What do you think?
Rate this book
H&W Investigations #5
Forsaken by the Others
The Others–vampires, werewolves, things that go chomp in the night–don’t just live in nightmares anymore. They’ve joined with he mortal world. And for private investigator Shiarra Waynest, that means mayhem…
Have a one night stand with a vampire, and you can end up paying for it for eternity. P.I. Shiarra Waynest, an expert on the Others, knows that better than most. Yet here she is, waking up beside charismatic vamp Alec Royce with an aching head…and neck. Luckily, Shia has the perfect excuse for getting out of town–namely, a couple of irate East Coast werewolf packs who’d like to turn her into a chew toy.
On Royce’s suggestion, Shia temporarily relocates to Los Angeles. But something is rotten–literally–in the state of California, where local vampires are being attacked by zombies. Who could be powerful enough to control them–and reckless enough to target the immortal? Following the trail will lead Shia to a terrifying truth, and to an ancient enemy with a personal grudge…
Have a one night stand with a vampire, and you can end up paying for it for eternity. P.I. Shiarra Waynest, an expert on the Others, knows that better than most. Yet here she is, waking up beside charismatic vamp Alec Royce with an aching head…and neck. Luckily, Shia has the perfect excuse for getting out of town–namely, a couple of irate East Coast werewolf packs who’d like to turn her into a chew toy.
On Royce’s suggestion, Shia temporarily relocates to Los Angeles. But something is rotten–literally–in the state of California, where local vampires are being attacked by zombies. Who could be powerful enough to control them–and reckless enough to target the immortal? Following the trail will lead Shia to a terrifying truth, and to an ancient enemy with a personal grudge…
329 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
19 people are currently reading
1238 people want to read
About the author
Jess Haines
20 books525 followersI'm a USA Today and international bestselling author. I consider myself a displaced New Yorker with a penchant for the silly, the obscure, and the fantastical. These days, you can find me in the Tampa area. I'm currently working on the H&W Investigations urban fantasy series and the Blackhollow Academy young adult/new adult contemporary fantasy series. Find out more about my books, drop me a line, or join my mailing list at www.jesshaines.com!
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews
January 30, 2015
Reviewed by: Rabid Reads.
It’s an unspoken rule that every series has to have one blah installment, and unfortunately for H&W INVESTIGATIONS, this was it. Jess Haines’ engrossing writing style was still present, but FORSAKEN BY THE OTHERS was minus the tall glass of action that I’ve become accustomed to, the love interest was mostly a no show, and Shia’s ultra-cool mofo rep took a lickin’ which all lead to this book’s stepping stone like quality. The cliffhanger ending only served to further reinforce that sentiment as well, so all in all I’d have to say that this was my least favourite Waynest novel.
I was happy with how this story started; progress was being made on the Alec front, Shiarra was reunited with her business partner, and then… the girls get shipped off to L.A. Goodbye secondary characters, adios main plot arc, and arrivederci smexy times. Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoyed meeting Gavin, Clyde, Jimmy & Fabian, and hooking up with Tiny & Devon again was an unexpected treat; however I couldn’t get over the feeling that something was missing. I was also a little cheesed that the author mentioned Jack’s new status only to leave readers in the lurch—if I had balls, they’d be blue.
Shia’s been making some good headway as this series’ heroine, and granted the occasional setback is to be expected, but this book felt like a return to HUNTED BY THE OTHERS. The majority of this protagonist’s strengths lie with her aptitude as a P.I. and a couple of magical artefacts. The former continued to hold steady, however without the latter Waynest was pretty much a sitting duck which made her willingness to immerse herself in L.A.’s Other community, without allies I might add, to solve a case involving zombies come across as a death wish. I was disappointed by her utter lack of self-preservation.
The plot was sufficiently twisty enough to keep me engaged, and with a suspect list comprising of three shady vampires, one über powerful necromancer, and a rabid Goliath werewolf, there was plenty of whodunnit goodness to go around. I enjoyed watching Shia and Sara team up on an investigation for a change, although there were a couple of facets that were entirely too opportune in my opinion such as Halloway’s predicament, and the “ancient enemy with a personal grudge”. The blurb was a bit spoiler-y for anyone who’s read the earlier installments which if you’re tackling book 5, I’m assuming you have.
FORSAKEN BY THE OTHERS was a means to an end, a set-up for the next novel.
It’s an unspoken rule that every series has to have one blah installment, and unfortunately for H&W INVESTIGATIONS, this was it. Jess Haines’ engrossing writing style was still present, but FORSAKEN BY THE OTHERS was minus the tall glass of action that I’ve become accustomed to, the love interest was mostly a no show, and Shia’s ultra-cool mofo rep took a lickin’ which all lead to this book’s stepping stone like quality. The cliffhanger ending only served to further reinforce that sentiment as well, so all in all I’d have to say that this was my least favourite Waynest novel.
I was happy with how this story started; progress was being made on the Alec front, Shiarra was reunited with her business partner, and then… the girls get shipped off to L.A. Goodbye secondary characters, adios main plot arc, and arrivederci smexy times. Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoyed meeting Gavin, Clyde, Jimmy & Fabian, and hooking up with Tiny & Devon again was an unexpected treat; however I couldn’t get over the feeling that something was missing. I was also a little cheesed that the author mentioned Jack’s new status only to leave readers in the lurch—if I had balls, they’d be blue.
Shia’s been making some good headway as this series’ heroine, and granted the occasional setback is to be expected, but this book felt like a return to HUNTED BY THE OTHERS. The majority of this protagonist’s strengths lie with her aptitude as a P.I. and a couple of magical artefacts. The former continued to hold steady, however without the latter Waynest was pretty much a sitting duck which made her willingness to immerse herself in L.A.’s Other community, without allies I might add, to solve a case involving zombies come across as a death wish. I was disappointed by her utter lack of self-preservation.
The plot was sufficiently twisty enough to keep me engaged, and with a suspect list comprising of three shady vampires, one über powerful necromancer, and a rabid Goliath werewolf, there was plenty of whodunnit goodness to go around. I enjoyed watching Shia and Sara team up on an investigation for a change, although there were a couple of facets that were entirely too opportune in my opinion such as Halloway’s predicament, and the “ancient enemy with a personal grudge”. The blurb was a bit spoiler-y for anyone who’s read the earlier installments which if you’re tackling book 5, I’m assuming you have.
FORSAKEN BY THE OTHERS was a means to an end, a set-up for the next novel.
July 5, 2013
Spoilers
Meh. The main reason it was rubbish was the dumb, annoying and frustrating characters.
-I hated Shiarra. She was such an insufferable, thick, selfish cow of a heroine. The silly cow kept putting herself and Sara in danger for no fucking reason. How the hell was she even a private investigator?! She was such a bloody idiot.
-Shiarra's change in attitude bugged me. She went from hating and fearing vamps/wolves/Others to sleeping with them and making excuses for them. I would have preferred a more realistic transition. I hate when heroines forget their lifetime long beliefs and principles because they fall for the sexy supernatural love interest. Why couldn't she keep some of her principles? I'm glad she's no longer racist but it pisses me off how much she's gone from one extreme to the other.
-I was sick of Shia acting like Royce was her hero. The mess and danger in Shia's life only started when her beloved Royce manipulated and threatened her into working for him. If he'd left her alone she wouldn't have all the problems she has. But did silly-cow Shiarra address that little fact? No, she blamed herself and twisted things to make it seem like Royce had only ever helped her. The fucker caused all her problems but that was brushed under the carpet so that Royce could seem heroic or some bullshit. Shia had no respect for herself.
-Royce was hardly in it, which I was happy about since I've always found him slimy and cliched. His appearance in the first few chapters made me roll my eyes. He's only ever manipulated Shiarra, but the bastard turned things around on her and acted like he'd been nothing but nice to her and that he didn't deserve her bullshit. So yea, it was okay for him to mess people around but when someone returned the favour, he acted all hurt and wounded. Ugh.
-Why did Royce send Sara and Shiarra to Clyde? How did he miss that Clyde would use them? Royce was so dumb to send them to someone who he couldn't fully trust.
-Why the hell did Sara give into Clyde's demands for them to investigate his zombie problem? The whole point they were sent to Clyde was so they would be safe and off the radar… So why get involved in a zombie case? It was too dumb to fathom. I hate when characters do stupid things for the sake of a story.
-Shiarra and Sara were rubbish PI's. They only ever 'solved' things when someone conveniently gave them all the answers they needed. It was also irritating reading about how scared they were every time they met a supernatural. They should have had a bit more mettle considering they're meant to be PI's.
-When Clyde took Shiarra's mobile why didn't she use a phone-box or someone else's mobile (like that White Hat guy) to phone Royce?
-All the vampires were stereotypical — wearing leather pants, showing fangs, getting pissed at any mild insults. It was cringey.
-What happened when Shiarra changed and scared that bunch of vamps? Why didn't Sara or Shia question why they were so scared of her?
All in all, I wasn't impressed. I did like the ending though with Max though.
Meh. The main reason it was rubbish was the dumb, annoying and frustrating characters.
-I hated Shiarra. She was such an insufferable, thick, selfish cow of a heroine. The silly cow kept putting herself and Sara in danger for no fucking reason. How the hell was she even a private investigator?! She was such a bloody idiot.
-Shiarra's change in attitude bugged me. She went from hating and fearing vamps/wolves/Others to sleeping with them and making excuses for them. I would have preferred a more realistic transition. I hate when heroines forget their lifetime long beliefs and principles because they fall for the sexy supernatural love interest. Why couldn't she keep some of her principles? I'm glad she's no longer racist but it pisses me off how much she's gone from one extreme to the other.
-I was sick of Shia acting like Royce was her hero. The mess and danger in Shia's life only started when her beloved Royce manipulated and threatened her into working for him. If he'd left her alone she wouldn't have all the problems she has. But did silly-cow Shiarra address that little fact? No, she blamed herself and twisted things to make it seem like Royce had only ever helped her. The fucker caused all her problems but that was brushed under the carpet so that Royce could seem heroic or some bullshit. Shia had no respect for herself.
-Royce was hardly in it, which I was happy about since I've always found him slimy and cliched. His appearance in the first few chapters made me roll my eyes. He's only ever manipulated Shiarra, but the bastard turned things around on her and acted like he'd been nothing but nice to her and that he didn't deserve her bullshit. So yea, it was okay for him to mess people around but when someone returned the favour, he acted all hurt and wounded. Ugh.
-Why did Royce send Sara and Shiarra to Clyde? How did he miss that Clyde would use them? Royce was so dumb to send them to someone who he couldn't fully trust.
