this heated passion coursing through them ever since the very beginning of the book. I liked how they met, it was unique. They're running in the woods, racing, trying to outrun each other because they welcomed the challenge of finding someone who could even come close to matching their speed--all while being accompanied by a beautiful wolf. It bonded them and began to churn their curiosity about each other. Alec is beyond protective of Eryn, even going to extremes for her at some times, but he's quiet and laid back. He asserts his authority when needed, but he doesn't pounce on her and drive her mad. The romance is slow-moving.
Then there's Wade. Once his true identity comes to light, Eryn and him form some kind of dark bond that nobody can know about. He unravels a lot of the dark secrets going on in Redgrave. Eryn so badly wants to run away from him like everyone tells her to, but the bond is too powerful for her to turn her back on him. He knows of her true nature, and he welcomes it.
With everything being said, I am giving this book 3.5 stars. I enjoyed it, despite the slow beginning and the slightly unoriginal plot. Many of the twists and turns involving the secrets of Redgrave took me completely by surprise and kept me reading until the last page. A lot of the characters in the book are full of surprises that will leave you wanting more. Graves finishes off the book with a huge, climatic fight scene that will leave any action lover satisfied. I will be reading the rest of the series whenever I have the time. I want to know what happens with the bond forged between Wade and Eryn and whether or not Alec will be more straightforward with his feelings, though it seems that Eryn has no problem with the silent, strong type. Most of all, I want to know what side Eryn takes. The end of this book will leave her with a life-changing ultimatum that makes you crave the next book.
Eryn was moved to Redgrave because it was a town with no paranormal activity. She was told to lay low after her parents sudden disappearance. However, that's a bit hard when she seems to be a magnet for the paranormal. As soon as she appears in town, the paranormal happenings of Redgrave seem to be popping up everywhere. And while all of this happens, Eryn begins the struggle against her inner she-wolf while balancing a love triangle between one that is evil and one that is kind. A normal life? Yeah, that's Eryn's dreamed fairytale.
The plot of this book isn't much different than the average young adult paranormal novel, besides the fact that it's incredibly light-hearted at times. If you've read C.C. Hunter's Shadow Falls Series, you can compare the way that Eryn thinks to the way that Kylie thinks. Serious, but laced with little, sarcastic sayings that make you shake your head.
Our protagonist is of half-paranormal descent, but she fought off her paranormal lifestyle with the help of her human fathers drugs. With his disappearance, the medicine that kept her inner wolf at bay vanished, only to let Eryn know that instead of helping her, her father's medicines had separated her from all other wolven of her kind. Somehow, someway, she was different, powerful, and incredibly sought-after. She struggles to keep her secret at bay while uncovering the secrets of the town of Redgrave and fighting off an odd love-triangle that doesn't take center focus of the novel. The characters and mystical beings brought to light in it may be unique, but the plot is pretty self-explanatory, though it was full of some surprises that are too juicy to reveal.
The beginning of the novel was a little slow. There was a lot of world-building. Redgrave is so full of the paranormal that there had to be an explanation behind it all. Plus, this is the first in a series. If the world-building didn't happen now, it wouldn't happen at all. After the world-building is over, the plot thickens, secrets come to light, and mysteries unfold before your eyes. And at the end there's some action that will blow any action lovers mind. It's paced well.
I was totally shocked when I began turning the pages of this book on my Kindle and realized that pictures were incorporated every now and then. There were possibly only a total of 5 or 6, maybe more for a paperback than a Kindle, but they were all so interesting. Val Cox is a beautiful illustrator and it was a pleasant little surprise that helped you visualize the characters the way the author intended you to do so. I've never come across pictures in a young adult novel before.
The characterization in the novel was unique. Eryn was very stubborn and strong. She struggled to keep her identity a secret while coming into her powers, but never let that get in the way of things. She was focused and driven--the type of girl who sprints headlong towards danger instead of away from it. She faces her biggest fears in the form of werewolves without a second though. All of the other characters had odd quirks about them that would come to light as the book continued. You met them and began to speculate on what exactly they were, only to be completely shocked about their true identities and actions. There's an entire assortment of the paranormal in here.
If you're looking for a book full of romance, this isn't it. The romance in this novel was odd to say the least. There's one kiss, and one kiss only. Alec and Eryn had this heated passion coursing through them ever since the very beginning of the book. I liked how they met, it was unique. They're running in the woods, racing, trying to outrun each other because they welcomed the challenge of finding someone who could even come close to matching their speed--all while being accompanied by a beautiful wolf. It bonded them and began to churn their curiosity about each other. Alec is beyond protective of Eryn, even going to extremes for her at some times, but he's quiet and laid back. He asserts his authority when needed, but he doesn't pounce on her and drive her mad. The romance is slow-moving.
Then there's Wade. Once his true identity comes to light, Eryn and him form some kind of dark bond that nobody can know about. He unravels a lot of the dark secrets going on in Redgrave. Eryn so badly wants to run away from him like everyone tells her to, but the bond is too powerful for her to turn her back on him. He knows of her true nature, and he welcomes it.
