Blooded

Jessica McClain #0.5

by Amanda Carlson

Jessica McClain was born the only female in an all male race. The only problem is — she's no wolf. Called a curse, a witch and the Daughter of Evil by the superstitious wolves, Jessica decides to fight for her freedom, at age nineteen, the only way she can — in the ring.

When she's brutally attacked right after her fight, is it enough to finally earn her freedom off Compound, or will she be forced to endure the hatred even longer...

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal, Fantasy, Werewolves, Novella, Shapeshifters, Magic

66 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 11, 2012

About the author

Amanda Carlson is the author of the upcoming Jessica McClain series. The first book, Full Blooded, will be released by Hachette Book Group, ORBIT US & UK SEPT 2012. She’s been writing for over ten years. Full Blooded is her first novel. She lives in Minneapolis, with her husband and three kids.

Reviews

[delane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've gotta say up front that Amanda Carlson has become a fabulous friend over the last 2 + years so I was lucky enough to get the chance to beta read along with her on this journey towards publication....WOW!! WHAT A RIDE !
This novella is set several years before the events that you'll get blasted with as soon as 'Full Blooded' hits the stand in September. What a great hook for the series!!!!!!
I know that you've probably already read the blurbs for this and the series to come and I stink at the kind of eloquent writing that a review of these books deserve so let me just do it my way.....
THIS IS SOME HOT SHIT FOLKS!!!!!
As a rule....I'm not a were-fan...never have been...I love me some vamps....witches...mages...FAE!
Weres?? Ehhhh....Not so much.
Then a couple of years ago I was taking part in a couple of message boards and read from one of the users that I recognized from previous posts, that she was wondering if anyone would like to take a peak at some writing she'd been doing. I'm so glad I said yes!!!
Not only did I get to be part of (even if it's just in my cheerleader-perky-mode sort of way..) the amazing process with her...I also got a couple of great friends that I can't imagine my life without now!
(Amanda and Kathy! I love ya'll more than Diet Dr. Pepper!)
AND I HAVE BECOME A FULL TIME MEMBER OF THE WERE-LOVERS OF AMERICA SOCIETY!!!
Woot! Woot!
Amanda Carlson....damn this chick can write! She has written a series...and with 'Blooded', the perfect jump start into that series, that stands up and yells for the whole world to hear...
THIS IS WHAT KICK ASS BABES CAN DO!
Give it a try folks! NO WAY you'll be disappointed! NO WAY!

[Kathy (Kindle-aholic)]

I will add a caveat that I am a friend of the author, and I got an early peek at this, but I also wouldn't BS you - I had a lot of fun reading this short.

I like shorts, and I've read my share of "prequel shorts" - the little intros to give you a taste of a new series. This is one of my favorites because I am an action-junkie and there is A LOT of action packed in here. You also get a good picture of the dynamics of the world Jessica lives in, and a good intro to the supporting characters.

[Wicked Lil Pixie (Natasha) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blooded is a 60 page (give or take) short story that is basically the prologue to Amanda Carlson’s full length début of Full Blooded in September.

We meet Jessica McCalin who is the odd girl out, living with her fathers pack but the werewolf gene skipped her. Add to that the fact she’s a female and the rest of the male only pack is up in arms, she must be the witch born to bring down the entire pack. This leads to challenges non-stop for Jessica but all she wants is her freedom, but her father can’t seem to let her go.

Make no mistake, there isn’t anything sugar and spice there is violence right from the start. Being Jessica is brutal, but she won’t take it lying down…she’ll fight it out! Go Jess!

I really enjoyed this novella! I am not a fan of shorts, but I love that Orbit released this to wet the whistle for the upcoming full length….and now I can’t wait to get my hands on it! It was fantastic! I loved Jessica and her determination, plus she’s a big of a smart-ass which automatically makes her awesome in my books.

If this is just a taste of what’s to come, we have a kick ass novel coming out in September!

[Amanda Bonilla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Get ready for a great new kick ass urban fantasy series! BLOODED sets up wonderfully for Carlson's upcoming novel, FULL BLOODED. Werewolf fans, get ready to add a new author to your list!

[Stacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

BLOODED is the opening novella for the Jessica McClain series by debut author Amanda Carlson. The novella opens up right away showing how kick ass Jessica McClain is going to be and goes on to show us the dynamics in the pack she was born into and her family. There is a lot of violence towards Jessica because she is female and not a wolf. I was engaged in every and all aspects of the 66 pages in BLOODED and read it in a very short time without setting it down once.

After reading BLOODED and the first chapter teaser at the end for FULL BLOODED I'm absolutely dying to get my hands on FULL BLOODED and its release can not come soon enough.

[Michelle Cummings · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an excellent short story. Jessica is the only human female born to a werewolf father. She finds herself constantly fighting the werewolves in her pack who think she is part of a prophecy predicting a werewolf apocalypse. It's mostly one big fight scene, but it's excellently written and sets up the novel due in September.

[Melissa Hayden · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a novella!?! I can't wait for the NOVEL! Wow. Very well done!
*****
Jessica is tormented and taunted and now it's escalating to more and physical, since her eighteenth birthday. Now she wants to prove herself, challenging a fight against Pack rules, with Mitch - Alpha-born wolf, but not the strongest. Problem, she's the Alpha leaders daughter, and along with being female, she's human. After the bloody battle, Jessica is attacked on the Compound, almost killed by a stronger Alpha-born wolf. Will her father finally agree to her years of pleas to leave Compound? Or will he hid her away from all supernaturals with him, there on the Compound?

Wow. This was only a novella!?! I can't wait to see what Amanda has in store for us in a full length novel. This novella was well written and well rounded! No sway to world building or character building, it is all here. And Full On Fighting start! This Novella sets the stage for Jessica's life; past and to come.

Jessica is a strong mouthed and brave woman. I would say she definitely has Alpha wolf personality. Shame she's not a wolf. And I have to say she has some serious strength to take beatings like this, and dish out what she did.

I really liked this start! Sets the world Jessica tries to survive in and other characters around her. We get a great amount of the wolf culture and rules here. We are told there are other supernaturals in this world, ones that Jessica's dad worries about coming after her. This makes me curious as to what is out there, and what Amanda has in store for us, yet to come. I REALLY look forward to the future installments!

[Daryl Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Novella is an exciting read. Jessica McClain is a modern woman in a werewolf compound waiting for her father to let her go live her own life. Being the only female born to a human werewolf is a hard existence and Amanda Carlson tells of her struggles. Full Blooded, her first book of her triligy story about Jessica will be out this Sept.
Can't wait to see what comes down when Jessica starts her new life on the outside.

[Katherine McCarthy · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Thoughts

My soul, imagine being the only female born to an all male werewolf pack. I thought growing up with 5 brothers was bad enough. Poor Jessica!

This novella is an introduction to the new Jessica McClain series by Amanda Carlson. It nicely sets the stage for the full-length novel coming out in Fall 2012. Overall, the novella gives us a good description of the main character, Jessica, and an understanding of how her upbringing and struggles made her who she is now.

The author has given life to a fierce and uncompromising society of werewolves where Jessica McClain was not supposed to exist. In this world, there are no females born of werewolf fathers. Until Jessica. Most in the Pack feared her and some even thought she was the prophesied one spoken of in the ‘Cain Myth’ (the true Daughter of Evil would eventually destroy the entire werewolf race). That fear was smoldering to a point where Jessica’s life is at risk.

At the very beginning of the novella, we are thrust into the violent world in which Jessica lives. With Jessica constantly fighting for her life, the tone is somewhat dark. However, the author convincingly offsets the tension with Jessica’s keen sense of humor.

The pace rises and falls nicely where it’s supposed to and it flows effortlessly from scene to scene.

I admit I am a big fan of novellas. It’s incredibly difficult to create a good backstory, develop characters and establish an interesting plot in such a limited amount of pages. A lot of authors will end up overwhelming readers with too much detail or underwhelming them with too few. It’s hard to get the balance just right. I think it’s a true test of an author’s skill to communicate all we need to know and successfully deliver a well-structured story. Amanda Carlson is one of those skilled authors.