-Why the hell did Sara give into Clyde's demands for them to investigate his zombie problem? The whole point they were sent to Clyde was so they would be safe and off the radar… So why get involved in a zombie case? It was too dumb to fathom. I hate when characters do stupid things for the sake of a story.
-Shiarra and Sara were rubbish PI's. They only ever 'solved' things when someone conveniently gave them all the answers they needed. It was also irritating reading about how scared they were every time they met a supernatural. They should have had a bit more mettle considering they're meant to be PI's.
-When Clyde took Shiarra's mobile why didn't she use a phone-box or someone else's mobile (like that White Hat guy) to phone Royce?
-All the vampires were stereotypical — wearing leather pants, showing fangs, getting pissed at any mild insults. It was cringey.
-What happened when Shiarra changed and scared that bunch of vamps? Why didn't Sara or Shia question why they were so scared of her?
All in all, I wasn't impressed. I did like the ending though with Max though.
June 29, 2013
Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy
The H&W Investigations series has evolved over the past five books. In a way it’s become lighter, more wacky. The focus in FORSAKEN BY THE OTHERS is less on the relationships and mythology, and more on the mystery of a black mage raising zombies in LA. There’s a lot of foot work as Shia and Sara question seemingly half the city in their investigation. I could have done with a little less chatting and a little more action, but considering this is the first book since Shia lost her super powered belt, it does make sense.
What remains strong is the humorous dialog and wry observations from Shia. She has a healthy fear of the Others which comes in handy quite often since they usually want to kill her for one reason or another. There are some personal storylines that carry over for Shia and Sara, but for the most part, this feels like a self contained plot this time out.
My biggest criticism is the same one I had last time. Apart from the very beginning, Royce is a no show and Arnold is regulated to a few brief phone call scenes. The sexy/funny elements that they both bring respectively were missing for me again. Since the success of this series has always been built on this truly fantastic ensemble cast, the books are strongest when they are all featured.
That being said, the expected cliffhanger has done it’s job of ensuring I’ll be back for more. After three books with significantly fewer page time for some of my favorite characters, I’m really hoping for a full reunion for the next H&W Investigations book.
Sexual Content:
Kissing. References to sex
The H&W Investigations series has evolved over the past five books. In a way it’s become lighter, more wacky. The focus in FORSAKEN BY THE OTHERS is less on the relationships and mythology, and more on the mystery of a black mage raising zombies in LA. There’s a lot of foot work as Shia and Sara question seemingly half the city in their investigation. I could have done with a little less chatting and a little more action, but considering this is the first book since Shia lost her super powered belt, it does make sense.
What remains strong is the humorous dialog and wry observations from Shia. She has a healthy fear of the Others which comes in handy quite often since they usually want to kill her for one reason or another. There are some personal storylines that carry over for Shia and Sara, but for the most part, this feels like a self contained plot this time out.
My biggest criticism is the same one I had last time. Apart from the very beginning, Royce is a no show and Arnold is regulated to a few brief phone call scenes. The sexy/funny elements that they both bring respectively were missing for me again. Since the success of this series has always been built on this truly fantastic ensemble cast, the books are strongest when they are all featured.
That being said, the expected cliffhanger has done it’s job of ensuring I’ll be back for more. After three books with significantly fewer page time for some of my favorite characters, I’m really hoping for a full reunion for the next H&W Investigations book.
Sexual Content:
Kissing. References to sex
November 29, 2025
Royce wants Shia and Sara to temporarily relocate to LA. Tension is high and Royce feels it will be better for Shiarra if she “disappears” until things cool down. Royce makes arrangements for Shia and Sara to stay with an associate that “owes him one”. His associates name is Clyde.
Clyde instantly starts playing vampire games and even though Shia tries to show him she’s got her own bite, he doesn’t seem to care. Clyde ultimately finagles, Sara and Shia into an investigation that just might get them both killed. It seems there is a Necromancer killing off all of Clyde’s vampires with zombies.
If that wasn’t enough, something dark is trying to break free from Shia. She is oozing black just under her skin. No one is sure what she will become if she gives in.
This is a well-developed story that will keep your attention from start to finish. Action, adventure, mystery, a little romance, with just the right amount of funny, and very interesting characters, I truly enjoyed reading Forsaken by the Others. What an ending...way to leave us wanting more! In the end, Forsaken by the Other is an enchanting and entertaining story that will pull you into the fabulous world of Jess Haines’ imagination.
I received this ARC copy of Forsaken by the Others from Kensington Books - Zebra in exchange for an honest review. This book is set for publication July 2, 2013.
Clyde instantly starts playing vampire games and even though Shia tries to show him she’s got her own bite, he doesn’t seem to care. Clyde ultimately finagles, Sara and Shia into an investigation that just might get them both killed. It seems there is a Necromancer killing off all of Clyde’s vampires with zombies.
If that wasn’t enough, something dark is trying to break free from Shia. She is oozing black just under her skin. No one is sure what she will become if she gives in.
This is a well-developed story that will keep your attention from start to finish. Action, adventure, mystery, a little romance, with just the right amount of funny, and very interesting characters, I truly enjoyed reading Forsaken by the Others. What an ending...way to leave us wanting more! In the end, Forsaken by the Other is an enchanting and entertaining story that will pull you into the fabulous world of Jess Haines’ imagination.
I received this ARC copy of Forsaken by the Others from Kensington Books - Zebra in exchange for an honest review. This book is set for publication July 2, 2013.
June 7, 2013
3.5
Let's start with the bad: cliff-hanger alert. If you hate cliff-hangers, be forewarned. If you read this book, you'll hate them with twice the strength.
I can't explain how much I hate I'll have to wait for 14 months (at least) for the sequel. Sigh.
Now, all the rest.
If you are reading H&W5 or thinking about it, you are a fan of the series. So you're already hooked to the peculiar light and dark theme this UF series has. This is my idea of a lighter theme, this is what it should be: witty and funny, not silly and stupid. Dark, well, I have read darker books, but what I like about Shiarra's story is that she is human, mostly. She's weak compared to the Others, but this has never stopped her. She's not a wonder woman, and whatever power she's got, she has paid a very steep price for it.
Number 5 has the same adrenaline-laced plot that leaves you breathless and unable to put it down long. What you'll find different from the previous books is that Shiarra is once again mostly powerless. She has to survive just on her wit and her resources, and against monsters these are never too many.
I'm not sure I buy all the story: i.e. I don't get why they don't get a phone as soon as possible or run as soon as possible. (Or accept to work for Clyde or how Clyde can be so stupid...or Royce so naive...)
We still don't know what's happening to Shia, but I'm happy to know that at least Sara is fine. (You'll get the reference as soon as you read the book.)
That's all, folks. I'm heading to the kitchen. I'm in a serious need to drink some chamomile tea. Both to counterbalance the adrenaline spike and to avoid looking for an author to throttle....
Let's start with the bad: cliff-hanger alert. If you hate cliff-hangers, be forewarned. If you read this book, you'll hate them with twice the strength.
I can't explain how much I hate I'll have to wait for 14 months (at least) for the sequel. Sigh.
Now, all the rest.
If you are reading H&W5 or thinking about it, you are a fan of the series. So you're already hooked to the peculiar light and dark theme this UF series has. This is my idea of a lighter theme, this is what it should be: witty and funny, not silly and stupid. Dark, well, I have read darker books, but what I like about Shiarra's story is that she is human, mostly. She's weak compared to the Others, but this has never stopped her. She's not a wonder woman, and whatever power she's got, she has paid a very steep price for it.
Number 5 has the same adrenaline-laced plot that leaves you breathless and unable to put it down long. What you'll find different from the previous books is that Shiarra is once again mostly powerless. She has to survive just on her wit and her resources, and against monsters these are never too many.
I'm not sure I buy all the story: i.e. I don't get why they don't get a phone as soon as possible or run as soon as possible. (Or accept to work for Clyde or how Clyde can be so stupid...or Royce so naive...)
We still don't know what's happening to Shia, but I'm happy to know that at least Sara is fine. (You'll get the reference as soon as you read the book.)
That's all, folks. I'm heading to the kitchen. I'm in a serious need to drink some chamomile tea. Both to counterbalance the adrenaline spike and to avoid looking for an author to throttle....
May 28, 2013
In this latest edition to the H&W Investigation series we fall straight into the action. The bedroom action that is… va-va-voom. Well who wouldn’t want to end up in bed with Royce buck naked?!? Yes please! It only took four books for them to finally stop staring at each other with puppy dog eyes and make with the dirty. Not that being a blood whore is attractive, but for Mr. Alec Royce? Maybe. That’s all I’m saying.
“Giving in to me isn’t a crime. Liking the things I make you feel isn’t a sin against your family or your God. There is no shame in it. I won’t tolerate these misconceptions any longer, or see you destroy yourself, physically or emotionally, now that you’re finally mine-do you understand? You mean too much to me for me to allow that to happen.”
Though we soon leave the nookie far behind and head straight to LA. Beautiful peoples here we come!
Royce
For the uninitiated, this is an urban fantasy series with a side dish of romance (a small, small side dish). Shiarra Waynest is a baddass PI working in a world of Others – vamps, weres and all manner of supernatural folk. She is an anomaly, bound to two vampires and injected with lycanthropy. But she is morphing into something else, something different. Something that is giving her persistant nose-eye-throat bleeds – but what is it?
Shia has gotten her sorry ass caught up in a caper or two along the series and in this book, she is having to eat humble pie as her last adventure took her on the wrong side of crazy. Most people are giving her a wide berth, including her family and best bud Sara.
But it’s not long before sistas are doing it for themselves again when both Shia and Sara kick zombie butt in LA. Yes, that’s what I said – zombie butt, (zombies seem to be the ‘in thing’ at the moment. Or maybe I have them on the brain as I am going to see that new zombie film Warm Bodies this weekend – so excited!!!). To back-track: the pair are currently persona non grata in New York so they have to go and stay (hide) with Royce’s old vamp friend Clyde Seabreeze who owes Shia’s man a favour or two. Sadly, he’s a bit of a douche and has the ladies running around trying to locate a necromancer who is controlling a pack (is that the right word?) of zombies and unleashing them on his minions.
Shia
Shia is determined to show Clyde that she has teeth from the outset. But the dear old vamp couldn’t give a flying squirrel about the pair – he makes it clear that he will not go out of his way to save them if they get into trouble. They have to stay undercover, truly below the radar, not using local resources or anything to give away their LA hideout.
Honestly, I think for the amount of danger Shia and Sara put themselves in, they should have just stayed in New York. Seriously.
During their investigations, we run across massive Goliath werewolves, Cosmo reading vampires up for a bit of karaoke, a soul stealing necromancer and a vampire ‘crazier than a shithouse rat’. Fun, fun, fun!