With everything being said, I am giving this book 3.5 stars. I enjoyed it, despite the slow beginning and the slightly unoriginal plot. Many of the twists and turns involving the secrets of Redgrave took me completely by surprise and kept me reading until the last page. A lot of the characters in the book are full of surprises that will leave you wanting more. Graves finishes off the book with a huge, climatic fight scene that will leave any action lover satisfied. I will be reading the rest of the series whenever I have the time. I want to know what happens with the bond forged between Wade and Eryn and whether or not Alec will be more straightforward with his feelings, though it seems that Eryn has no problem with the silent, strong type. Most of all, I want to know what side Eryn takes. The end of this book will leave her with a life-changing ultimatum that makes you crave the next book.
September 25, 2012
I just happened upon this beauty. I never thought I would sit down and read it start to finish in a few hours, then move onto the sequel Second Skin. I found myself captured by Judith's unique tale of were/witch/vamps and other creatures of the night. The characters are well established and have everyday concerns, well at least if you were a paranorm! I love the world Graves has created. Under My Skin is not your everyday run of the mill boy meets girl, girl falls for boy, HEA. It's more boy meets girl, girl tries to ignore boy, girl wants to eat boy ;) You get my point, hehe.
First off we have Eryn, now this girl has bite. Her attitude only equals her hunger for blood. Several times she had me laughing with her witty comments and antics. "the greedy material of his shirt clung to his muscular shoulders like a jealous ex-girlfriend". I honestly don't know where the author comes up with some of this stuff. I found that I liked Eryn even though she was not a very approachable character. She was definitely a girl who didn't take crap from people. I have to admire her for that. There are a few alpha MC's out there and Eryn is one of them. I like her!
Now is the hard part. We have two very different boys falling for out headstrong heroine. There is Alec and Wade. They are like night and day. My biggest problem....I don't know which one I like more. I mean they both have their merits. Alec looks out for Eryn and he has no problem with trying to get her to follow his lead. (yeah you saw that "trying" in there didn't you) Not that he is doing it to control her, but to keep her and the group safe. I get his point. He is the good boy, lets be honest. There were parts I just wanted to squeeze him he was just so dang cute and shy. I think what attracts me to him the most is that he can be all sweet and innocent one minute then all alpha and possessive the next moment. Here ladies is the best of both worlds! *swoon*
Then we have the "Redgrave High's resident hottie" Wade. Now here's our bad boy. Though we are kept in the dark about Wade and what he really wants from Eryn we still get to see a different side of him here and there. Enough that I have no doubt he does have feelings for her. Needless to say Wade and Alec don't get along. At all. Makes for some really interesting scene's when the three are in the same area. Where Alec could make me swoon Wade could make me shiver. There is definite chemistry between both boys and Eryn. I think this is a series where I am going to be left hurt either way, no matter who Eryn picks.
Next up we have some support characters. Brit, Matt and Paige. Brit is the BFF, or I should say she becomes the BFF. I really like her. Once you find out the truth about Brit you will love her as much as I do. She is so cool. Yeah I actually said that. Then we have Matt, Brits BF and Alec's brother. Matt is very verbal in his opinion of Eryn and what he thinks, there is no holding punches with him. Matt is great support for Alec, I love that he care about his brother enough to voice his opinion even if Alec doesn't want to hear it. He loves his brother and it shows. Lastly, we have Paige. Here is the girl we all hate is school, or the majority of us at least. She is just plain mean, nasty and naive. The stuff she says to Eryn are bad, not that Eryn lets her get to her. I guess you could say that they rub each other the wrong way. The banter between them keeps things interesting at least.
As you can tell, I thoroughly enjoyed Under My Skin. It is nice to see an author that takes the everyday PNR and turns it is to something of their own. Judith does an amazing job with her spin on the paranormal world. I will admit to some younger readers that this might not be the book for you. There is gore and such, so if you have a queasy stomach, you might want to skip some of the fight scenes. Overall Under My Skin was a great book that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys PNR with a little horror and gore on the side.
First off we have Eryn, now this girl has bite. Her attitude only equals her hunger for blood. Several times she had me laughing with her witty comments and antics. "the greedy material of his shirt clung to his muscular shoulders like a jealous ex-girlfriend". I honestly don't know where the author comes up with some of this stuff. I found that I liked Eryn even though she was not a very approachable character. She was definitely a girl who didn't take crap from people. I have to admire her for that. There are a few alpha MC's out there and Eryn is one of them. I like her!
Now is the hard part. We have two very different boys falling for out headstrong heroine. There is Alec and Wade. They are like night and day. My biggest problem....I don't know which one I like more. I mean they both have their merits. Alec looks out for Eryn and he has no problem with trying to get her to follow his lead. (yeah you saw that "trying" in there didn't you) Not that he is doing it to control her, but to keep her and the group safe. I get his point. He is the good boy, lets be honest. There were parts I just wanted to squeeze him he was just so dang cute and shy. I think what attracts me to him the most is that he can be all sweet and innocent one minute then all alpha and possessive the next moment. Here ladies is the best of both worlds! *swoon*
Then we have the "Redgrave High's resident hottie" Wade. Now here's our bad boy. Though we are kept in the dark about Wade and what he really wants from Eryn we still get to see a different side of him here and there. Enough that I have no doubt he does have feelings for her. Needless to say Wade and Alec don't get along. At all. Makes for some really interesting scene's when the three are in the same area. Where Alec could make me swoon Wade could make me shiver. There is definite chemistry between both boys and Eryn. I think this is a series where I am going to be left hurt either way, no matter who Eryn picks.