What I particularly liked about this novella (and this series) is the author’s ability to interlace a new take on werewolf culture with a strong social message about self-preservation and how far a person is willing to go to survive.

If you enjoy urban fantasy series like Sabina Kane by Jaye Wells or Chicagoland Vampires by Chloe Neill, then I think you’ll like this series. The heroines of these series are similar in that their will to survive is what motivates them to do whatever it takes to overcome major conflicts/obstacles thrown in their way.
________________________________________
Just a bit more about the story…

Considered an abomination and a genetic freak of nature, Jessica has had to fight pretty much every day of her life. Even though she is the daughter of the Pack leader, even he couldn’t protect her all of the time. While the wolves listened and respected their leader, if fear and emotions got the better of them, they would most likely kill her regardless of the possibility of losing their lives.

With the threats becoming more frequent and escalating in aggression, Jessica finally decides to take matters into her own hands. She challenges a member of the Pack, albeit one she thinks she has a chance to beat, to a fight. Mitch was only too happy to oblige. Plan A for her was to beat him senseless and then the others would back off. At least to give her some breathing room.

Relying on her sparring skills learned from her brother, her wits and her knowledge of werewolf weaknesses, Jessica thinks she can win. If her plan fails and the threats continue, she has a Plan B. To leave home and go away to start a new life where no one would know her. Her father is strongly opposed to letting her go, fearing she would be killed without his protection. What he doesn’t realize is that she is in just as much danger, if not more, by staying.
________________________________________
The Characterization…

Jessica is a character that immediately brought out my protective side. Yes, she’s absolutely fearless and tough and can handle herself, but she is basically scratching to stay alive by staying at the Compound. I hated seeing her get hurt and I wanted to jump right into that novel and help her in that fight. She would only end up protecting me and saving my butt, but that’s beside the point… The author still brilliantly made me feel that way.

Even though this first novella is all about Jessica and developing her character, we were introduced to a few others who will probably play a part in novels to come. She was close to her twin brother, her brother’s friend Nick, and there was also a very flirtatious Brit that would make life interesting if she sticks around.

There are only a couple of things that led to my 4 Bad Boy rating instead of a 5. I would have loved to hear a little more about what motivated the other characters. For instance, why is Nick willing to go away with her if she goes? How did that come about? Why was her father so insanely stubborn about her not moving away? Jessica must have had a mother but there was no mention of her. What happened to her? These questions may be answered later in the series so their absence in no way takes away from the fact that Blooded is still a fascinating novella and one this reviewer is very glad to have read.
________________________________________
Bottom Line

In my opinion, Amanda Carlson gives us a new take on werewolf culture. Blooded is a well-structured novella that nicely sets up the story world and I was completely absorbed and rooting for Jessica from Page 1. The story is action-packed with a pace and tone that makes sense for the story. The tone can be a bit serious or intense at times, however, the author incorporates light-heartedness through Jessica’s unique sense of humor. I recommend reading it and can’t wait for Book #1, Full Blooded, to be released in September.

Happy Reading!!

4 Bad Boys – Really Enjoyed It!!!!

[Suzanne (Under the Covers Book blog) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jessie is the only female born from a werewolf, unfortunately that comes with a few draw backs, one, her father's pack think she is evil and will destroy all were kind and two, they want to kill her before she hits her 20th birthday. So if challenging one of the alphas in the pack is the only way to save her self, that's what she is going to do.

Although this was a novella, it packed a punch, it was all action from the first sentence and I couldn't put it down. The main character and from whose point of view this was told from, Jessie was the kind of heroine I like, tough and sarcastic and the world that is starting to be built in this book sounds interesting. What was also great was how polished the writing was, it didn't seem like a first book, the only aspect that felt a little clumsy was the dialogue, although the banter between the characters was fun, when there was a long conversation it didn't always sound very natural.

This was like a little taster for the Jessica McClain series, it was short but gave you enough to get a feel for Amanda Carlson's style and give you a glimpse into the world she has created. A glimpse that I enjoyed and will definitely be reading the first book when it comes out.