For the fans, Devon makes an appearance for a few chapters – yay! But beware – there’s a cliffhanger ending…
As a writer, I feel that Jess Haines is growing. The quality of the writing, the characters and the plot line has developed over the course of the series. Each book she churns out gets better and better. If I’m being brutally honest, any new readers to this series could probably give book one a miss… until about book four where things really heat up. Plus she has done the whole werewolf vs. vampires for a few books now, so it’s nice that we are settling down a bit – drawn out love triangles are soooo 2012.
Read more reviews with The Urban Book Thief here
“Giving in to me isn’t a crime. Liking the things I make you feel isn’t a sin against your family or your God. There is no shame in it. I won’t tolerate these misconceptions any longer, or see you destroy yourself, physically or emotionally, now that you’re finally mine-do you understand? You mean too much to me for me to allow that to happen.”
Though we soon leave the nookie far behind and head straight to LA. Beautiful peoples here we come!
Royce
For the uninitiated, this is an urban fantasy series with a side dish of romance (a small, small side dish). Shiarra Waynest is a baddass PI working in a world of Others – vamps, weres and all manner of supernatural folk. She is an anomaly, bound to two vampires and injected with lycanthropy. But she is morphing into something else, something different. Something that is giving her persistant nose-eye-throat bleeds – but what is it?
Shia has gotten her sorry ass caught up in a caper or two along the series and in this book, she is having to eat humble pie as her last adventure took her on the wrong side of crazy. Most people are giving her a wide berth, including her family and best bud Sara.
But it’s not long before sistas are doing it for themselves again when both Shia and Sara kick zombie butt in LA. Yes, that’s what I said – zombie butt, (zombies seem to be the ‘in thing’ at the moment. Or maybe I have them on the brain as I am going to see that new zombie film Warm Bodies this weekend – so excited!!!). To back-track: the pair are currently persona non grata in New York so they have to go and stay (hide) with Royce’s old vamp friend Clyde Seabreeze who owes Shia’s man a favour or two. Sadly, he’s a bit of a douche and has the ladies running around trying to locate a necromancer who is controlling a pack (is that the right word?) of zombies and unleashing them on his minions.
Shia
Shia is determined to show Clyde that she has teeth from the outset. But the dear old vamp couldn’t give a flying squirrel about the pair – he makes it clear that he will not go out of his way to save them if they get into trouble. They have to stay undercover, truly below the radar, not using local resources or anything to give away their LA hideout.
Honestly, I think for the amount of danger Shia and Sara put themselves in, they should have just stayed in New York. Seriously.
During their investigations, we run across massive Goliath werewolves, Cosmo reading vampires up for a bit of karaoke, a soul stealing necromancer and a vampire ‘crazier than a shithouse rat’. Fun, fun, fun!
For the fans, Devon makes an appearance for a few chapters – yay! But beware – there’s a cliffhanger ending…
As a writer, I feel that Jess Haines is growing. The quality of the writing, the characters and the plot line has developed over the course of the series. Each book she churns out gets better and better. If I’m being brutally honest, any new readers to this series could probably give book one a miss… until about book four where things really heat up. Plus she has done the whole werewolf vs. vampires for a few books now, so it’s nice that we are settling down a bit – drawn out love triangles are soooo 2012.
Read more reviews with The Urban Book Thief here
January 15, 2014
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: Shiarra Waynest is a private investigator who has made enemies with both humans and Others in the town she lives in. So to keep herself and her best friend safe they relocate to California for a while. Unfortunately, Shia seems to be a magnet for trouble. As soon as they arrive in Los Angeles they are asked to find someone who is controlling zombies and making them kill vampires. Will Shia and her friend Sara make it out of Los Angeles in one piece?
Opening Sentence: Every part of her ached.
The Review:
Shiarra Waynest has ruined her life. She has upset the local authorities, werewolves, and those who dislike all things Other. This includes her parents. Now she has to leave town or one of the groups who are mad at her may get ahold of her and hurt her. To protect herself and those she cares about Shia and her best friend and business partner, Sara, go to Los Angeles until things quiet down at home. Unfortunately, Los Angeles is not very safe and before they have even rested up from jet lag they are asked by their host to investigate someone who is using zombies to kill his vampires. Will Shiarra and Sara make it home ok or will they be a victim of the zombies as well? This is the fifth book in the H&W Investigations series and it would be best to read the other four books first.
Shiarra was hard to like. I could never really connect with her. I did like that the story was in first person so we got a better sense of Shia, but at the same time this may have been why I did not like her. She was cowardly and would rather run away instead of standing and fighting. Also, she thought more about herself than anyone else. She takes off for a month and doesn’t tell anyone where she is. In the process, getting mixed up with bad people who end up wanting her dead. Also, when she does return she has no thought to her family and how they have been for the month she was gone. The worst thing about her though was that she was so wrapped up in her own life and her own problems she never even realized something was off with her best friend. What kind of friend does not realize when there is something wrong? She did have a few good qualities about her. Shia realized she had made mistakes and felt bad about it; because she felt bad she tried to become a better person and do the right thing rather than rush in blindly and not think about others. Another thing I liked about her was she would do anything for her best friend, once she stopped being so oblivious.
I truly did not enjoy this book. Maybe this is because it is further into the series and interactions get a bit confusing in spots. Also, because this is further in I am meeting the characters after they have been developed and didn’t know them from the beginning. It was a very slow paced book that never picks up. In saying that, I do have to say the end of the book did come as a surprise which was nice. Maybe this book would have been great if I went back to the first book in the series and read them in order. That is what I would recommend readers to do.
Notable Scene:
Sara led the way, bounding up the stairs two at a time. I couldn’t really blame her for wanting to rush out. Yet she stopped at the door, blocking the way out. I started to ask her what was wrong, but the words trailed off as a foul stench wafted into the room. All the anger faded away like smoke on the wind as the combination of death and rot invaded my nostrils like a physical assault. The vampires behind me started complaining—some of them blaming Brendan for the stink—but then Sara was stumbling back into me, and I didn’t have time to worry about where it was coming from. Bloated, discolored fingers with long, jagged nails were grabbing at Sara’s shoulder and arm, dragging her out through the door. By the time I got over my shock enough to reach for her, she was gone. . . .
FTC Advisory: Kensington Zebra provided me with a copy of Forsaken by the Others. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: Shiarra Waynest is a private investigator who has made enemies with both humans and Others in the town she lives in. So to keep herself and her best friend safe they relocate to California for a while. Unfortunately, Shia seems to be a magnet for trouble. As soon as they arrive in Los Angeles they are asked to find someone who is controlling zombies and making them kill vampires. Will Shia and her friend Sara make it out of Los Angeles in one piece?
Opening Sentence: Every part of her ached.
The Review:
Shiarra Waynest has ruined her life. She has upset the local authorities, werewolves, and those who dislike all things Other. This includes her parents. Now she has to leave town or one of the groups who are mad at her may get ahold of her and hurt her. To protect herself and those she cares about Shia and her best friend and business partner, Sara, go to Los Angeles until things quiet down at home. Unfortunately, Los Angeles is not very safe and before they have even rested up from jet lag they are asked by their host to investigate someone who is using zombies to kill his vampires. Will Shiarra and Sara make it home ok or will they be a victim of the zombies as well? This is the fifth book in the H&W Investigations series and it would be best to read the other four books first.
Shiarra was hard to like. I could never really connect with her. I did like that the story was in first person so we got a better sense of Shia, but at the same time this may have been why I did not like her. She was cowardly and would rather run away instead of standing and fighting. Also, she thought more about herself than anyone else. She takes off for a month and doesn’t tell anyone where she is. In the process, getting mixed up with bad people who end up wanting her dead. Also, when she does return she has no thought to her family and how they have been for the month she was gone. The worst thing about her though was that she was so wrapped up in her own life and her own problems she never even realized something was off with her best friend. What kind of friend does not realize when there is something wrong? She did have a few good qualities about her. Shia realized she had made mistakes and felt bad about it; because she felt bad she tried to become a better person and do the right thing rather than rush in blindly and not think about others. Another thing I liked about her was she would do anything for her best friend, once she stopped being so oblivious.
I truly did not enjoy this book. Maybe this is because it is further into the series and interactions get a bit confusing in spots. Also, because this is further in I am meeting the characters after they have been developed and didn’t know them from the beginning. It was a very slow paced book that never picks up. In saying that, I do have to say the end of the book did come as a surprise which was nice. Maybe this book would have been great if I went back to the first book in the series and read them in order. That is what I would recommend readers to do.
Notable Scene:
Sara led the way, bounding up the stairs two at a time. I couldn’t really blame her for wanting to rush out. Yet she stopped at the door, blocking the way out. I started to ask her what was wrong, but the words trailed off as a foul stench wafted into the room. All the anger faded away like smoke on the wind as the combination of death and rot invaded my nostrils like a physical assault. The vampires behind me started complaining—some of them blaming Brendan for the stink—but then Sara was stumbling back into me, and I didn’t have time to worry about where it was coming from. Bloated, discolored fingers with long, jagged nails were grabbing at Sara’s shoulder and arm, dragging her out through the door. By the time I got over my shock enough to reach for her, she was gone. . . .
FTC Advisory: Kensington Zebra provided me with a copy of Forsaken by the Others. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
July 2, 2013
Shiarra is free from the influence of the belt and now can see what has happened to her life. Her hasty decisions, skewed judgement, anger and fear has left a lot of wreckage behind, a trail of victims and even some deaths. It’s an uncomfortable realisation
Almost as uncomfortable is finally coming to terms with the fact that Royce isn’t the bad guy and that it’s ok to let him into her life, that’s going to take some getting used to.
But now there’s a lot of fallout from the most recent chaos with the werewolves and the only way Royce can see to keep Shiarra and Sara safe is to get them out of New York – get them all the way across the country in fact, to his ally in Los Angeles.
“Ally” may be a strong word, however, and it’s clear the vampires of Los Angeles have their own agenda and their own plots that they’re more than willing to rope Shiarra and Sara into. Especially since they have a zombie problem.
I have to admit that in the first chapter of this book I nearly did damage to my tablet. Because we had another rendition of Shiarra deciding that Royce is the source of all evil. Royce responds with patience and understanding and helps coax her into seeing that he’s never hurt her and reassures her that he will never cause her harm.
This is because Royce is SO VERY MUCH MORE PATIENT THAN ME! Personally? I’d open the door and invite her to take herself through it and never return. She has handed herself to him on a platter repeatedly – and he’s refrained from capturing her (and he’s powerful enough to take her at any time). He has extended repeated favours without any expectation – even though she has spat in his face in response. And, given the people she is willing to trust (murderous hate groups and cheating werewolf boyfriends), being on the suspicious list is a damn insult at this point.