Next up we have some support characters. Brit, Matt and Paige. Brit is the BFF, or I should say she becomes the BFF. I really like her. Once you find out the truth about Brit you will love her as much as I do. She is so cool. Yeah I actually said that. Then we have Matt, Brits BF and Alec's brother. Matt is very verbal in his opinion of Eryn and what he thinks, there is no holding punches with him. Matt is great support for Alec, I love that he care about his brother enough to voice his opinion even if Alec doesn't want to hear it. He loves his brother and it shows. Lastly, we have Paige. Here is the girl we all hate is school, or the majority of us at least. She is just plain mean, nasty and naive. The stuff she says to Eryn are bad, not that Eryn lets her get to her. I guess you could say that they rub each other the wrong way. The banter between them keeps things interesting at least.
As you can tell, I thoroughly enjoyed Under My Skin. It is nice to see an author that takes the everyday PNR and turns it is to something of their own. Judith does an amazing job with her spin on the paranormal world. I will admit to some younger readers that this might not be the book for you. There is gore and such, so if you have a queasy stomach, you might want to skip some of the fight scenes. Overall Under My Skin was a great book that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys PNR with a little horror and gore on the side.
March 2, 2011
Okay, so I basically read this book in two days, not because it was utterly enthralling, but because I was eager to see how it would end and if the author was going to make something amazing happen. Nothing amazing happened. I was waiting for something epic to pop out and shock me, but it didn't happen. I might as well get all the good points out first because I have so many more that are bad. I did like the idea of the story and the characters names, I liked how the main character, Eryn, had the same name as me, which held a lot of appeal for me, and I liked how she was badass. I also liked Brit and Alec sounded super sexy to me. Thats where my praise ends. What I HATED, was the tacky drawings inside the book above and below each page and on certain pages there were illustrations of the characters and some scenes. They looked like damn cartoons! It didn't let the book speak for itself when all I could think about was how cartoony the characters began to look in my head. I managed to find a way around that though and imagined myself some attractive and REAL looking characters. What I also couldn't stand was how the-author-kept-talking-like-this-all-the-time-on-every-damn-page. It frustrated me so bad that I almost gave up reading, but for the life of me I couldn't do that because I have to finish a book. Always. What also bothered me was that nothing seemed to flow easily. I found that situations jumped, they weren't eased into and it made me feel on edge the whole time reading it. I couldn't relax with this book. A book of this genre should make you feel edgy for good reasons, not bad, and there should be a point where the edginess is switched up for something more light hearted. I couldn't stand Paige so maybe the author got that part right for me, and I know I said I liked Eryn's bad-assed-ness, but sometimes she seemed more like a guy then a girl. I hate it when girls are borderline male in books. She was written as a girl with strong attributes, at least make her a little more girly at some point besides the fact that she is stereotypically torn between two guys. This book had so much potential and it failed. It is the first of a series and the sucky thing about series is you want to know where it ends. I do admit I am curious about Eryn and Alec's relationship and I want to know where that goes. But basically, thats the only thing I will be reading it for, and to be honest, thats not what should draw me in the most. I still liked the story, but I think this book needed more help before being published.
November 30, 2015
I was recommended this YA book by Amazon way back in 2011/2 due to my reading and browsing history. I liked the synopsis and fell in love with the cover so I bought a copy. Unfortunately, due to my large reading list, I have only recently been able to read it. However, since purchasing this book, it has since been re-edited and given a new cover in 2014. I can only review the original.
Eryn McCain is a wonderful character. She is not your average teen. In fact, she's not even human. Well, okay, she's part human. Her mother is a wolven and her father is human. However, she acts just like a normal teenager at times, full of angst. The only difference is that she is exceptionally strong and fast, and hunts werewolves.
This is a fast paced roller coaster ride of action and adventure. I started this book and was quickly engrossed in the tale. I was impressed with the illustrations interspersed throughout the book, but was surprised at their inclusion. However, they gave the reader a chance to picture the characters and scenes more easily, especially if a youngster is not as proficient in reading. I don't know if the illustrations were kept after the re-edit though.
There are some interesting characters in the book: Brit, a young goth who has her own secrets. Alec Delacroix is not really a bad guy, but as Eryn has been warned away from the family, she finds herself intrigued with him. Then there is Wade, the police chief's son. He's handsome and charming, but there is something about him that made my skin crawl. When I found out what was going on with him, I felt sorry for him.
The story is intricately woven with mystery and suspense. Just when I thought I had figured out what was going on, a twist would occur and I would have to begin again. As the story progressed, I found myself cheering Eryn on whilst sitting on the edge of my seat. I reached the end of the story with sadness, as I wanted to keep reading. I am now looking forward to continuing the series with the second book, Second Skin.
Judith Graves has written a fantastic YA paranormal coming of age story. I love her fast paced writing style and the flow was wonderful. There were a few typos, but as this book was re-edited, I would like to think that most of them would have been corrected.
I highly recommend this book to young readers aged 12 and above who love stories about werewolves. I also recommend this book to adults who love reading YA paranormal romances. - Lynn Worton
Eryn McCain is a wonderful character. She is not your average teen. In fact, she's not even human. Well, okay, she's part human. Her mother is a wolven and her father is human. However, she acts just like a normal teenager at times, full of angst. The only difference is that she is exceptionally strong and fast, and hunts werewolves.