[Jacob Proffitt · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a short story introduction to Carlson's Jessica McClain series and works well enough as an introduction to the characters. I liked Jessica, but have trouble with some of the surrounding elements of the story. Her dad comes across as an idiot willing to risk his daughter in an obviously untenable position for reasons that are obscure, at best (and selfish and/or egotistical at worst). And the amount of damage she takes as a normal human seems a bit... unlikely. That may be foreshadowing that Jessica isn't precisely pure human, but that's not really hinted at here so it stands out as a weakness. I've already picked up the first actual novel of the series, Full Blooded, and we'll see how it stacks up. I'd already planned to do so, however, so this story didn't really influence the decision one way or another. It was okay.

[Paperback Dolls · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally posted at PaperbackDolls.com

Jessica McClain: Blooded is Amanda Carlson’s first offering in the urban fantasy genre. In this very short novella, only about 50 pages, we’re introduced to the world of Jessica McClain and her fight for survival in a pack that will no longer tolerate her existence. As the first female, and human, born to a race of werewolves where bloodlines are only passed down through the males, Jessica is an anomaly that breathes truth into an old myth of the Daughter of Cain bringing fear, panic, and rage to the pack that her father, the Alpha, can no longer control.

In this prequel to Jessica McClain series, Ms. Carlson brings to the table a strong, witty heroine who will go to lengths to ensure her own survival and a premise that promises to be enormously entertaining. If Blooded is just a taste of what is to come, than I for one am eagerly awaiting Full Blooded when it hit shelves this September.

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novella has really whetted my appetite for FULL BLOODED, the upcoming full length novel coming out in September 2012. BLOODED may be short, but it is action-packed and full of humor. I loved Jessica’s spunk and relentless attitude. She is definitely a new heroine I will keep an eye on.

Fans who enjoy Ilona Andrews’ books will like the spunky, quick-witted and sometimes sarcastic personality of Jessica McClain and readers who enjoy the pack dynamics of Patricia Briggs’ novels will definitely want to check this series out. I can’t wait for FULL BLOODED.

[Mellea · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series has been on my kindle forever. Blooded is a fast introduction into the world of Jessica McClain. I'm intrigued...

[Kitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awesome first showing. Full review Saturday April 7th at PaperbackDolls.com

[Sandra "Jeanz" · Rating 4 out of 5]

MY REVIEW

This novella introduces us to Jessica McClain and her family which consists of, her father Cain (the Alpha), her twin brother Tyler. Then there's Danny who joined the pack from England and is great friends with Tyler. Nick is a fox shifter who Cain adopted into the pack and is close to Jessica and Tyler too. There is a myth about a female who is born into the pack who will be responsible for the downfall of the Werewolf race, so naturally there are some in the pack who literally seem to hate Jessica. Jessica is in constant danger, constantly being picked at by the other wolves. Jessica decides to take a stand and that is where the novella begins, right in the middle of the action! You are instantly on Jessica's side of the fight (well I certainly was)This novella is definitely packed with action. The description is done very well and keeps you interested. Some action scenes I have read kind of get boring part way but this one does not, it keeps you hooked into the action.
So did I enjoy the novella? Yes I didn't want to put it down! Would I read more by Amanda Carlson/this series? Definitely and finally would I recommend it? Yes especially to those who have read Kelley Armstrong's Women Of The Otherworld or Rachel Vincent's Shifter series, though obviously in both series the females were werewolves too. In this book Jessica does not shift, though we don't know if that may change.....

[Sara C. Walker · Rating 3 out of 5]

BLOODED by Amanda Carlson is a short story introduction to her world of werewolves and the human girl trying to break free of the Pack.

Jessica is the daughter of the Pack's Alpha leader, and as such, she has to prove her worth to pack. But being a female means she's only human, born without any of the advantages her twin brother got as a full werewolf. In this short story, we learn how much Jessica wants to get out of the Pack before the Pack kills her. The Pack believes in a prophecy that might be about Jessica, and they'll risk their lives with the Alpha to make sure it doesn't come to fruition.

Carlson gives us a lot action in these four chapters. The words read like an MMA fight, first in the ring and then-- if you can believe this, because I couldn't-- in the lake. I did not expect an all out brawl in the water. Talk about high octane reading!