Thankfully Shiarra’s endless Royce suspicion does not last. Shiarra very quickly comes to her senses and we have a book that is very much characterised by Shiarra’s regret. Ok, that doesn’t exactly make for a thrilling read – it’s not fun reading someone repeatedly muse on what a bad person they are – but it was needed. It was sorely needed to help redeem Shiarra as a character and a protagonist to establish that her behaviour for the last book – the last 3 books – has been badly skewed and that, yes, her actions have cost people, her actions have hurt people and her actions have left people dead. If anything, there was too much people reassuring her she was a good person – but that’s only natural, none of these people are realistically going to turn round and say “yes Shiarra, you are evil bad wrong and deserve to live forever in shame! SHAAAME!” (It’s ok, I said it for them). So this would be an amazing redemption of the character and a great turning point for the series
But she doesn’t learn! She talks about how ridiculous it was of her to trust the White Hats – a hate group! A murderous hate group! A murderous hate group that caused her to kill people – how evil! So what does she do in LA? Let’s go see our local White Hats! Of course!
She talks about not making good decisions, not thinking things through – but her master plan is “let’s get everyone – including the White Hats – in one place and hope I can improvise something!” This isn’t a plan! This isn’t thinking things through! And how can someone who spent the better part of the book lamenting her past decisions and how they hurt and killed people then decide that getting 3 or 4 lethal groups who despise each other into one place and hope she comes up with a good idea when that happens. Whyyyy, why would you do this?! Why would someone who is questioning their decisions and their morality do this?
Read More
Almost as uncomfortable is finally coming to terms with the fact that Royce isn’t the bad guy and that it’s ok to let him into her life, that’s going to take some getting used to.
But now there’s a lot of fallout from the most recent chaos with the werewolves and the only way Royce can see to keep Shiarra and Sara safe is to get them out of New York – get them all the way across the country in fact, to his ally in Los Angeles.
“Ally” may be a strong word, however, and it’s clear the vampires of Los Angeles have their own agenda and their own plots that they’re more than willing to rope Shiarra and Sara into. Especially since they have a zombie problem.
I have to admit that in the first chapter of this book I nearly did damage to my tablet. Because we had another rendition of Shiarra deciding that Royce is the source of all evil. Royce responds with patience and understanding and helps coax her into seeing that he’s never hurt her and reassures her that he will never cause her harm.
This is because Royce is SO VERY MUCH MORE PATIENT THAN ME! Personally? I’d open the door and invite her to take herself through it and never return. She has handed herself to him on a platter repeatedly – and he’s refrained from capturing her (and he’s powerful enough to take her at any time). He has extended repeated favours without any expectation – even though she has spat in his face in response. And, given the people she is willing to trust (murderous hate groups and cheating werewolf boyfriends), being on the suspicious list is a damn insult at this point.
Thankfully Shiarra’s endless Royce suspicion does not last. Shiarra very quickly comes to her senses and we have a book that is very much characterised by Shiarra’s regret. Ok, that doesn’t exactly make for a thrilling read – it’s not fun reading someone repeatedly muse on what a bad person they are – but it was needed. It was sorely needed to help redeem Shiarra as a character and a protagonist to establish that her behaviour for the last book – the last 3 books – has been badly skewed and that, yes, her actions have cost people, her actions have hurt people and her actions have left people dead. If anything, there was too much people reassuring her she was a good person – but that’s only natural, none of these people are realistically going to turn round and say “yes Shiarra, you are evil bad wrong and deserve to live forever in shame! SHAAAME!” (It’s ok, I said it for them). So this would be an amazing redemption of the character and a great turning point for the series
But she doesn’t learn! She talks about how ridiculous it was of her to trust the White Hats – a hate group! A murderous hate group! A murderous hate group that caused her to kill people – how evil! So what does she do in LA? Let’s go see our local White Hats! Of course!
She talks about not making good decisions, not thinking things through – but her master plan is “let’s get everyone – including the White Hats – in one place and hope I can improvise something!” This isn’t a plan! This isn’t thinking things through! And how can someone who spent the better part of the book lamenting her past decisions and how they hurt and killed people then decide that getting 3 or 4 lethal groups who despise each other into one place and hope she comes up with a good idea when that happens. Whyyyy, why would you do this?! Why would someone who is questioning their decisions and their morality do this?
Read More
June 15, 2013
*Genre* Urban Fantasy
*Rating* 4.0
*Thoughts*
If you haven't read the H&W Investigations series by Jess Haines yet, you really should. I'm not saying this just because I've hosted Jess on my blog several times (including June 15), or the fact that I've met her in person (Olde Town, New City) or the fact that she's one of the nicest people you will meet and actually takes time to chat with folks on Twitter.
No, I'm saying this because the H&W Investigation series has really caught it's grove and Jess has thrown so many twists, turns, and surprises into her stories, that you are never bored or left wondering what the hell is going on with the story. After reading Forsaken, I'm left gasping for air and wondering what Jess has in her bag of tricks for Shia and gang and how in the hell they're going to get out of THIS problem.
With the release of Forsaken by the Others, things really get interesting for PI Shiarra Waynest and her business partner and best friend Sara Holloway whose appearance in the story made me extremely happy. Jess has really put Shia through the wringer by putting her into difficult and challenging situations to the point where I really want to hug her and send her off on a solo vacation to an island somewhere we she can finally relax and have some fun. Shia's world has been tossed and turned since learning her ex was a were, and then meeting the sexy and sinful vampire Alex Royce who has completely changed her world.
As for Sara, a long resolved mystery is finally revealed and can I say that I was absolutely shocked and stunned? Sara is one of those characters that, although she hasn't been around much, or in danger as much as Shia, is still an important cog in Shia's life and one that I just can't see going away ::fingers crossed::
Forsaken takes Shia and Sara out of the comforts of New York City, and delivers them to Los Angeles, California where things aren't exactly calm amongst the Others. The reasoning behind this cross country adventure is because of Shia's continued involvement with the Others (werewolves, vampires, fae, and warlocks) and thanks to the ultimatum laid out by Alex Royce that she's in serious danger in NYC, and the fact that Shia has put herself into harms way one too many times, and also because Shia is transitioning into something that Jess hasn't revealed to readers yet. Get all that? Good...next!
When Shia and Sara get to LA, things really get interesting with a show down with a necromancer and his zombie horde, a reunion with Devon and Tiny (White Hats) who fled NYC, a meeting with really terrifying werewolf named Gavin, and a chance meeting with a really strange vampire by the name of Jimmy Thrane & his horde who comes up with the most ridiculous names ever for Shia & Sara's supposed host and protector Clyde Seabreeze. Yes, Jess, I finally get your joke about Mac & Cheese now. Thanks!
Forsaken reintroduces a really, really evil character and Shia's worse nightmare, and leaves readers in a state of desperation that Jess will quickly write the sequel so that we can find out if anyone has survived the carnage left over by the ending of Forsaken and what is in store next for Shia and Sara.
For fans of the H&W Investigations series, Forsaken is definitely a must read in order to follow Shia's progression as not only a character, but as someone trying to understand how her actions have defined others around her and how she can save those she loves without totally losing her humanity.
Expected publication: July 2nd 2013 by Zebra
*Rating* 4.0
*Thoughts*
If you haven't read the H&W Investigations series by Jess Haines yet, you really should. I'm not saying this just because I've hosted Jess on my blog several times (including June 15), or the fact that I've met her in person (Olde Town, New City) or the fact that she's one of the nicest people you will meet and actually takes time to chat with folks on Twitter.
No, I'm saying this because the H&W Investigation series has really caught it's grove and Jess has thrown so many twists, turns, and surprises into her stories, that you are never bored or left wondering what the hell is going on with the story. After reading Forsaken, I'm left gasping for air and wondering what Jess has in her bag of tricks for Shia and gang and how in the hell they're going to get out of THIS problem.
With the release of Forsaken by the Others, things really get interesting for PI Shiarra Waynest and her business partner and best friend Sara Holloway whose appearance in the story made me extremely happy. Jess has really put Shia through the wringer by putting her into difficult and challenging situations to the point where I really want to hug her and send her off on a solo vacation to an island somewhere we she can finally relax and have some fun. Shia's world has been tossed and turned since learning her ex was a were, and then meeting the sexy and sinful vampire Alex Royce who has completely changed her world.
As for Sara, a long resolved mystery is finally revealed and can I say that I was absolutely shocked and stunned? Sara is one of those characters that, although she hasn't been around much, or in danger as much as Shia, is still an important cog in Shia's life and one that I just can't see going away ::fingers crossed::
Forsaken takes Shia and Sara out of the comforts of New York City, and delivers them to Los Angeles, California where things aren't exactly calm amongst the Others. The reasoning behind this cross country adventure is because of Shia's continued involvement with the Others (werewolves, vampires, fae, and warlocks) and thanks to the ultimatum laid out by Alex Royce that she's in serious danger in NYC, and the fact that Shia has put herself into harms way one too many times, and also because Shia is transitioning into something that Jess hasn't revealed to readers yet. Get all that? Good...next!
When Shia and Sara get to LA, things really get interesting with a show down with a necromancer and his zombie horde, a reunion with Devon and Tiny (White Hats) who fled NYC, a meeting with really terrifying werewolf named Gavin, and a chance meeting with a really strange vampire by the name of Jimmy Thrane & his horde who comes up with the most ridiculous names ever for Shia & Sara's supposed host and protector Clyde Seabreeze. Yes, Jess, I finally get your joke about Mac & Cheese now. Thanks!
Forsaken reintroduces a really, really evil character and Shia's worse nightmare, and leaves readers in a state of desperation that Jess will quickly write the sequel so that we can find out if anyone has survived the carnage left over by the ending of Forsaken and what is in store next for Shia and Sara.
For fans of the H&W Investigations series, Forsaken is definitely a must read in order to follow Shia's progression as not only a character, but as someone trying to understand how her actions have defined others around her and how she can save those she loves without totally losing her humanity.
Expected publication: July 2nd 2013 by Zebra
July 2, 2013
Review from Backchatting Books
The concept behind "Forsaken by the Others" was intriguing but I found the execution a little lacking. Royce sends private investigator Shiarra West and her sidekick Sara to Los Angeles for their own protection. Clyde, the vampire looking after them, demands they investigate a zombie infestation within his territory. He won’t however give the ladies the tools they need to track down the necromancer properly and seems to know much more than he is letting on.