This is a fast paced roller coaster ride of action and adventure. I started this book and was quickly engrossed in the tale. I was impressed with the illustrations interspersed throughout the book, but was surprised at their inclusion. However, they gave the reader a chance to picture the characters and scenes more easily, especially if a youngster is not as proficient in reading. I don't know if the illustrations were kept after the re-edit though.
There are some interesting characters in the book: Brit, a young goth who has her own secrets. Alec Delacroix is not really a bad guy, but as Eryn has been warned away from the family, she finds herself intrigued with him. Then there is Wade, the police chief's son. He's handsome and charming, but there is something about him that made my skin crawl. When I found out what was going on with him, I felt sorry for him.
The story is intricately woven with mystery and suspense. Just when I thought I had figured out what was going on, a twist would occur and I would have to begin again. As the story progressed, I found myself cheering Eryn on whilst sitting on the edge of my seat. I reached the end of the story with sadness, as I wanted to keep reading. I am now looking forward to continuing the series with the second book, Second Skin.
Judith Graves has written a fantastic YA paranormal coming of age story. I love her fast paced writing style and the flow was wonderful. There were a few typos, but as this book was re-edited, I would like to think that most of them would have been corrected.
I highly recommend this book to young readers aged 12 and above who love stories about werewolves. I also recommend this book to adults who love reading YA paranormal romances. - Lynn Worton
June 16, 2012
I think Under My Skin is targeted toward the middle school age crowd, if it isn't it should be. The book was ok, just more juvenile than I usually like to read. When Graves uses phrases such as twitterpated, and 'I know you are but what am I?' I almost gave up! I doubt I will be reading any further in this series, there are just too many good books to read, and no reason to waste time on the mediocre. I think from now on if a book starts out with the main character walking down the halls of a High School, I should just close it and move on! :)
Eryn is sent to live with her Uncle Marcus, Sammi his wife, and their daughter Paige when her parents disappeared. Her father is human, and a hunter of the paranormal world. Her mother is Wolven, a born shapeshifter, not to be confused with werewolves who are made by magic. Her father is also a scientist working on a cure for werewolves. He has given Eryn many different concoctions to suppress her Wolven side. The Hunter Council sent Eryn to Redgrove, told her to stay away from the paranormals, and they would find her parents.
*****Spoilers*****
Brit is one of the few outcasts of the school, and Eryn quickly becomes friends with her, as she is considered one of the outcasts as well. Paige her cousin doesn't help that at all. She is popular, pretty, and a total bitch. She is not interested in befriending her cousin, or making her life any easier. Eryn is also drawn to the Delecrouix family of hunters. They are not aligned with the council because when their dad was killed on a mission, they refused to help avenge his death. Alec and Eryn are both interested in each other, but she worries if he will feel the same once he learns of her dual nature. Wade, local hot guy, and sheriff's son also makes his interest known. As the story unfolds you realize that Wade is a vampire, and his sire, the Sheriff is pulling his strings. They are making a werewolf army using the local teenagers. Wade eventually helps Alec and his group defeat some of the werewolves but disappears after the battle. Brit reveals her true nature as a dark sprite when she takes to the sky. Sheriff Logan tells Eryn that her parents are alive, he has been tracking them, and if she brings him all of her fathers notes he will spare her friends and family.
Eryn is sent to live with her Uncle Marcus, Sammi his wife, and their daughter Paige when her parents disappeared. Her father is human, and a hunter of the paranormal world. Her mother is Wolven, a born shapeshifter, not to be confused with werewolves who are made by magic. Her father is also a scientist working on a cure for werewolves. He has given Eryn many different concoctions to suppress her Wolven side. The Hunter Council sent Eryn to Redgrove, told her to stay away from the paranormals, and they would find her parents.
*****Spoilers*****
Brit is one of the few outcasts of the school, and Eryn quickly becomes friends with her, as she is considered one of the outcasts as well. Paige her cousin doesn't help that at all. She is popular, pretty, and a total bitch. She is not interested in befriending her cousin, or making her life any easier. Eryn is also drawn to the Delecrouix family of hunters. They are not aligned with the council because when their dad was killed on a mission, they refused to help avenge his death. Alec and Eryn are both interested in each other, but she worries if he will feel the same once he learns of her dual nature. Wade, local hot guy, and sheriff's son also makes his interest known. As the story unfolds you realize that Wade is a vampire, and his sire, the Sheriff is pulling his strings. They are making a werewolf army using the local teenagers. Wade eventually helps Alec and his group defeat some of the werewolves but disappears after the battle. Brit reveals her true nature as a dark sprite when she takes to the sky. Sheriff Logan tells Eryn that her parents are alive, he has been tracking them, and if she brings him all of her fathers notes he will spare her friends and family.
May 21, 2010
My thoughts...I really liked this book. Initially I was a bit put off by the cover, it is a bit plain. However, after an interview with the author, I knew this was something I had to read. I was not disappointed. The brilliantly charming personality of author Judith Graves really shone through in her writing. This is a great read for YA fans of all ages.
In Under My Skin, we meet Eryn, a girl who is not only dealing with her missing parents, but a new town full of things that go bump in the night. I liked her, she didn't take much slack from other people, but she showed genuine concern for her family and friends. She meets several people who instantly seem to click with her...and several who don't. The Delacroix brothers are fun to read, they are sort of a yin/yang pair. The characters showed growth through the story, but there was still much about them that wasn't revealed.