Although I did find the dialogue could be "As you know, Bob" and the inner monologue could be repetative at times, I think these are typical for a first novel, and I expect to see less of this in subsequent stories.

If you love werewolves and lots of action, Amanda Carlson's new series is sure to please.

The first book in the series, FULL BLOODED will be released in September. I recommend reading this novella, BLOODED, first.

[Carmel (Rabid Reads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed by: Rabid Reads

Blooded does exactly what any prequel worth their salt is supposed to do: make you want to read the first book of the series. Amanda Carlson packs a staggering amount of awesomeness into a minimal amount of pages; just enough to give readers a taste of what's to come and leave them thirsting for more.

I still barely know anything about Jessica but from what I've read, I do know that she's my kind of girl! She cuts straight through the bull and fights with her fists instead of her words. Not the most "mature" way of dealing with problems but then again, she lives with a werewolf pack so what do you expect!? Add to that the fact that she's overflowing with snark and I have my new favourite heroine. I really enjoyed this novella and have a feeling that I'll enjoy Full Blooded even more.

This could be the start of my newest werewolf addiction!

[Jean ~ Kindle Queen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised by this novella. Ms. Carlson does a good job of setting up Jessica's world while providing plenty of action scenes. Jessica is a main character that I enjoy (spunky, independent, strong). I have already added Full Blooded to my TBR list, since I need to know what happens next.

[Mandi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This short novella is good, but it is very much a set-up for the full length book out this fall. It is a brief introduction to the characters and the world. I'm looking forward to the full length book. I kinda wish there was a little more to this one. Full review to come

[Tori · Rating 4 out of 5]

LOVED-even with it being a short teaser. MUST. HAVE. FULL BLOODED.

[SheLove2Read · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't understand the cover art at all. There is nothing about it that relates to the story at hand. But other than that, I enjoyed it.

[She-Wolf Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

As you may be able to tell by the title of my blog, She-Wolf Reads, I have a soft spot for werewolf/shape-shifter stories. I adore them. They are probably my favorite supernatural creature in the paranormal/speculative world of fiction. So color me lucky when author Amanda Carlson tweeted a Mother’s Day giveaway for her new e-novella, "Blooded", a story about a young woman who is the daughter of an alpha werewolf, but not a werewolf herself. I immediately entered the giveaway and was lucky enough to receive a copy. And I am so glad I did. This novella has me beyond excited for the release of the full novel, the first in the Jessica McClain series, "Full Blooded."

The official synopsis does a good job of summarizing this slim novella, which is only 66 pages, so I won’t rehash this straightforward plot. Let me start instead with what I enjoyed about the novella – Jessica McClain. She is a feisty smart ass with some serious cojones. The story opens with intense action in a fighting ring and it’s a great introduction to Jessica as a character. Right away you see she is brave, smart, if a bit rash, and scrappy as she holds her own in a death match with an alpha werewolf. I enjoyed Jessica’s voice. She always has a comeback even when she is on the road to unconsciousness or being drowned by a werewolf.

I also enjoyed the werewolf mythology – Carlson sets the rules up in this novella. Pack dynamics, powers and abilities, weaknesses, key relationships, and the wider world. We know vampires, witches and demons exist here and once Jessica leaves the confines of the compound, I am sure we will meet some along the way.

If I can nitpick just one thing, I will say there were some things that felt a bit repetitive. However, I think this may have been the point. Jessica feels she has to constantly defend her desire to leave the compound and give her reasons for what some feel have not been smart choices. But this really is minor. With this novella, I think Carlson gives us an exciting introduction to a new series. The full novel will be released this September. And I’m marking the release date on my calendar! (4.5 Howls)

Please visit She-Wolf Reads for more reviews!

[Kate Anders · Rating 5 out of 5]

To see this review and others like it check out my site, www.ufreviews.com

So excited about this new author! She fortunately came into my life through another author I love, Amanda Bonilla (who also has great taste in books), so I was super excited about reading this novella. And I have to say that after reading the novella I am totally excited about her full length book!

The concept is actually pretty cool. But to start I should mention that this series is primarily made up around werewolves (yay), but Carlson offers her own unique take to werewolves. There are no females. I really like this about the book, I think it makes her main character Jessica, all the more strong. Sure she doesn't have all the skills that a werewolf has, but in order to survive in this world she was born into she had to be strong emotionally and let me tell you she is quite tenacious. Something I happen to love about Jessica.

This novella is just the perfect amount of the action and information to make you really want to read a full length novel. Literally after reading the last words within the novella I thought to myself, "holy cow, the "blank" has hit the fan and I wanna see what happens to her next!". On the plus side I have scene Carlson's release schedule so we won't have to wait long for her books to come out, and I do mean books, plural.

The novella is only about 20,000 words so you really only get a glimpse of the world that Jessica lives in. But I want to point out that the one thing I was pretty excited about when I was reading the novella was that the world does not only contain werewolves. I love it when you have a whole world of different kinds of supernaturals. I can't wait to see how they are all going to come together and interact with the character of Jessica.

So long story short, I think Amanda Bonilla was right, this series is going to be a big hit with the werewolf loves out there. I would recommend this novella to anyone, it's a quick read, but it's a fun and oh so very action packed novella, so go pick it up!

[Kristin (MyBookishWays Reviews) · Rating 4 out of 5]

You may also read my review here: http://www.mybookishways.com/2012/04/...

Jessica McClain is the daughter of the head of her werewolf Pack, and she’s enthusiastically breaking Pack law by fighting an Alpha wolf who’s been giving her trouble. The problem is, Jessica is female (weres don’t carry the ability to create females, so she’s considered an abomination), and fighting an alpha wolf is really not a good idea, but she’s sick and tired of being picked on. Jessica knows she must fight or leave before things spin out of control. Set to go to the city and enter the police academy, she must convince her father that it’s the best thing for her, but at only 19, that’s not an easy thing to do. Blooded is a great introduction to this brand new series by debut author Amanda Carlson, and Jessica McClain is one tough human girl in a sea of supes that’s determined to hold her own. Ms. Carlson’s writing is tight and her fight scenes are stellar. If you love urban fantasy (and shifters), this is one new series you’ll want to get your hands on!

[Jenese · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one great prequel and novella!! It was only about 40 pages or so on my Nook, but damn! These few pages were action packed right from the beginning. It's a great introduction to the conflicts going on in the pack and most importantly with Jessica. She is 19 years old and has had to deal with hatred her whole life. She's not the traditional pack member, if you can ever call her a pack member. Her father is the Alpha and there is only so much he can control his pack from ostracizing, scaring and hating her behind him back. She is over it and ready to move on with her life, but not before some select wolves get in her way.

[Mara · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 1\2 stars

If I had to go from this short story, I'll say this new series is my cup of tea. A strong, but human heroine ready to stand up for her life. A darker UF world. Yep up my alley.

It has one big con for me: it's a teaser, more than a novella. Absolutely interesting, but I would have preferred Orbit had offered it for free (or almost free at 0.99). At 2.99 you might expect a story (you don't really get it, you get a background).

If you accept a piece of advice, wait for the first novel, download a sample and judge if you want to buy it.

[Mira Lyn Kelly]

An ass-kicking awesome read from the first page with a compelling intensity that doesn't quit until the last...and then you get to the sample from FULL BLOODED...and OMG, Sept can't get here soon enough!! Cool concept, gorgeous writing, and a heroine that will knock your socks off!

[Alex (HEABookNerd) · Rating 2 out of 5]

BLOODED was a quick prequel novella to introduce our heroine Jessica McClain. She's a human woman born into a werewolf pack which is unheard of as werewolves are always male. She's tough as hell, sarcastic, but really tired of being harassed and abused by her pack.

While I wasn't overly in love with this novella, I am intrigued enough to want to read more and see where Jessica's story goes.

Content Warning: graphic violence

[Jessica {Litnoob}]

This was an interesting intense and bloody start to a series that I think I’m going to love. The only born daughter to a werewolf Alpha who has some issues currently controlling his pack.... intriguing right?? I’m pumped now to continue on with the series and see what happens next.