Shia is a highly unusual human as she has been bound to two vampires and been infected with lycanthropy. I wanted to like her but we are treated to six chapters of introspection while she feels guilty over her past actions and worries about being bound to a vampire that adores her. The supernatural fluids coursing through her veins are at war with each other causing her to bleed black gunk. Her hubris annoyed me as I couldn’t see what gave her the right to instigate such a change the supernatural political situation in L.A. She was willing to sacrifice just about everyone as a way of ‘redeeming’ herself. The vampires are suitably enigmatic or mad while the werewolves are overly passionate. I wish the supes were less stereotypical and offered something new or at least different to this genre.
There were a few things with the plot that just had me scratching my head. Why didn’t Royce ensure the place he was sending Shia and Sara was safe? Why help Clyde when Royce had already negotiated a deal? Why did Shia and Sara search their guest house for listening bugs only once and then assume they had neutralised the threat? Why not organise a secure method of contacting Royce in case Clyde tried to cut them off? Why did two bad-ass women spend so long quaking in fear? Why was everyone so eager (apart from the vamps) to point Shia and Sara in exactly the right direction? Surely detective work is normally a bit harder.
The pacing felt unbalanced as we had such a long and slow lead in before things started to get interesting. The novel begins with Shia and Royce in bed seemingly picking up on where the last novel ended. For someone who hasn’t read any of the other novels, it was fairly disconcerting reading a very long conversation without knowing the context. "Forsaken by Others" ends on a cliff-hanger which I normally detest but at least we had a solid climax and denouement before the introduction of a new element. It felt a little Perils of Pauline-ish as if this book was part of a serial rather than a book in its own right.
Fans of this series will no doubt pick up the constant references to important stuff that was revealed in prior novels and enjoy the initial Shia and Royce heart-to-heart. I had too many ‘what the..?’ moments which overrode my enjoyment of the zombie horde and political machinations.
The concept behind "Forsaken by the Others" was intriguing but I found the execution a little lacking. Royce sends private investigator Shiarra West and her sidekick Sara to Los Angeles for their own protection. Clyde, the vampire looking after them, demands they investigate a zombie infestation within his territory. He won’t however give the ladies the tools they need to track down the necromancer properly and seems to know much more than he is letting on.
Shia is a highly unusual human as she has been bound to two vampires and been infected with lycanthropy. I wanted to like her but we are treated to six chapters of introspection while she feels guilty over her past actions and worries about being bound to a vampire that adores her. The supernatural fluids coursing through her veins are at war with each other causing her to bleed black gunk. Her hubris annoyed me as I couldn’t see what gave her the right to instigate such a change the supernatural political situation in L.A. She was willing to sacrifice just about everyone as a way of ‘redeeming’ herself. The vampires are suitably enigmatic or mad while the werewolves are overly passionate. I wish the supes were less stereotypical and offered something new or at least different to this genre.
There were a few things with the plot that just had me scratching my head. Why didn’t Royce ensure the place he was sending Shia and Sara was safe? Why help Clyde when Royce had already negotiated a deal? Why did Shia and Sara search their guest house for listening bugs only once and then assume they had neutralised the threat? Why not organise a secure method of contacting Royce in case Clyde tried to cut them off? Why did two bad-ass women spend so long quaking in fear? Why was everyone so eager (apart from the vamps) to point Shia and Sara in exactly the right direction? Surely detective work is normally a bit harder.
The pacing felt unbalanced as we had such a long and slow lead in before things started to get interesting. The novel begins with Shia and Royce in bed seemingly picking up on where the last novel ended. For someone who hasn’t read any of the other novels, it was fairly disconcerting reading a very long conversation without knowing the context. "Forsaken by Others" ends on a cliff-hanger which I normally detest but at least we had a solid climax and denouement before the introduction of a new element. It felt a little Perils of Pauline-ish as if this book was part of a serial rather than a book in its own right.
Fans of this series will no doubt pick up the constant references to important stuff that was revealed in prior novels and enjoy the initial Shia and Royce heart-to-heart. I had too many ‘what the..?’ moments which overrode my enjoyment of the zombie horde and political machinations.
July 30, 2014
Have a one night stand with a vampire, and you can end up paying for it for eternity. Shiarra knows that better than most. Yet here she is, waking up beside charismatic vamp Alec Royce with an aching head... and neck. And now a couple of irate East Coast werewolf packs who'd like to turn her into a chew toy. On Royce's "suggestion", Shia and Sara temporarily relocate to Los Angeles. But something is rotten (literally) in the state of California, where local vampires are being attacked by zombies. Who could be powerful enough to control them, and reckless enough to target the immortal? Following the trail will lead Shia to an unpleasant truth, and to an ancient enemy with a personal grudge.
Ahem, I'm sorry to say this, but Forsaken by the Others felt more like it was setting the stage for book 6 to me. I mean, come on, why would a powerful vampire master like Royce send the woman he's been pining for all the way across the country, to another vampire master he doesn't even fully trust? Look, we know Royce is adept at escaping the White Hats, so why would a couple of wolves or measly government officials pose a greater threat? I.Just.Dont.Buy.It! In addition; the appearance of two friends from the East Coast felt aaaawfully convenient. Hence the low rating.
Still, this novel was not completely without its merits. Though I didn't particularly care for Clyde Seabreeze, Gideon; the necromancer, AKA lover boy, was kinda cool. Naughtly, why yes, bad-boy, yes again, but cool nevertheless. A grown, scary-ass Goliath werewolf who sniffles like hormonal teenager when he recieves a few cookies from the girl of his dreams; Aaaaaaw;-)
Oh, yes, and the cliffhanger: We're in for quite a ride in the next installment, aren't we?
Ahem, I'm sorry to say this, but Forsaken by the Others felt more like it was setting the stage for book 6 to me. I mean, come on, why would a powerful vampire master like Royce send the woman he's been pining for all the way across the country, to another vampire master he doesn't even fully trust? Look, we know Royce is adept at escaping the White Hats, so why would a couple of wolves or measly government officials pose a greater threat? I.Just.Dont.Buy.It! In addition; the appearance of two friends from the East Coast felt aaaawfully convenient. Hence the low rating.
Still, this novel was not completely without its merits. Though I didn't particularly care for Clyde Seabreeze, Gideon; the necromancer, AKA lover boy, was kinda cool. Naughtly, why yes, bad-boy, yes again, but cool nevertheless. A grown, scary-ass Goliath werewolf who sniffles like hormonal teenager when he recieves a few cookies from the girl of his dreams; Aaaaaaw;-)
Oh, yes, and the cliffhanger: We're in for quite a ride in the next installment, aren't we?
May 25, 2013
This is one of my favorite paranormal series! I fell under the spell of Jess's writing in book one and she has had a hold on me with every other books.
Forsaken does not disappoint. It is just as good as the other books in the series. It is a great continuation of the story and really pulls you right back in.
Forsaken is really a great, intense, action packed, read. I love the characters that Jess has created. The world that Shia lives in is complicated and confusing at times. She has suffered the ultimate betrayal by ones that she loved and went a little revenge crazy!! Now she has to come to terms with what she did and how her actions not only effect her but the ones she cares about too.
This book is really Shia journey of trying to pick up the pieces of her shattered life.
I most say I loved the zombies, They were just really done well. They even make vampires run and hide. LOVE IT!! It was really fun trying to unravel mystery behind the zombies and you don't see the twist at the end coming! It really caught me by surprise and I loved it. Now I am a little upset that I have to wait for the next book to find out what happens! I know Jess will do a wonderful job that will make the wait worth my while.
Just a little side note I will be starting a Devon fan club, if anyone is interested.
OMG he is so swoon worthy!! This was a wonderful fun and exciting read. I can not wait for the next book!
Forsaken does not disappoint. It is just as good as the other books in the series. It is a great continuation of the story and really pulls you right back in.
Forsaken is really a great, intense, action packed, read. I love the characters that Jess has created. The world that Shia lives in is complicated and confusing at times. She has suffered the ultimate betrayal by ones that she loved and went a little revenge crazy!! Now she has to come to terms with what she did and how her actions not only effect her but the ones she cares about too.
This book is really Shia journey of trying to pick up the pieces of her shattered life.
I most say I loved the zombies, They were just really done well. They even make vampires run and hide. LOVE IT!! It was really fun trying to unravel mystery behind the zombies and you don't see the twist at the end coming! It really caught me by surprise and I loved it. Now I am a little upset that I have to wait for the next book to find out what happens! I know Jess will do a wonderful job that will make the wait worth my while.
Just a little side note I will be starting a Devon fan club, if anyone is interested.
OMG he is so swoon worthy!! This was a wonderful fun and exciting read. I can not wait for the next book!
October 19, 2013
I'm really sorry about not liking the book, because the first 4 in the series were totally ok and I'm acquainted with Jess, who is a darling. But I just can't get over Shiarras insecurity and angst and stupidity ... Yes, she had to go through a lot of stuff, but instead of growing stronger and maturing and learning to deal with crises (which obviously are going to happen ALL THE TIME to her) she just gets more and more angsty and whiny, having mood swings and being paranoid ... I couldn't even finish the book, because I wanted to strangle Shia so badly. And Royce ... ach Royce ... he could have handled everything so much better.
Really sorry about the series, but this will probably be the last book in it I've tried to read.
Really sorry about the series, but this will probably be the last book in it I've tried to read.
July 21, 2013
I was hoping that Shiarra would wise up after she no longer was under the influence of the belt, but she continues to make stupid, impulsive decisions that harm others and fails to see simple things that could help her (like buying a throw-away phone and charger, calling Royce, and asking some questions about the players in LA).
Sigh. The fact is, Shiarra is slipping all too close to TSTL territory. I know I ought to be worried about the cliffhanger at the end of the book, but the way things have been going, I figure Shia's going to be fine but will do yet more dumb stuff that will harm those near her.
I'll probably read the next book, but I'm not all that eager to do so.
Sigh. The fact is, Shiarra is slipping all too close to TSTL territory. I know I ought to be worried about the cliffhanger at the end of the book, but the way things have been going, I figure Shia's going to be fine but will do yet more dumb stuff that will harm those near her.
I'll probably read the next book, but I'm not all that eager to do so.
Want to read
July 11, 2013I saw this title on NetGalley and requested it. Yesterday I received an email from NetGalley approving me. I was busy and it was late, so I didn't download it right away. Today when I logged into NetGalley to download it and send it to my kindle I wasn't able to. It says that the title has been archived by the publisher and that it's no longer available. I'm seriously pissed. They didn't even give me 24 hours to download it and read it. I would have loved to read it and post a review. Now I'm just grumpy.
April 17, 2013
I was lucky enough to be an advance reader and I think this was my favorite book in this series by Jess Haines! Lots of action and different paranormal characters in this one. It takes place in the Los Angeles area and since I am a "Californian" I enjoyed reading about all the shenanigans taking place in my neighborhood.