From looking at the cover you can logically deduce that the story is about Werewolves. This is a good werewolf story. It uses some different folk lure to explain their lives and their appearance. What sets it apart, for me, was the world building and the story structure. Graves has developed this supernatural world that has so much potential. It was described in a way that the reader can really imagine living there and experiencing these harrowing situations. There was a lot of structure laid down to create what I think could be a great series. The other part of my love for this book came in the writing of the story structure. There were a large number of subplots happening at once. Readers learn about several characters who all seemed to have a back story or mystery behind the state of their current lives. All of these stories were well written and did not overburden the reader. They did not take away from plot, but added to it in a very complimentary way. I was very impressed with the writing in Under My Skin.
Overall, I loved Under My Skin. At the end of the book, readers are treated to a sample of the next book, Second Skin. This will be on my list, as well as other books by this talented author.
In Under My Skin, we meet Eryn, a girl who is not only dealing with her missing parents, but a new town full of things that go bump in the night. I liked her, she didn't take much slack from other people, but she showed genuine concern for her family and friends. She meets several people who instantly seem to click with her...and several who don't. The Delacroix brothers are fun to read, they are sort of a yin/yang pair. The characters showed growth through the story, but there was still much about them that wasn't revealed.
From looking at the cover you can logically deduce that the story is about Werewolves. This is a good werewolf story. It uses some different folk lure to explain their lives and their appearance. What sets it apart, for me, was the world building and the story structure. Graves has developed this supernatural world that has so much potential. It was described in a way that the reader can really imagine living there and experiencing these harrowing situations. There was a lot of structure laid down to create what I think could be a great series. The other part of my love for this book came in the writing of the story structure. There were a large number of subplots happening at once. Readers learn about several characters who all seemed to have a back story or mystery behind the state of their current lives. All of these stories were well written and did not overburden the reader. They did not take away from plot, but added to it in a very complimentary way. I was very impressed with the writing in Under My Skin.
Overall, I loved Under My Skin. At the end of the book, readers are treated to a sample of the next book, Second Skin. This will be on my list, as well as other books by this talented author.
December 1, 2010
Under My Skin is one of those books, that you sit down thinking you'll read a few pages of it and then a few hours later you're done. I found myself wanting to read more of Judith's mythology and world building. By the time I finished reading the book, I wanted to read more.
The first half of Under My Skin was a little slow for me, but this was due to the building up of the mythology and introducing the reader to the characters and the world in which Judith has created. Being the first in a 3 book series, there needed to be the world building and I think Judith did a good job with it. Had there been a lot of the action that comes later in the book, I think it would have distracted from the mythology and getting to know the characters and what Eyrn is and why she's in Redgrave. I loved the setting of Redgrave.
Eyrn is a very snarky, stubborn character who isn't afraid to fight her worst nightmares in the form of werewolves. That's not all that's hidden within Redgrave's small population. Witches, Vampires and more are introduced as we get to know some stand out characters. Be rest a assured there is some great tension in two hot, bad boys that Eryn is torn between.
There's the dark, brooding Alec, who she has an immediate chemistry with, but there's something about him that she has yet to figure out. I loved her first meeting of him, when she's running in the woods, and he's running with "pet" wolf. Then there's Wade, who she can't help but be drawn to, especially after her dream about him.
Eryn will soon find herself torn between Wade and Alec, and the dark secrets that are unraveling around her in Redgrave. As tensions build between Alec and Wade, who are both trying to help Eryn, she will find herself facing the toughest choice of all. Letting her true nature be revealed.
I liked Under My Skin and I'm looking forward to reading the second book in the series. Judith's book will be released on March 27th!!
**If good reads would allow half star ratings, I would have given it 3.5 stars**
The first half of Under My Skin was a little slow for me, but this was due to the building up of the mythology and introducing the reader to the characters and the world in which Judith has created. Being the first in a 3 book series, there needed to be the world building and I think Judith did a good job with it. Had there been a lot of the action that comes later in the book, I think it would have distracted from the mythology and getting to know the characters and what Eyrn is and why she's in Redgrave. I loved the setting of Redgrave.
Eyrn is a very snarky, stubborn character who isn't afraid to fight her worst nightmares in the form of werewolves. That's not all that's hidden within Redgrave's small population. Witches, Vampires and more are introduced as we get to know some stand out characters. Be rest a assured there is some great tension in two hot, bad boys that Eryn is torn between.
There's the dark, brooding Alec, who she has an immediate chemistry with, but there's something about him that she has yet to figure out. I loved her first meeting of him, when she's running in the woods, and he's running with "pet" wolf. Then there's Wade, who she can't help but be drawn to, especially after her dream about him.
Eryn will soon find herself torn between Wade and Alec, and the dark secrets that are unraveling around her in Redgrave. As tensions build between Alec and Wade, who are both trying to help Eryn, she will find herself facing the toughest choice of all. Letting her true nature be revealed.
I liked Under My Skin and I'm looking forward to reading the second book in the series. Judith's book will be released on March 27th!!
**If good reads would allow half star ratings, I would have given it 3.5 stars**
July 18, 2010
I loved this book, it has a lot of adventure, with a little romance.
can't wait for the next issue. The father of Eryn is a paranormal hunter and her mother was a wolvern, Eryn had been born a halfbreed and her father had been working on a medicine to keep Eryn's wolvern half from coming out. Her parents become missing and Eryn has to move to Redgrave with her Uncle, she no longer has the medicine her father was giving her, she starts felling the wolvern inside her trying to awaking, she becomes, faster,competitive, since of smell, vision, hearing becomes extraordinary.
When at a school outing she is in the woods running, when she is encountered by a werewolf, she had been taught as hunter, to kill paranormals to protect humans, she faces down the creature and frightens it away with her magical athem, that had been giving to her by her father. This is when another student runs pass Eryn. Eryn becomes intrigued she follows him, he's tall slick, muscular body moves with ease. She loves the way his long black hair whips behind him as he takes each long stride, she wants to get closer, she feels the wolvern senses coming alive, she becomes more aware, her competitiveness makes her run to compete with him, but she feels the desire to be near him. She notices a wolf dog running along side him, he runs off into the woods and Eryn returns to the field where her friend Brit is waiting for her, Brit tells her his name is Alec and that's when everything starts to get interesting. When she meets Alec, he awakes her wolvern senses, she has the need to be close to him but she's afraid, she is a halfbreed, he's a hunter, what would happen if he found out. I know you will love this book.
can't wait for the next issue. The father of Eryn is a paranormal hunter and her mother was a wolvern, Eryn had been born a halfbreed and her father had been working on a medicine to keep Eryn's wolvern half from coming out. Her parents become missing and Eryn has to move to Redgrave with her Uncle, she no longer has the medicine her father was giving her, she starts felling the wolvern inside her trying to awaking, she becomes, faster,competitive, since of smell, vision, hearing becomes extraordinary.
When at a school outing she is in the woods running, when she is encountered by a werewolf, she had been taught as hunter, to kill paranormals to protect humans, she faces down the creature and frightens it away with her magical athem, that had been giving to her by her father. This is when another student runs pass Eryn. Eryn becomes intrigued she follows him, he's tall slick, muscular body moves with ease. She loves the way his long black hair whips behind him as he takes each long stride, she wants to get closer, she feels the wolvern senses coming alive, she becomes more aware, her competitiveness makes her run to compete with him, but she feels the desire to be near him. She notices a wolf dog running along side him, he runs off into the woods and Eryn returns to the field where her friend Brit is waiting for her, Brit tells her his name is Alec and that's when everything starts to get interesting. When she meets Alec, he awakes her wolvern senses, she has the need to be close to him but she's afraid, she is a halfbreed, he's a hunter, what would happen if he found out. I know you will love this book.
August 18, 2011
3.5 stars
I had been hearing about Under My Skin for quite some time, but for some reason I had not read it yet. Under My Skin was a refreshing read with a new spin on paranormal creatures and they function.
Under My Skin was a very enticing read, but at times I found myself slightly confused. There was a very clear overall plot arc, but I felt at times the plot strayed too far from this, never really explaining or giving answers to the questions readers have. This also caused me to be slightly confused as to what was happening in the story at times. This didn't keep me from reading at an insane speed though.
Another great thing about Under My Skin was the writing, which was exceptionally good. I felt instantly transported into Eryn's world, which was a place I really enjoyed being in. At times, there were times I felt attention was take away from the exceptional writing because of pictures randomly placed in the middle of pages.
I really loved the characters in Under My Skin. They were definitely my favorite aspect of the novel. Brit was a quirky, fun character who always provided a bit of fun to the scene. Alec was a big cutie. I really liked him. Eryn was a smart main character, which I really liked.
The ending didn't fully provide answers, but it definitely intrigued me for the promise of book 2. I will be sure to pick up Second Skin, to hear more of these wonderful characters' story. Under My Skin had a few flaws, but overall was a book I enjoyed greatly.
I had been hearing about Under My Skin for quite some time, but for some reason I had not read it yet. Under My Skin was a refreshing read with a new spin on paranormal creatures and they function.
Under My Skin was a very enticing read, but at times I found myself slightly confused. There was a very clear overall plot arc, but I felt at times the plot strayed too far from this, never really explaining or giving answers to the questions readers have. This also caused me to be slightly confused as to what was happening in the story at times. This didn't keep me from reading at an insane speed though.
Another great thing about Under My Skin was the writing, which was exceptionally good. I felt instantly transported into Eryn's world, which was a place I really enjoyed being in. At times, there were times I felt attention was take away from the exceptional writing because of pictures randomly placed in the middle of pages.
I really loved the characters in Under My Skin. They were definitely my favorite aspect of the novel. Brit was a quirky, fun character who always provided a bit of fun to the scene. Alec was a big cutie. I really liked him. Eryn was a smart main character, which I really liked.
The ending didn't fully provide answers, but it definitely intrigued me for the promise of book 2. I will be sure to pick up Second Skin, to hear more of these wonderful characters' story. Under My Skin had a few flaws, but overall was a book I enjoyed greatly.
June 12, 2017
Have you ever had a secret that you couldn't share? Eryn has a few secrets that she is trying to keep from her new friends. Worried about how they would take the news that she is much different from them, she tries her best to keep the secrets deep inside. Little does she know the town she now calls home has many of it's own deep, dark issues too.
Eryn is a tough cookie, always showing off that she doesn't need anyone's help, but deep down she's like every other girl – needing to fit in and feel loved. She accidentally stumbles across the secret that her friends have been keeping from her and joins forces with the misfits, Brit, Matt and the ever drool-worthy Alec. While her friendship with the misfits is growing, Wade the coolest kid in school, starts sniffing around and making her friends second guess their importance in Eryn's life.