December 2, 2017
I was curious to see what Shiarra would do after everything that happened in the last book.
No surprise it very complicated for her.
It was a nice reading. Shiarra still does mistakes and acts without thinking of consequences but she seems to be learning her lesson.
The last chapter is well made. I'm curious to read the last installment in the series :)
No surprise it very complicated for her.
It was a nice reading. Shiarra still does mistakes and acts without thinking of consequences but she seems to be learning her lesson.
The last chapter is well made. I'm curious to read the last installment in the series :)
July 28, 2017
2.5 stars .... Not as good as previous books... And a cliffhanger. Luckily I had the next book.
March 12, 2019
Foresaken
How could Shiara's life get even more problematic? Even trying to be more stable has not stopped trouble from enlisting.
How could Shiara's life get even more problematic? Even trying to be more stable has not stopped trouble from enlisting.
June 26, 2019
Ugh. I hope the last in the series redeems itself.
January 24, 2023
Love this series
I don't see this book series recommended a lot online and I have no idea why. It had great characters , great storyline, and great writing.
I don't see this book series recommended a lot online and I have no idea why. It had great characters , great storyline, and great writing.
August 5, 2013
Title: Foresaken By The Others
Series: H&W Investigations Book #5
Author: Jess Haines
Genre: Romance/Sci-Fi Fantasy
Blurb: The Others–vampires, werewolves, things that go chomp in the night–don’t just live in nightmares anymore. They’ve joined with he mortal world. And for private investigator Shiarra Waynest, that means mayhem…
Have a one night stand with a vampire, and you can end up paying for it for eternity. P.I. Shiarra Waynest, an expert on the Others, knows that better than most. Yet here she is, waking up beside charismatic vamp Alec Royce with an aching head…and neck. Luckily, Shia has the perfect excuse for getting out of town–namely, a couple of irate East Coast werewolf packs who’d like to turn her into a chew toy.
On Royce’s suggestion, Shia temporarily relocates to Los Angeles. But something is rotten–literally–in the state of California, where local vampires are being attacked by zombies. Who could be powerful enough to control them–and reckless enough to target the immortal? Following the trail will lead Shia to a terrifying truth, and to an ancient enemy with a personal grudge…
Thoughts: Okay, I'm going to start off by saying I don't really feel comfortable giving a grade for this book. I don't think it would be fair to people who are already a fan of the series, or to the author herself. I will leave a few of my thoughts on the book though.
The blurb for this book sounded great - so much so that I selected off of Netgalley to read based on that alone in return for an honest review. Having never read the author before, I was unaware that this was book 5 in a series - which normally would not be an issue, as books are generally connecting yet also stand-alone. Let me warn you - that is not the case with this book. You do not want to try to read this book, without reading previous ones - hence my reluctance to leave a 'grade'. I didn't make it very far in the book at all before that became fairly obvious. I managed to struggle through it, even though I had no clue what was going on. Once I discovered that it was book 5 in a series - and that apparently this book picks up right where number 4 left off - I realized why. Although I will say that fact wasn't mentioned (even on the blurb on Amazon), and I think readers should be aware of this before picking up the book. (It was mentioned in other people's reviews on Amazon, but I usually do not read those reviews until AFTER I complete my own so that I can give my own honest reviews and opinions)
With that said, I will mention that the book seemed like something I could really get into and enjoy - if I had the proper back history. The writing style was great, the author manages to grasp your attention immediately, and the characters were enjoyable. I will eventually go back and start with book one and see what my thoughts are then. It should be interesting. I will keep you updated...:)
But at this point - the bottom line is - don't start with this one if you're not already a fan of the series. If it sounds interesting to you -like it did for me - start from the beginning.
Rate: N/A
Review by: Sarah
http://www.thebookreadinggals.com
Series: H&W Investigations Book #5
Author: Jess Haines
Genre: Romance/Sci-Fi Fantasy
Blurb: The Others–vampires, werewolves, things that go chomp in the night–don’t just live in nightmares anymore. They’ve joined with he mortal world. And for private investigator Shiarra Waynest, that means mayhem…
Have a one night stand with a vampire, and you can end up paying for it for eternity. P.I. Shiarra Waynest, an expert on the Others, knows that better than most. Yet here she is, waking up beside charismatic vamp Alec Royce with an aching head…and neck. Luckily, Shia has the perfect excuse for getting out of town–namely, a couple of irate East Coast werewolf packs who’d like to turn her into a chew toy.
On Royce’s suggestion, Shia temporarily relocates to Los Angeles. But something is rotten–literally–in the state of California, where local vampires are being attacked by zombies. Who could be powerful enough to control them–and reckless enough to target the immortal? Following the trail will lead Shia to a terrifying truth, and to an ancient enemy with a personal grudge…
Thoughts: Okay, I'm going to start off by saying I don't really feel comfortable giving a grade for this book. I don't think it would be fair to people who are already a fan of the series, or to the author herself. I will leave a few of my thoughts on the book though.
The blurb for this book sounded great - so much so that I selected off of Netgalley to read based on that alone in return for an honest review. Having never read the author before, I was unaware that this was book 5 in a series - which normally would not be an issue, as books are generally connecting yet also stand-alone. Let me warn you - that is not the case with this book. You do not want to try to read this book, without reading previous ones - hence my reluctance to leave a 'grade'. I didn't make it very far in the book at all before that became fairly obvious. I managed to struggle through it, even though I had no clue what was going on. Once I discovered that it was book 5 in a series - and that apparently this book picks up right where number 4 left off - I realized why. Although I will say that fact wasn't mentioned (even on the blurb on Amazon), and I think readers should be aware of this before picking up the book. (It was mentioned in other people's reviews on Amazon, but I usually do not read those reviews until AFTER I complete my own so that I can give my own honest reviews and opinions)
With that said, I will mention that the book seemed like something I could really get into and enjoy - if I had the proper back history. The writing style was great, the author manages to grasp your attention immediately, and the characters were enjoyable. I will eventually go back and start with book one and see what my thoughts are then. It should be interesting. I will keep you updated...:)
But at this point - the bottom line is - don't start with this one if you're not already a fan of the series. If it sounds interesting to you -like it did for me - start from the beginning.
Rate: N/A
Review by: Sarah
http://www.thebookreadinggals.com
May 19, 2013
Forsaken By the Others (H&W Investigations) Jess Haines
ARC supplied by Netgalley for honest review.
I love urban/dystopian fantasy especially if it has a bit of romance in it. I'd read the first in this series when I originally stumbled on the genre a couple of years back when I ordered what I thought was a historical novel and it turned out to be fantasy.... Previously I’d never read this genre, assuming it was all Star Trek or middle earth Elves...how wrong I was! Anyway I didn't enjoy the first book, looking back it could be that the whole genre was just so new to me that I didn't absorb it properly. I do remember the delicious Alec Royce though (yum, a bad boy vampire is soo attractive), and if anything had tempted me into continuing with the series it would be him, so when I saw this book and that he was in it – I jumped at the chance to review.
Even though I’ve only read book one it wasn't difficult to pick up the storyline, Jess adds enough explanation without boring the reader so vis Shiarra's memories I was able to work out what had previously happened to a degree, and where it fitted within this book. I Loved Royce, but sadly he soon was off the scene except via a few phone calls :( As with most fantasy of this type Shiarra has problems caused by recent dealings with Others, and needs to get out of town along with her friend and business partner Sara for a while. Royce arranges for them to stay with another vampire in L.A.. All is not as it seems when they get there of course and Shiarra and Sara are plunged into further danger – they meet with a couple of acquaintances who help them, but its one rip roaring scenario after another – danger from the werewolves, danger from vampires and then danger from zombies and their necromancer master.
I enjoyed the book, it contains well thought out plots that join up perfectly and keep the reader guessing. I thought I’d guessed at the reason behind the Zombies but...I was only partway there – the answer was much more than I'd thought.
I loved the characters even though Shiarra annoyed me intensely at times – that doesn't matter, what does matter is that the people in a novel feel real, and then so does the action and danger. What I didn't like – arrgghhh a damn cliffhanger. I know its the lead in to the next book and the mysteries of this one are tied up neatly, but I just hate being left in limbo. It feels like I ought to still be reading. I can deal with lead-ins but not on this huge cliffhanger danger style :(
The book itself is well written and edited and a decent length at 352 pages. Priced at £3.72 its also excellent value, having enough in it to tempt the reader into re reads. Its definitely one for my keeper file. I'd like to go back now and read the books I’ve missed. and am so glad I gave the series a second chance. I think I'd enjoy book 1one so much more now I understand the genre better.
Stars: well i'd have gone for four and a half if not for that horrible hated cliffhanger at the end and the fact it'll be ages to wait before we find out what happens next...so I'm dropping half a star to give it four.
ARC supplied by Netgalley for honest review.
I love urban/dystopian fantasy especially if it has a bit of romance in it. I'd read the first in this series when I originally stumbled on the genre a couple of years back when I ordered what I thought was a historical novel and it turned out to be fantasy.... Previously I’d never read this genre, assuming it was all Star Trek or middle earth Elves...how wrong I was! Anyway I didn't enjoy the first book, looking back it could be that the whole genre was just so new to me that I didn't absorb it properly. I do remember the delicious Alec Royce though (yum, a bad boy vampire is soo attractive), and if anything had tempted me into continuing with the series it would be him, so when I saw this book and that he was in it – I jumped at the chance to review.
Even though I’ve only read book one it wasn't difficult to pick up the storyline, Jess adds enough explanation without boring the reader so vis Shiarra's memories I was able to work out what had previously happened to a degree, and where it fitted within this book. I Loved Royce, but sadly he soon was off the scene except via a few phone calls :( As with most fantasy of this type Shiarra has problems caused by recent dealings with Others, and needs to get out of town along with her friend and business partner Sara for a while. Royce arranges for them to stay with another vampire in L.A.. All is not as it seems when they get there of course and Shiarra and Sara are plunged into further danger – they meet with a couple of acquaintances who help them, but its one rip roaring scenario after another – danger from the werewolves, danger from vampires and then danger from zombies and their necromancer master.
I enjoyed the book, it contains well thought out plots that join up perfectly and keep the reader guessing. I thought I’d guessed at the reason behind the Zombies but...I was only partway there – the answer was much more than I'd thought.