Once you turn the first page, you won't want to stop, as you are drawn into the happenings in Redgrave. This is such a well written novel, with characters you can relate to and teenage issues you can remember dealing yourself, except Eryn and the gang have the added touch of paranormal to the mix. A few characters (no spoilers) seemed a little ho-hum at the beginning, but I know you will change your mind about them by the end of the book, as you see their secrets revealed.
I cannot wait to read the next book in the series! Will everyone's secrets survive the chaos in Redgrave?
http://snowdropdreams.blogspot.com/20...
Eryn is a tough cookie, always showing off that she doesn't need anyone's help, but deep down she's like every other girl – needing to fit in and feel loved. She accidentally stumbles across the secret that her friends have been keeping from her and joins forces with the misfits, Brit, Matt and the ever drool-worthy Alec. While her friendship with the misfits is growing, Wade the coolest kid in school, starts sniffing around and making her friends second guess their importance in Eryn's life.
Once you turn the first page, you won't want to stop, as you are drawn into the happenings in Redgrave. This is such a well written novel, with characters you can relate to and teenage issues you can remember dealing yourself, except Eryn and the gang have the added touch of paranormal to the mix. A few characters (no spoilers) seemed a little ho-hum at the beginning, but I know you will change your mind about them by the end of the book, as you see their secrets revealed.
I cannot wait to read the next book in the series! Will everyone's secrets survive the chaos in Redgrave?
http://snowdropdreams.blogspot.com/20...
February 15, 2012
It was during the night, on my weekly search for new books to add to my reading list that I stumbled across Under My Skin, I have to say when I read the blurb for the book I was sold, I had to get my hands on it, instead of waiting for the following day to go look for a print copy in my local B&N I downloaded it straight to my Nook Color.
I loved how the beginning draws you in, Judith as delivered in a way that you can clearly imagine the story unfolding before your eyes. I also have to say usually my first concern is whether or not the continuation of a book will deliver just the same, as I continued to read on through the night I had a hard time wanting to put it down, you know when you were a kid and use to tell your parents just five more minutes? I found myself 40 minutes later still reading. I loved the characters in the book; they each have a unique personality, and found most of the plot refreshing. Mixing a bit of different paranormal beings into one book can be hard, because I had read a few where there have been a mix of paranormal beings but it doesn’t feel as a whole, it feels as if many parts are clinging trying to connect and bring the story together, However Judith Graves does an amazing job of mixing the different aspects of the paranormal into this book. Though there is a bit of a love triangle in the story the plot doesn’t focus on it, however I feel that love triangle will deepened in Judith’s second book in the Skinned Series and look forward to seeing how this triangle develops.
4/5 bats
~Marie
I loved how the beginning draws you in, Judith as delivered in a way that you can clearly imagine the story unfolding before your eyes. I also have to say usually my first concern is whether or not the continuation of a book will deliver just the same, as I continued to read on through the night I had a hard time wanting to put it down, you know when you were a kid and use to tell your parents just five more minutes? I found myself 40 minutes later still reading. I loved the characters in the book; they each have a unique personality, and found most of the plot refreshing. Mixing a bit of different paranormal beings into one book can be hard, because I had read a few where there have been a mix of paranormal beings but it doesn’t feel as a whole, it feels as if many parts are clinging trying to connect and bring the story together, However Judith Graves does an amazing job of mixing the different aspects of the paranormal into this book. Though there is a bit of a love triangle in the story the plot doesn’t focus on it, however I feel that love triangle will deepened in Judith’s second book in the Skinned Series and look forward to seeing how this triangle develops.
4/5 bats
~Marie
April 24, 2015
Reviewed for Readers Favorite
Her parents wanted her to have a normal life, but Eryn had no idea what normal was. Now that they were missing, or "dead" as the Council said she had to tell everyone, she was living in Redgrave with her Uncle. A town that isn't suppose to have anything paranormal going on at all, so she can just blend in. Well, something is definitely up in this town! Eryn is sure she just saw a werewolf, and as time goes by she finds herself knee deep in a whole lot of paranormal and caught between resident bad-boy Alex and town hottie Wade. These boys are most certainly Under My Skin (Skinned Book 1). Eryn is going to have to decide which side she is on, and who is hiding the most from her. Judith Graves writes a coming of age, doing it on your own, who is telling the truth story.
Under My Skin, is paranormal, so you get the werewolves, vampires, wolven, and werewolf hunters. Then you have a Council that rules the paranormal community, and those who no longer respect the Council. So not only do you have the teenage story of the two guys after Eryn, you have the paranormal aspect, then there is a third more adult layer that makes this book wonderful for all ages. Judith Graves does a wonderful job in combining all these layers and making a complete story that is fun, entertaining and enjoyable for readers of all ages and levels.
Her parents wanted her to have a normal life, but Eryn had no idea what normal was. Now that they were missing, or "dead" as the Council said she had to tell everyone, she was living in Redgrave with her Uncle. A town that isn't suppose to have anything paranormal going on at all, so she can just blend in. Well, something is definitely up in this town! Eryn is sure she just saw a werewolf, and as time goes by she finds herself knee deep in a whole lot of paranormal and caught between resident bad-boy Alex and town hottie Wade. These boys are most certainly Under My Skin (Skinned Book 1). Eryn is going to have to decide which side she is on, and who is hiding the most from her. Judith Graves writes a coming of age, doing it on your own, who is telling the truth story.
Under My Skin, is paranormal, so you get the werewolves, vampires, wolven, and werewolf hunters. Then you have a Council that rules the paranormal community, and those who no longer respect the Council. So not only do you have the teenage story of the two guys after Eryn, you have the paranormal aspect, then there is a third more adult layer that makes this book wonderful for all ages. Judith Graves does a wonderful job in combining all these layers and making a complete story that is fun, entertaining and enjoyable for readers of all ages and levels.
September 13, 2012
All I can say is what happened in this book?, Eryn is supposed to be a Hunter's daughter trained for hunting and half Wolven but the first time she sees a werewolf she is unarmed and acts tough if it hadn't gotten startled by the rest of her class she would be dead, the second time she slips and falls and Alec and his crew save her the third time I believe is a run in with a Vampire and she drops her weapon and doubles over in pain because her inner wolf wants out and Wade steps in and saves her. Then there is the finale of the book a big fight scene and that was just a jumbled mess and out of the 6 of them there she is the one that almost dies the others as her decription only have cuts a bruises, so I wonder who the weak link is. I wonder how she has lived this long especially considering there is a bounty out on her from the Hunters council who are supposed to be helping her find out what happened to her parents.
Now for the love intrests in this book Alec and Wade I don't feel the connection between her and Alec and I find her and Wade have a really strong connection but she fights it because she says it makes her evil to some extent but all I've seen from Wade is nothing but good IDK but I am team Wade.
Now for the love intrests in this book Alec and Wade I don't feel the connection between her and Alec and I find her and Wade have a really strong connection but she fights it because she says it makes her evil to some extent but all I've seen from Wade is nothing but good IDK but I am team Wade.
April 14, 2012
This is typical paranormal genre. Werewolves, vampires, late night liasons, teenage hormones running rampant.....not that original. Eryn is half wolven, the "high class" werewolves. She has a hard time controlling her wolf side and is afraid of it taking her over. She is also a "hunter" someone who seeks to eliminate the paranormals gone bad. After her parents die she moves in with her uncle who happens to live in a hotbed of paranormal activity. She joins a rogue Hunter group and instantly falls for the dark and handsome Alec, leader of the group. Meanwhile, the resident vmapire hottie and bad boy Wade has already been making the moves on her. Of course, she is seriosuly crushing on both and can't seem to choose.
The author tries to create a tense-worthy love triange, but fails. It's hard to see why she likes either boy because there's not that much build up to the relationship. She basically sees them and falls instantly for both. And of course they do the same to her.
The author tries to create a tense-worthy love triange, but fails. It's hard to see why she likes either boy because there's not that much build up to the relationship. She basically sees them and falls instantly for both. And of course they do the same to her.
November 3, 2016
I was pleasantly surprised by this twist of the usual supernatural lore. I literally did a little happy dance when I finally settled down to read this book. I had been going through a slew of strange, poorly written and downright terrible YA books. It was refreshing to find a good action packed and funny YA book. Eryn was a highly amusing character with an equally sarcastic dry humor. It was surprising how the author was able to slip in the very creative sense of humor that she has. Also I was happy to see that this was not another vampire vs werewolf deal ( I had personally grown tired of that). But the fact the she acknowledged both lore; the gory disgusting SciFi werewolf and the skin changing werewolf (wolven in this case) was a welcome change. I have to commend the author because when Eryn was thrown for a loop so was I and I liked that aspect about the book. I am excited to see what happens in the next book.
February 9, 2012
I don't really know what I was expecting this book to be like, but it wasn't this. Just about anything paranormal has made its way into this book. And I mean everything.
Eryn is a very sassy narrator, which I adored in the beginning but started getting old near the end. She was sarcastic all the time. I love snarky characters, but a few times, I wished she would have opened up just a little instead of keeping people away.
And for the..."romance"...it was really Twilighty. She seems to immediately fall for one guy, but they can't be together right away. And then there's this other guy that, well, he's hot too. And, like, OMG, she just can't choose! (Please tell me you picked up on my own sarcasm there.)
Parts were really good, such as the last 30 or so pages. Because of those pages, I want to read the sequel. But it had better be better than this one was.
Eryn is a very sassy narrator, which I adored in the beginning but started getting old near the end. She was sarcastic all the time. I love snarky characters, but a few times, I wished she would have opened up just a little instead of keeping people away.
And for the..."romance"...it was really Twilighty. She seems to immediately fall for one guy, but they can't be together right away. And then there's this other guy that, well, he's hot too. And, like, OMG, she just can't choose! (Please tell me you picked up on my own sarcasm there.)
Parts were really good, such as the last 30 or so pages. Because of those pages, I want to read the sequel. But it had better be better than this one was.
May 23, 2012
So to be completely honest I had no idea what to expect from this book. I just kind of read the synopsis and was just like "eh, what the heck why not?" So now here I am. I still have yet to formulate a real opinion on this book. I had no idea what was going to happen next, or what guy she will choose. Nor do I have any ideas as to which guy I want her to choose. Usually I have a semi preference, or I can tell using context clues. However, I'm still lacking in the department. I do enjoy the characters in this book, and many of the problems (not paranorm) are a lot like normal problems people face every day. Which is ubber cool. Have to say though when Eryn got a helping hand on her physics test I was so so envious. I really could have used that in my junior year of physics. Overall...I just don't know.
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