I loved the characters even though Shiarra annoyed me intensely at times – that doesn't matter, what does matter is that the people in a novel feel real, and then so does the action and danger. What I didn't like – arrgghhh a damn cliffhanger. I know its the lead in to the next book and the mysteries of this one are tied up neatly, but I just hate being left in limbo. It feels like I ought to still be reading. I can deal with lead-ins but not on this huge cliffhanger danger style :(
The book itself is well written and edited and a decent length at 352 pages. Priced at £3.72 its also excellent value, having enough in it to tempt the reader into re reads. Its definitely one for my keeper file. I'd like to go back now and read the books I’ve missed. and am so glad I gave the series a second chance. I think I'd enjoy book 1one so much more now I understand the genre better.
Stars: well i'd have gone for four and a half if not for that horrible hated cliffhanger at the end and the fact it'll be ages to wait before we find out what happens next...so I'm dropping half a star to give it four.
December 24, 2013
Book #5 of the series picks up right where we left off. Shia wakes up with Royce & an ocean of regret. She hasn't taken his blood so it's not final but she's pretty much "a legally bound & contracted vampire's toy".
But she is back to herself, without the belt, and the ramifications of all she's done in the past month are hitting her hard. At least 4 different groups are gunning for her & her father has basically said don't call us, we'll call you.
At least Royce has brought Sara to the house. Then he drops the bomb. He's going to stash them in LA 'til things cool off. They'll be staying with Clyde Seabreeze, a quasi-ally of his, with orders to keep their heads down. Right. Hasn't he noticed that Shia is one of the biggest s**t magnets on the planet?
Off they go to Clyde's & he's suitably slimy. He steals their phones (which they inexplicably don't replace) & there are bugs & cameras in their cottage. He swears to take care of them, especially if they could help out with a pesky little zombie infestation. The PI's are back in business.
Oooh boy...where to begin. This was not the strongest of the bunch for several reasons. Let's start with Royce.
Enjoy the first few pages because that's the last you'll see of him. It feels like the author is testing how long she can tease fans before she allows Shia & Royce to have any happiness. Note to Ms. Haines: enough already. All sturm und drang all the time makes for weary readers. Also, Royce does & says some things that are completely inconsistent with how he's been portrayed so far, making you scratch your head.
Moving the action to the west coast may provide a new setting but there are consequences. Many of the favourite secondary characters have no role in this book except in passing & they are missed.
But the major issue is Shia. We understand she feels enormous guilt for her actions & how they endangered those around her, mostly because we are told so...over & over & over again. But it seems we are the only ones who got it as she proceeds to do the exact same things in LA. Not sure I'd be hanging with her in public as my "friend".
This leads to one of my biggest pet peeves: women who work in a job such as a private investigator that is tough & requires intelligence who then proceed to make one boneheaded decision after another to the point where you wonder how they ever managed to make a living in their chosen profession. Surely there are other ways of advancing a plot or introducing an element of danger than as the result of a "heroine" being dumb & impulsive. Again, did she learn nothing in the last month?
This feels like a filler book. There are holes in the plot, things that make no sense or are inconsistent with the back story & it's as if the whole thing was put together just so Shia could run into an old nemesis in the final few pages. Then it stops.You turn the page, hoping to to see some kind of partial resolution but it's done.
So, unless this series is your reason for living, give this one a pass. After enjoying the last one, for me it was a disappointment.
But she is back to herself, without the belt, and the ramifications of all she's done in the past month are hitting her hard. At least 4 different groups are gunning for her & her father has basically said don't call us, we'll call you.
At least Royce has brought Sara to the house. Then he drops the bomb. He's going to stash them in LA 'til things cool off. They'll be staying with Clyde Seabreeze, a quasi-ally of his, with orders to keep their heads down. Right. Hasn't he noticed that Shia is one of the biggest s**t magnets on the planet?
Off they go to Clyde's & he's suitably slimy. He steals their phones (which they inexplicably don't replace) & there are bugs & cameras in their cottage. He swears to take care of them, especially if they could help out with a pesky little zombie infestation. The PI's are back in business.
Oooh boy...where to begin. This was not the strongest of the bunch for several reasons. Let's start with Royce.
Enjoy the first few pages because that's the last you'll see of him. It feels like the author is testing how long she can tease fans before she allows Shia & Royce to have any happiness. Note to Ms. Haines: enough already. All sturm und drang all the time makes for weary readers. Also, Royce does & says some things that are completely inconsistent with how he's been portrayed so far, making you scratch your head.
Moving the action to the west coast may provide a new setting but there are consequences. Many of the favourite secondary characters have no role in this book except in passing & they are missed.
But the major issue is Shia. We understand she feels enormous guilt for her actions & how they endangered those around her, mostly because we are told so...over & over & over again. But it seems we are the only ones who got it as she proceeds to do the exact same things in LA. Not sure I'd be hanging with her in public as my "friend".
This leads to one of my biggest pet peeves: women who work in a job such as a private investigator that is tough & requires intelligence who then proceed to make one boneheaded decision after another to the point where you wonder how they ever managed to make a living in their chosen profession. Surely there are other ways of advancing a plot or introducing an element of danger than as the result of a "heroine" being dumb & impulsive. Again, did she learn nothing in the last month?
This feels like a filler book. There are holes in the plot, things that make no sense or are inconsistent with the back story & it's as if the whole thing was put together just so Shia could run into an old nemesis in the final few pages. Then it stops.You turn the page, hoping to to see some kind of partial resolution but it's done.
So, unless this series is your reason for living, give this one a pass. After enjoying the last one, for me it was a disappointment.
July 20, 2013
3.5 Stars.
Forsaken by the Others is not a book that reads as a standalone. People who pick it up should most definitely be up to date and ready to jump right in. It starts right from where Stalking the Others ends. If you have not read any of the other books in the H&W Investigations series…Do Not Pass Go. Turn right around and get caught up first.
I apologize right from the start. This might be a spoiler and trust me I’m not a fan of them, but you can read any other review and it was said long before me; no, no, and NO!! I was glad I missed the cliffhanger from one of the prior books, because I was late to the series and had to play catch-up. I’m very disappointed that this one ended in yet another one. Cliff hangers are not cool, especially when another book is not even on the horizon yet and this book was about a year from the last one. This was my biggest complaint, but I have other points that bugged me. Leave me wanting, but not like this.
While I enjoyed the book, there was very little forward movement in the plot. Yes, you seen a bit of Shiarra’s “problem” manifest, but no reasons why or what. Yes, a character is healed, but we didn’t even know there was a problem to begin with. So she hid out in California. Not sure if I really understand the reasoning, but there we are. Now she is there and it seems none of the issues in New York are going to be resolved and she has left TONS of them behind. Several factions were introduced and I feel they were barely utilizes to their fullest potential. I can pretty much say that most of the main characters are new additions and seem to be sticking around for a while. Not sure how I feel about that yet. I missed the “oldies” and wanted to read more about them. Bummer.
Shiarra actually transgressed in her kick-ass heroine status in my opinion. She was rather weak and well “human” in the beginning novels. She rocked my world in the last one, but after all is said and done; we are back to square one. I will say that she is coming off a very traumatic month and anyone would curl up into a little introspective ball, but she was so darn awesome last book. Again – Bummer.
I know it sounds like I didn’t like the novel, I did enjoy the read, but in its addition to the series, I didn’t. Some good points are that we got to see what happened with Royce. Sara and Shiarra are reunited, along with some memorable White Hats. The story clipped right along. There were also some scenes that had me chucking. I really love when a book makes me laugh.
Ms. Haines wrote a great book, but left me wanting. I really hope we see progression in the next novel. I’m still looking forward to next book. I hope the wait isn’t too long. I really enjoy her writing style and the H&W Investigations series. This is the kind of urban fantasy that I enjoy; fantastic paranormal world setting, interesting characters and amazing storytelling. Keep it up Ms. Haines!
Forsaken by the Others is not a book that reads as a standalone. People who pick it up should most definitely be up to date and ready to jump right in. It starts right from where Stalking the Others ends. If you have not read any of the other books in the H&W Investigations series…Do Not Pass Go. Turn right around and get caught up first.
I apologize right from the start. This might be a spoiler and trust me I’m not a fan of them, but you can read any other review and it was said long before me; no, no, and NO!! I was glad I missed the cliffhanger from one of the prior books, because I was late to the series and had to play catch-up. I’m very disappointed that this one ended in yet another one. Cliff hangers are not cool, especially when another book is not even on the horizon yet and this book was about a year from the last one. This was my biggest complaint, but I have other points that bugged me. Leave me wanting, but not like this.
While I enjoyed the book, there was very little forward movement in the plot. Yes, you seen a bit of Shiarra’s “problem” manifest, but no reasons why or what. Yes, a character is healed, but we didn’t even know there was a problem to begin with. So she hid out in California. Not sure if I really understand the reasoning, but there we are. Now she is there and it seems none of the issues in New York are going to be resolved and she has left TONS of them behind. Several factions were introduced and I feel they were barely utilizes to their fullest potential. I can pretty much say that most of the main characters are new additions and seem to be sticking around for a while. Not sure how I feel about that yet. I missed the “oldies” and wanted to read more about them. Bummer.
Shiarra actually transgressed in her kick-ass heroine status in my opinion. She was rather weak and well “human” in the beginning novels. She rocked my world in the last one, but after all is said and done; we are back to square one. I will say that she is coming off a very traumatic month and anyone would curl up into a little introspective ball, but she was so darn awesome last book. Again – Bummer.
I know it sounds like I didn’t like the novel, I did enjoy the read, but in its addition to the series, I didn’t. Some good points are that we got to see what happened with Royce. Sara and Shiarra are reunited, along with some memorable White Hats. The story clipped right along. There were also some scenes that had me chucking. I really love when a book makes me laugh.
Ms. Haines wrote a great book, but left me wanting. I really hope we see progression in the next novel. I’m still looking forward to next book. I hope the wait isn’t too long. I really enjoy her writing style and the H&W Investigations series. This is the kind of urban fantasy that I enjoy; fantastic paranormal world setting, interesting characters and amazing storytelling. Keep it up Ms. Haines!
December 25, 2024
Love this series. I highly recommend reading.
June 28, 2013
Mon avis en Français
My ENglish review
I was looking forward to the release of this fifth volume especially when we know that we have zombies here. I was really curious to see how Jess Haines would be able to bring them up into the story. Okay I admit that was not all, and I was impatient to see what the relationship between Shia and Royce would become after such a purpose! Yes, we were waiting for this change for a long time and I was curious to see what would happen next.
From the beginning of the novel, Shia has many doubts after the night she spent with our beloved vampire. Will she remain independent? Will she be now the victim of a vampire? We understand that she can such questions and at the same time I was disturbed by the lack of confidence she has about the man who has always tried everything to save her. We want to shake her sometimes to have such thoughts and so she could finally understand the truth that is right in front of her. I was sad to see her distrust and caution when there is no matter about that. But this proximity does not last long when Royce sends them away for their own safety herself and Sarah to Los Angeles to settle the events happened before. But far from being welcomed with open arms, our two young heroines find themselves in a power struggle that will take them much further than they would have thought. We discover a necromancer, a lot of zombies and many other characters.
It is very difficult for our heroine to return to her life as if nothing had happened and after a long pity on her own fate, she realizes she is not the only one who had some problems after all these events and her closest friends have all suffered the consequences of her actions whatsoever. Thus, after a slump, our heroine gradually returns to a normal life, allowing us to hear from old characters and even some very old ones.
It was a real pleasure to see Shia in this story and I must say that I also enjoyed discovering these zombies. All is well led and it was very interesting to try to understand what was actually happening. But what is certain is that I did not expect such an end. It was terrible, after reading the last words, I had wanted more, a new chapter to be able to know what was going to happen to our beloved Shia.
This is a new very good novel and I really recommend the series if you do not know it yet. Each volume of the H&W Investigations is full of great ideas and I really hope to have the chance to read the next book as soon as possible.
My ENglish review
I was looking forward to the release of this fifth volume especially when we know that we have zombies here. I was really curious to see how Jess Haines would be able to bring them up into the story. Okay I admit that was not all, and I was impatient to see what the relationship between Shia and Royce would become after such a purpose! Yes, we were waiting for this change for a long time and I was curious to see what would happen next.
From the beginning of the novel, Shia has many doubts after the night she spent with our beloved vampire. Will she remain independent? Will she be now the victim of a vampire? We understand that she can such questions and at the same time I was disturbed by the lack of confidence she has about the man who has always tried everything to save her. We want to shake her sometimes to have such thoughts and so she could finally understand the truth that is right in front of her. I was sad to see her distrust and caution when there is no matter about that. But this proximity does not last long when Royce sends them away for their own safety herself and Sarah to Los Angeles to settle the events happened before. But far from being welcomed with open arms, our two young heroines find themselves in a power struggle that will take them much further than they would have thought. We discover a necromancer, a lot of zombies and many other characters.
It is very difficult for our heroine to return to her life as if nothing had happened and after a long pity on her own fate, she realizes she is not the only one who had some problems after all these events and her closest friends have all suffered the consequences of her actions whatsoever. Thus, after a slump, our heroine gradually returns to a normal life, allowing us to hear from old characters and even some very old ones.
It was a real pleasure to see Shia in this story and I must say that I also enjoyed discovering these zombies. All is well led and it was very interesting to try to understand what was actually happening. But what is certain is that I did not expect such an end. It was terrible, after reading the last words, I had wanted more, a new chapter to be able to know what was going to happen to our beloved Shia.
This is a new very good novel and I really recommend the series if you do not know it yet. Each volume of the H&W Investigations is full of great ideas and I really hope to have the chance to read the next book as soon as possible.
June 28, 2013
Forsaken by the Others is an action-packed novel filled with mystery and intrigue. Shia has gone from worrying about keeping her PI agency afloat to dealing with vampire politics and all the Others in New York who would love to tear her to pieces. Rather unwillingly for someone whose life is in mortal danger, Shia relocates to Los Angeles temporarily with her good friend and fellow PI Sara. Being a woman of action, however, Shia can't stay still and finds herself investigating a case of zombies that have been killing her vampiric host's people.
Shia reminds me of an older Rose from Vampire Academy and some Val Shapiro from Parker Blue's Demon Underground series. She's rough around the edges, impulsive, and quick to take action. She's also fiercely loyal and someone you can trust your back with in a fight. At the same time, there's a vulnerable side to her. She's suffered a lot over the course of the series, and now she not only has to deal with the guilt over the hardships she's brought onto her friends and family, she isn't sure if she's entirely human because of the vampire blood and lycanthrope infection. Shia values her humanity, which I respect about her. Shia's human-ness adds another layer to her character and sets her apart from other MCs because she has to work around her human weaknesses in order to fight with the Others.
Those who like a seductive vampire will be delighted with how Shia and Royce's relationship is progressing. And what's nice is that the romance doesn't overtake the plot in the book. In fact, Royce is very absent in this book because he's back home in New York trying to make it a safer place for Shia, so you could say that there is actually too little of Royce here. I wouldn't have minded seeing more of him and hopefully we will in future installments.
There's also plenty of kickass action for those who love to see a good fight and all kinds of funny for those who appreciate a good laugh, ranging from the "ohmigosh are they going to get out of there alive???" scenes to those where even Shia realizes the irony of the situation. I felt so bad for Shia and Sara when they knock at the door of a Goliath werewolf, but their reaction to him is hilarious.
Forsaken by the Others is what I'd call a lighter urban fantsy read. While it has its dark moments, there's always plenty of humor to go around, which isn't hard to find when you have such an outspoken, charismatic MC like Shia. I recommend this for urban fantasy lovers who love good humor and fight scenes with some sexy mixed in.
--
For more of my reviews, visit my blog Imaginary Reads.
Shia reminds me of an older Rose from Vampire Academy and some Val Shapiro from Parker Blue's Demon Underground series. She's rough around the edges, impulsive, and quick to take action. She's also fiercely loyal and someone you can trust your back with in a fight. At the same time, there's a vulnerable side to her. She's suffered a lot over the course of the series, and now she not only has to deal with the guilt over the hardships she's brought onto her friends and family, she isn't sure if she's entirely human because of the vampire blood and lycanthrope infection. Shia values her humanity, which I respect about her. Shia's human-ness adds another layer to her character and sets her apart from other MCs because she has to work around her human weaknesses in order to fight with the Others.
Those who like a seductive vampire will be delighted with how Shia and Royce's relationship is progressing. And what's nice is that the romance doesn't overtake the plot in the book. In fact, Royce is very absent in this book because he's back home in New York trying to make it a safer place for Shia, so you could say that there is actually too little of Royce here. I wouldn't have minded seeing more of him and hopefully we will in future installments.
There's also plenty of kickass action for those who love to see a good fight and all kinds of funny for those who appreciate a good laugh, ranging from the "ohmigosh are they going to get out of there alive???" scenes to those where even Shia realizes the irony of the situation. I felt so bad for Shia and Sara when they knock at the door of a Goliath werewolf, but their reaction to him is hilarious.
Forsaken by the Others is what I'd call a lighter urban fantsy read. While it has its dark moments, there's always plenty of humor to go around, which isn't hard to find when you have such an outspoken, charismatic MC like Shia. I recommend this for urban fantasy lovers who love good humor and fight scenes with some sexy mixed in.
--
For more of my reviews, visit my blog Imaginary Reads.
July 15, 2013
Shia is formally with the vampire, Royce now. Before they can get too cuddly, Royce is forced to ship her off across the country to lay low with the vampire of L.A. Shia leaves with her best friend Sara, but instead of finding safe harbor they are forced to deal with Clyde, the vampire of L.A.’s problems, namely his zombie problem.
Forsaken by the Others is the fifth book in the H&W Investigations series. I would recommend reading the books before this one, although it isn’t fully necessary. Haines does a good job of giving basic back ground information, and the problems in this book are dealing with a different group of people.
At the start of the novel we see Shia struggling with her new relationship with Royce. Along with that there is the question of what Shia is. She isn’t fully human anymore, or is she? Before she has time to think about that, or her relationship she is heading to L.A. Usually Shia is a blunt rash character that makes her easy to read, but when she does a few out of character things when she meets Clyde.
Sara, Shia’s best friend is there with her. They agree to look into Clyde’s zombie problem with almost no information, and head out to the most dangerous places in the city. She meets up with some old friends from the White Hats, a group who want to kill any ‘Others.’ (Others are vampires, shifters, mages or pretty much anything non-human.) This plot line isn’t a mystery, not really since all the hints reach out and nearly bash Shia over the head. It isn’t hard for the duo to put two-and-two together.
There is a twist and cliffhanger, though this time I saw the cliffhanger coming, and at the same time enjoyed it. The problem wasn’t with that, it was in the plot and with Shia. I don’t always understand the motivations behind Shia. Sometimes she stands up and is ready to fight, other times she hunkers down and lets things control her. Her times to fight and times to duck don’t make sense to me. She isn’t the only one whose motivations confused me in the story. While I can’t give exact details of that away, a lot towards the end made me very confused. What saved it on the other hand was the twist/cliffhanger outcome that is awesome.
Forsaken by the Others is a lot like the other books of the series. It’s a pulp, romantic, fast paced Urban Fantasy, but it doesn’t come without its draw backs. Some of the books out of this series I have really enjoyed, and others not as much. While I find a lot of character choices questionable, and sometimes silly, I can’t seem to stop reading them. Haines does a fantastic job with cliffhangers and those ‘WTF just happened!?!?’ moments. I’m looking forward to the next one in the series.
- Beth
Forsaken by the Others is the fifth book in the H&W Investigations series. I would recommend reading the books before this one, although it isn’t fully necessary. Haines does a good job of giving basic back ground information, and the problems in this book are dealing with a different group of people.
At the start of the novel we see Shia struggling with her new relationship with Royce. Along with that there is the question of what Shia is. She isn’t fully human anymore, or is she? Before she has time to think about that, or her relationship she is heading to L.A. Usually Shia is a blunt rash character that makes her easy to read, but when she does a few out of character things when she meets Clyde.
Sara, Shia’s best friend is there with her. They agree to look into Clyde’s zombie problem with almost no information, and head out to the most dangerous places in the city. She meets up with some old friends from the White Hats, a group who want to kill any ‘Others.’ (Others are vampires, shifters, mages or pretty much anything non-human.) This plot line isn’t a mystery, not really since all the hints reach out and nearly bash Shia over the head. It isn’t hard for the duo to put two-and-two together.
There is a twist and cliffhanger, though this time I saw the cliffhanger coming, and at the same time enjoyed it. The problem wasn’t with that, it was in the plot and with Shia. I don’t always understand the motivations behind Shia. Sometimes she stands up and is ready to fight, other times she hunkers down and lets things control her. Her times to fight and times to duck don’t make sense to me. She isn’t the only one whose motivations confused me in the story. While I can’t give exact details of that away, a lot towards the end made me very confused. What saved it on the other hand was the twist/cliffhanger outcome that is awesome.
Forsaken by the Others is a lot like the other books of the series. It’s a pulp, romantic, fast paced Urban Fantasy, but it doesn’t come without its draw backs. Some of the books out of this series I have really enjoyed, and others not as much. While I find a lot of character choices questionable, and sometimes silly, I can’t seem to stop reading them. Haines does a fantastic job with cliffhangers and those ‘WTF just happened!?!?’ moments. I’m looking forward to the next one in the series.
- Beth
Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews