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Moon #1
Leopard Moon
How do you disappear when you come from a family of predators?
A wereleopard, Kess is forced to flee her home and family in Miami once her brother's obsession with her turns violent. She runs from city to city, trying to stay one step ahead of the investigators her family has dispatched to bring her home. Kess ends up in the mountains of North Carolina and attracts the attention of Cormac, a young man with a secret of his own. As she attempts to live as normal a life as her were-nature allows, her brother Sek continues to hunt for her. He believes she is the key to revitalizing their weakened clan and is driven to extreme measures to ensure their continued existence. As Kess' relationship with Cormac deepens, Sek closes in, threatening Cormac's life and Kess' freedom.
When the moon rises, the hunt is on….
Melissa Marr, NTY bestselling author of Wicked Lovely says "the Moon series is filled with action and romance, shape shifters and
strong heroines."
A wereleopard, Kess is forced to flee her home and family in Miami once her brother's obsession with her turns violent. She runs from city to city, trying to stay one step ahead of the investigators her family has dispatched to bring her home. Kess ends up in the mountains of North Carolina and attracts the attention of Cormac, a young man with a secret of his own. As she attempts to live as normal a life as her were-nature allows, her brother Sek continues to hunt for her. He believes she is the key to revitalizing their weakened clan and is driven to extreme measures to ensure their continued existence. As Kess' relationship with Cormac deepens, Sek closes in, threatening Cormac's life and Kess' freedom.
When the moon rises, the hunt is on….
Melissa Marr, NTY bestselling author of Wicked Lovely says "the Moon series is filled with action and romance, shape shifters and
strong heroines."
206 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 4, 2012
122 people are currently reading
3544 people want to read
About the author
Jeanette Battista
21 books188 followersJeanette Battista graduated with an English degree with a concentration in medieval literature which explains her possibly unhealthy fixation on edged weapons and cathedral architecture. She spent a summer in England and Scotland studying the historical King Arthur, which did nothing to curb her obsession. To satisfy her adrenaline cravings—since sword fighting is not widely accepted in these modern times—she rode a motorcycle at ridiculously high speeds, got some tattoos, and took kickboxing and boxing classes. She gave up the bike when her daughter came along, although she still gets pummeled at the gym on a regular basis.
When she’s not writing or working, Jeanette spends time with family, hikes, reads, makes decadent brownies, buys killer boots, and plays Pocket Frogs. She wishes there were more hours in the day so she could actually do more of these things. She lives with her daughter and their ancient, ill-tempered cat in North Carolina.
When she’s not writing or working, Jeanette spends time with family, hikes, reads, makes decadent brownies, buys killer boots, and plays Pocket Frogs. She wishes there were more hours in the day so she could actually do more of these things. She lives with her daughter and their ancient, ill-tempered cat in North Carolina.
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March 20, 2012Two things come to mind when I see this book cover.
1)Really? Are they fucking serious? Did they really think that no one would make the connection between this and
?
2) Are those her boobs on her back?
1)Really? Are they fucking serious? Did they really think that no one would make the connection between this and
?2) Are those her boobs on her back?
June 10, 2013
Listen up my bitchin' peeps! And listen good.
Despite this god awful cover with the bland colours, the overused idea of a girl in a dress and some serious spinal mutation for the girl, this book was actually good. Like, not even the really good sort of book but ZOMG WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL MY LIFE type of good.
I’ve read this book a while ago, but it stuck with me. It’s that good. I was so surprised when I started reading it and found out that this book wasn’t a carbon copy of others out there. The writing was good, the storyline was fresh and that is, like, the best thing ever nowadays.
Kess has run away from her crazy brother who has major anger issues and is incognito until she turns eighteen when he won't have a say in what she does or where she stays. She goes to North Carolina and eventually her brother finds her. Stuff happens.
I loved Kess. I loved Cormac. The relationship between them was as realistic as you can get. First dates with no strings attached, just hanging out. I loved that. There's no insta-love shit going on and GODDAMN THAT SHIT WAS BEAUTIFUL, we got to see their relationship actually develop.
Kess is no Mary-Sue. She knows what she’s doing and if something gets in her way she’s ready to fight. She’s very proactive in general and this quality is admirable because you don’t see this often in YA. We get whiny ass damsels in fucking distress waiting for their night in shinning armour to come riding on a white horse from the sunset, whilst in Leopard Moon the cycle is broken and VOILA BITCHES, WE'VE BEEN FREED.
Leopard Moon was intense from the beginning. There was a very sudden start, but all was good, things slowed down a bit before picking up pace once again. It was good, the pacing was good and it was right.
I believe I will be reading the next book in the series.
Oh and if you haven’t read this book yet, DO IT NOW, YOU WON’T REGRET IT.
Despite this god awful cover with the bland colours, the overused idea of a girl in a dress and some serious spinal mutation for the girl, this book was actually good. Like, not even the really good sort of book but ZOMG WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL MY LIFE type of good.
I’ve read this book a while ago, but it stuck with me. It’s that good. I was so surprised when I started reading it and found out that this book wasn’t a carbon copy of others out there. The writing was good, the storyline was fresh and that is, like, the best thing ever nowadays.
Kess has run away from her crazy brother who has major anger issues and is incognito until she turns eighteen when he won't have a say in what she does or where she stays. She goes to North Carolina and eventually her brother finds her. Stuff happens.
I loved Kess. I loved Cormac. The relationship between them was as realistic as you can get. First dates with no strings attached, just hanging out. I loved that. There's no insta-love shit going on and GODDAMN THAT SHIT WAS BEAUTIFUL, we got to see their relationship actually develop.
Kess is no Mary-Sue. She knows what she’s doing and if something gets in her way she’s ready to fight. She’s very proactive in general and this quality is admirable because you don’t see this often in YA. We get whiny ass damsels in fucking distress waiting for their night in shinning armour to come riding on a white horse from the sunset, whilst in Leopard Moon the cycle is broken and VOILA BITCHES, WE'VE BEEN FREED.
Leopard Moon was intense from the beginning. There was a very sudden start, but all was good, things slowed down a bit before picking up pace once again. It was good, the pacing was good and it was right.
I believe I will be reading the next book in the series.
Oh and if you haven’t read this book yet, DO IT NOW, YOU WON’T REGRET IT.
July 8, 2012
Leopard Moon was an average YA novel with an average plot and just average characters, except for one character in particular. The writing was simple and unexaggerated and the storyline was less than thrilling. That said, I made it to the end of the book and that should count for something.
Kess, the main character, sometimes made me want to throw up. She was so self-pitying sometimes and the fact that she hated herself and stated so several times throughout the book almost made me want to throw my eReader at the wall. I despise weak female characters. Yes, females have actual emotions which is what makes us different from the male species. But when it comes in the form of a whiny teenager who just wants to be left alone so she can make out with her werewolf boyfriend in peace, I simply can’t deal.
**SPOILER** On the flip side, she had a good reason to be a little whiny. Sekhmet, her brother, is a sick, sadistic son of a bitch and was the only reason I made it through the book. I loved Sekhmet, despite the fact that he wanted to mate with his sister to keep their clan of wereleopards from extinction and keep the line pure-blooded. SICK, but I found myself more intrigued with this disgusting individual than the main character and I have a problem with that.
Other just okay characters were Cormac (the werewolf boyfriend) who was sweet but boring as hell (I like bad boys, can you tell?), the wolf Alpha, Alaric (Cormac’s father), and basically everyone else in the book. BORING. But it is nice to read a book where every single character isn’t a jackass, however, jackasses make for better reading. Let’s be honest.
Overall, this book was half Harlequin romance, half when-animals-attack. Not the best combination, but not the worst. However, I probably won’t read the rest of the series because I don’t care enough about the characters to find out what happens to them. My theory proven once again: If readers dislike your characters, they will dislike your book.
Kess, the main character, sometimes made me want to throw up. She was so self-pitying sometimes and the fact that she hated herself and stated so several times throughout the book almost made me want to throw my eReader at the wall. I despise weak female characters. Yes, females have actual emotions which is what makes us different from the male species. But when it comes in the form of a whiny teenager who just wants to be left alone so she can make out with her werewolf boyfriend in peace, I simply can’t deal.
**SPOILER** On the flip side, she had a good reason to be a little whiny. Sekhmet, her brother, is a sick, sadistic son of a bitch and was the only reason I made it through the book. I loved Sekhmet, despite the fact that he wanted to mate with his sister to keep their clan of wereleopards from extinction and keep the line pure-blooded. SICK, but I found myself more intrigued with this disgusting individual than the main character and I have a problem with that.
Other just okay characters were Cormac (the werewolf boyfriend) who was sweet but boring as hell (I like bad boys, can you tell?), the wolf Alpha, Alaric (Cormac’s father), and basically everyone else in the book. BORING. But it is nice to read a book where every single character isn’t a jackass, however, jackasses make for better reading. Let’s be honest.
Overall, this book was half Harlequin romance, half when-animals-attack. Not the best combination, but not the worst. However, I probably won’t read the rest of the series because I don’t care enough about the characters to find out what happens to them. My theory proven once again: If readers dislike your characters, they will dislike your book.
January 8, 2013
Such a good read. I was a bit sceptic at first than I read the first chapter on amazon and I knew i had to finish reading it. It was so good, it kept me so engrossed that I felt like I was in the story.
Okay the story: Kess Saroyan is wereleopard running away from her brother and father's private investigators. After almost being caught in California, she fleed towards the east landing in North Carolina. Where she make plans to rebuild her money before her father and brother can catch her scent again.
""You don't need to throw something away just because you're afraid of how it might turn out.""
Cormac McNiel, a young man with a secret of his own. Cormac finds Kess very interesting, not like the girls around town but cant seem to figure out what.
Sek Saroyan is obsessed with his younger sister and think she is the link that can strengthen the clans numbers. But Kess has no intention to return to her clan while her brother is still there.
" She checked her rearview mirror before she turned onto the main road and Cormac still stood in the parking lot, staring after her. She felt that fluttery sensation in her stomach again and silently told those butterflies to go straight to hell. They didn't."
As her relationship with Cormac grows, trouble is slowly knocking.
"She walked away, putting a little more sway in her stride, then turned around. "Are you staring at me again?" she teased. His slow, wicked smile contained promises of intimacies to come. "I told you I would try not to. I never promised I’d be successful.""
I like their relationship, it didn't seem forced. It progressed the way it was supposed to.
Happy Reading!! :)
Okay the story: Kess Saroyan is wereleopard running away from her brother and father's private investigators. After almost being caught in California, she fleed towards the east landing in North Carolina. Where she make plans to rebuild her money before her father and brother can catch her scent again.
""You don't need to throw something away just because you're afraid of how it might turn out.""
Cormac McNiel, a young man with a secret of his own. Cormac finds Kess very interesting, not like the girls around town but cant seem to figure out what.
Sek Saroyan is obsessed with his younger sister and think she is the link that can strengthen the clans numbers. But Kess has no intention to return to her clan while her brother is still there.
" She checked her rearview mirror before she turned onto the main road and Cormac still stood in the parking lot, staring after her. She felt that fluttery sensation in her stomach again and silently told those butterflies to go straight to hell. They didn't."
As her relationship with Cormac grows, trouble is slowly knocking.
"She walked away, putting a little more sway in her stride, then turned around. "Are you staring at me again?" she teased. His slow, wicked smile contained promises of intimacies to come. "I told you I would try not to. I never promised I’d be successful.""
I like their relationship, it didn't seem forced. It progressed the way it was supposed to.
Happy Reading!! :)
July 29, 2015
I'm really glad I signed up to review this for Bitten by Books. It was very good. I love shifter romance and I like that this is on the clean side. Even without love scenes, I felt the bond between Kess and Cormac and this was really intense. The shifting aspect was very well done. I look forward to reading the rest of this series.
Reviewed for Bitten by Books. http://bittenbybooks.com.
Reviewed for Bitten by Books. http://bittenbybooks.com.
March 28, 2012
I'm a big fan of strong female leads and Kess doesn't disappoint. She's tough and badass but just fallible enough to remain believable. It would be easy to insert yourself into her character... if you also morphed into leopard form.
Cormac, her eventual guy, and his two buds/cousins are rowdy and fun. They're actually werewolves but they're nothing like tales past. The werewolf clan was enjoyable to read about and you can see why Kess liked him/them as well.
Sek, the brother, is horrible... in that awful mentally disturbed way that almost (ALMOST!) explains his behavior. He's the villian you absolutely love to hate.
There were many references to the wereleopard and werewolf clans and some of the nuances of each. I was facinated by this and look forward to the next book (JackalMoon?) to read more!
The only thing negative I can really say about this book is that I was sad it was only YA... I think the darker aspects lurking would have been better explored only as an adult novel can.
Cormac, her eventual guy, and his two buds/cousins are rowdy and fun. They're actually werewolves but they're nothing like tales past. The werewolf clan was enjoyable to read about and you can see why Kess liked him/them as well.
Sek, the brother, is horrible... in that awful mentally disturbed way that almost (ALMOST!) explains his behavior. He's the villian you absolutely love to hate.
There were many references to the wereleopard and werewolf clans and some of the nuances of each. I was facinated by this and look forward to the next book (JackalMoon?) to read more!
The only thing negative I can really say about this book is that I was sad it was only YA... I think the darker aspects lurking would have been better explored only as an adult novel can.
January 30, 2013
When wereleopard Kess is attacked by her own brother, she flees knowing she is no longer safe in her home. Heading from one town to another hoping not to be captured, Kess never feels she can truly relax. When she arrives in the mountains of North Carolina, she feels at ease at least for a little while.
Meeting Cormac was not in her plans, but his tenacity with wanting to get to know her has her wishing she could act on her feelings. Cormac is not all that he seems though and once he realizes Kess's secrets he plans to keep her safe and by his side. Problem is her brother believes she is his and won't let her go.
Entrancing read, I liked this story quite a bit. Kess is a powerful young woman who doesn't quite realize the strength she carries within her self. Cormac sees that in her, but he also sees the need she has to be cared for. I liked Cormac, he is smitten right off and a bit goofy about how to handle it. Will definitely read the next one.
Meeting Cormac was not in her plans, but his tenacity with wanting to get to know her has her wishing she could act on her feelings. Cormac is not all that he seems though and once he realizes Kess's secrets he plans to keep her safe and by his side. Problem is her brother believes she is his and won't let her go.
Entrancing read, I liked this story quite a bit. Kess is a powerful young woman who doesn't quite realize the strength she carries within her self. Cormac sees that in her, but he also sees the need she has to be cared for. I liked Cormac, he is smitten right off and a bit goofy about how to handle it. Will definitely read the next one.
November 9, 2014
No offense but.. the only reason I clicked the book is because of the cover. You know, Fallen. Very familiar. I just wanted to see, I mean read other people's opinion on the similarity.
But here I am, wanting to read the book after reading the synopsis.
April 21, 2013
Know what? I'm actually glad this book has a similar cover with Fallen because it wouldn't have caught my interest if it didn't. Great job Battista! You totally threw me off! This piece was totally unexpected.
But here I am, wanting to read the book after reading the synopsis.
April 21, 2013
Know what? I'm actually glad this book has a similar cover with Fallen because it wouldn't have caught my interest if it didn't. Great job Battista! You totally threw me off! This piece was totally unexpected.
April 14, 2017
Shapeshifters and a romance? Hell yeahhhhhhh.
The story held a lot of potential to be great-- there are clans, there are packs, there are tensions rising and threats on the horizon. But ultimately, Leopard Moon was very limited in scope and played out more as a thriller romance than a kick-ass urban fantasy like I wanted and expected.
Don't get me wrong. I loved Cormac, totally book boyfriend material and the sweetest cinnamon roll. The romance developed slightly fast although I genuinely enjoyed the dance between Kess and him.
There were mentions of the other shifters -- were bears, were jaguars, were leopards... the glimpses into the world of paranormal were exciting because I thought that there would be so much more exploration of the supernatural, much to my disappointment.
I wanted to like this more. It wasn't a bad story, but mind blowing, it was not.
The story held a lot of potential to be great-- there are clans, there are packs, there are tensions rising and threats on the horizon. But ultimately, Leopard Moon was very limited in scope and played out more as a thriller romance than a kick-ass urban fantasy like I wanted and expected.
Don't get me wrong. I loved Cormac, totally book boyfriend material and the sweetest cinnamon roll. The romance developed slightly fast although I genuinely enjoyed the dance between Kess and him.
There were mentions of the other shifters -- were bears, were jaguars, were leopards... the glimpses into the world of paranormal were exciting because I thought that there would be so much more exploration of the supernatural, much to my disappointment.
I wanted to like this more. It wasn't a bad story, but mind blowing, it was not.
April 16, 2012
When I first saw this, I thought to myself "Oh, no, not another were-creature girl rebelling against authority and striking out on her own!"
But when I started reading, it was nothing like Barnes' "Raised by Wolves" or Rachel Vincent's "Stray." It reminded me more of the quiet, dwelling on relationships and feelings-of-becoming of Maggie Stiefvater's "Shiver" than the tough-as-nails werewolves of those other books.
I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this take on were-creatures. I would love to have given it 4.5 stars.
Kess is on the run from her clan and her brother, Sek, in Miami. She finds herself in the North Carolina Mountains...and in the territory of a pack of werewolves.
In fact, she gets a job at The Barn, a restaurant run by the pack's Beta; and there she gets the attention of the Beta's nephew, Cormac.
Kess just wants to lay low, make money, and make sure none of her brother's investigators find her. Cormac is intrigued by the new waitress and her secrets, but he's willing to give her the space and time to figure out what she wants.
And that's what I enjoyed the most about this book, the way Cormac and Kess aren't headstrong, stubborn, aggressive, or stupid. They choices they make are well-reasoned. They don't choose to lie, even for eachother's own good (an often used and frustrating trope in paranormal fantasy) and take the difficult, honest, waiting road always. Cormac is so romantic when he is holding himself still so Kess won't get freaked out. Kess is so awesome when she goes into action (in a well reasoned) way while weighing the lives of Cormac and his family.
Cormac's family...another awesome thing about this book. The whole lodge full of snarky bantering werewolves sounds like a blast.
The reason this book doesn't hit the full 5 stars for me was my odd lack of connection to Kess. We spend quite a lot of time in Cormac's head, and don't get me wrong, that's a fine place to be. We also spend some time in Sek's head, and while I understand the desire to develop him as the villain, I felt we traded off a deeper relationship with Kess because of it. And because I didn't feel that Kess-love, I didn't get to experience her growing relationship with Cormac as fully as I wanted to.
Still, very nice addition to the YA paranormal were creature library, and I'll definitely be on the lookout for the next in the series.
This Book's Snack Rating: multi-grain tortilla chips with real melted cheddar and pico de gallo for the wholesome love story and delicious, snarky banter from the wolves. Can't stop eating until the whole plate is empty.
But when I started reading, it was nothing like Barnes' "Raised by Wolves" or Rachel Vincent's "Stray." It reminded me more of the quiet, dwelling on relationships and feelings-of-becoming of Maggie Stiefvater's "Shiver" than the tough-as-nails werewolves of those other books.
I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this take on were-creatures. I would love to have given it 4.5 stars.
Kess is on the run from her clan and her brother, Sek, in Miami. She finds herself in the North Carolina Mountains...and in the territory of a pack of werewolves.
In fact, she gets a job at The Barn, a restaurant run by the pack's Beta; and there she gets the attention of the Beta's nephew, Cormac.
Kess just wants to lay low, make money, and make sure none of her brother's investigators find her. Cormac is intrigued by the new waitress and her secrets, but he's willing to give her the space and time to figure out what she wants.
And that's what I enjoyed the most about this book, the way Cormac and Kess aren't headstrong, stubborn, aggressive, or stupid. They choices they make are well-reasoned. They don't choose to lie, even for eachother's own good (an often used and frustrating trope in paranormal fantasy) and take the difficult, honest, waiting road always. Cormac is so romantic when he is holding himself still so Kess won't get freaked out. Kess is so awesome when she goes into action (in a well reasoned) way while weighing the lives of Cormac and his family.
Cormac's family...another awesome thing about this book. The whole lodge full of snarky bantering werewolves sounds like a blast.
The reason this book doesn't hit the full 5 stars for me was my odd lack of connection to Kess. We spend quite a lot of time in Cormac's head, and don't get me wrong, that's a fine place to be. We also spend some time in Sek's head, and while I understand the desire to develop him as the villain, I felt we traded off a deeper relationship with Kess because of it. And because I didn't feel that Kess-love, I didn't get to experience her growing relationship with Cormac as fully as I wanted to.
Still, very nice addition to the YA paranormal were creature library, and I'll definitely be on the lookout for the next in the series.
This Book's Snack Rating: multi-grain tortilla chips with real melted cheddar and pico de gallo for the wholesome love story and delicious, snarky banter from the wolves. Can't stop eating until the whole plate is empty.
June 10, 2014
I really do enjoy a good shifter story. Doesn’t really matter what kind of shifter either. The premise of leopard shifters, sold me on reading this one. This book features a seventeen year old girl, Kess, and nineteen year old boy, Cormac. However I wouldn’t considerate it a true YA book-perhaps ages 16 up would be more appropriate due to some of the subject matter and violence.
Kess has run away from her family and leopard clan. The reason? Her crazy brother’s decision that leopards should mate within the same bloodline-namely him with Kess. Of course the Alpha of the leopards, Kess’s father, isn’t aware of any of this. So Kess is on the run, complete with private detectives searching for her. She finds herself in a small out of the way town in North Carolina. She meets Cormac, and although she tries to keep to herself, she starts to care about him. What she doesn’t know is, Cormac has his own shifter secret.
For the most part, I enjoyed this story but there was a couple of things that bothered me. One was that it was a pretty slow read for me. I just kept putting it down for days at a time. Never a good sign for me. And the second thing hit home for me, when after putting the book down for awhile and coming back to read it, the ages of the main characters were mentioned again and I was really surprised. The characters are good characters but neither one acts in any way like a teenager. I had completely forgotten how young they both were. I understand that Kess had to grow up fast on the road, but it just seemed a bit strange that both characters had no teenage qualities. Well, actually maybe that’s a good thing-maybe just a bit unrealistic!
I am happy to say, that once I got to the 50 percent mark, the story did pick up and by about 70 percent, it was a much faster paced read, with a lot more going on. This is a series with lots of good secondary characters, however the bad guy in this book is just despicable and not the norm for a YA book in any way that I am aware of! Not sure who the next book is going to be about, but I do know that at least some of the same characters continue on with the story. Kess’s story isn’t over yet and the ending left the reader wondering what was going to happen next. And because the story did get a lot better, I am interested enough to buy and read the next book when I get a chance. And on a side note, for a indie published book, I found this to be very well edited.(RabidReads.com)
Kess has run away from her family and leopard clan. The reason? Her crazy brother’s decision that leopards should mate within the same bloodline-namely him with Kess. Of course the Alpha of the leopards, Kess’s father, isn’t aware of any of this. So Kess is on the run, complete with private detectives searching for her. She finds herself in a small out of the way town in North Carolina. She meets Cormac, and although she tries to keep to herself, she starts to care about him. What she doesn’t know is, Cormac has his own shifter secret.
For the most part, I enjoyed this story but there was a couple of things that bothered me. One was that it was a pretty slow read for me. I just kept putting it down for days at a time. Never a good sign for me. And the second thing hit home for me, when after putting the book down for awhile and coming back to read it, the ages of the main characters were mentioned again and I was really surprised. The characters are good characters but neither one acts in any way like a teenager. I had completely forgotten how young they both were. I understand that Kess had to grow up fast on the road, but it just seemed a bit strange that both characters had no teenage qualities. Well, actually maybe that’s a good thing-maybe just a bit unrealistic!
I am happy to say, that once I got to the 50 percent mark, the story did pick up and by about 70 percent, it was a much faster paced read, with a lot more going on. This is a series with lots of good secondary characters, however the bad guy in this book is just despicable and not the norm for a YA book in any way that I am aware of! Not sure who the next book is going to be about, but I do know that at least some of the same characters continue on with the story. Kess’s story isn’t over yet and the ending left the reader wondering what was going to happen next. And because the story did get a lot better, I am interested enough to buy and read the next book when I get a chance. And on a side note, for a indie published book, I found this to be very well edited.(RabidReads.com)
May 13, 2012
I have to say what drew me to want to find out more about this book was the cover, it is absolutely stunning, I think the fact that you are unable to see the face of the girl makes it all more intriguing because you just want to know who that girl is, and why does it seem that she is hiding from something, or in the case of our main female, running from. After reading the synopsis I was hooked, I HAD to read this book. After the first few pages I was mesmerized because I couldn’t put it down, I wanted to know what it was that Kess was running from, you get a hint that it has to do with her family in the beginning and after a while you realize she specifically trying to get away from her brother, the one that is persistent on finding her. However, you don’t find out what it was that caused her to go on the run until further into the book, but you get suspicions and what seem like hints.
The other element that I found rather a great add into the book was even though it focuses on wereleopard’s you get interaction between other were species. I loved this also because Kess’s love interest in the story ends up being a werewolf, though neither realizes at first what the other is. I rather liked the interaction between Kess and Cormac, the son of the Alpha werewolf. I thought it was funny how persistent Cormac was even though at first, Kess seemed pretty intent to stay to herself, of course that changed after a few encounters.
Overall I loved the book and can’t wait to purchase the second book in the Moon series. 5/5 Bats
~Marie from Paranormal Reads
The other element that I found rather a great add into the book was even though it focuses on wereleopard’s you get interaction between other were species. I loved this also because Kess’s love interest in the story ends up being a werewolf, though neither realizes at first what the other is. I rather liked the interaction between Kess and Cormac, the son of the Alpha werewolf. I thought it was funny how persistent Cormac was even though at first, Kess seemed pretty intent to stay to herself, of course that changed after a few encounters.
Overall I loved the book and can’t wait to purchase the second book in the Moon series. 5/5 Bats
~Marie from Paranormal Reads
June 25, 2012
I was on werewolf Spree..when i read this book..it was definitely an interesting read!
Kess is running away from her family,her wereleopard pack and especially her brother Sek..whose only aim is continuation of pack with pure blood even if it crosses limits..
Kess founds herself running and finally settling in a town..where she meets cormac..a werewolf..though their both nature are against ...they both fall for eachother.
Kess founds the love,security,safety in cormac n his pack and she wishes everything to remain same forever..
But Sek has other intentions as he comes to take her back and he will go to any extent the evil he is.!
Now its Kess's decision ..to flight or flight..can she leave her only love for his safety?Or will she fight against her psycho brother?
Should read the next books in series to know how Kess story is progressed!
A great read for a debut!
Sri.
Kess is running away from her family,her wereleopard pack and especially her brother Sek..whose only aim is continuation of pack with pure blood even if it crosses limits..
Kess founds herself running and finally settling in a town..where she meets cormac..a werewolf..though their both nature are against ...they both fall for eachother.
Kess founds the love,security,safety in cormac n his pack and she wishes everything to remain same forever..
But Sek has other intentions as he comes to take her back and he will go to any extent the evil he is.!
Now its Kess's decision ..to flight or flight..can she leave her only love for his safety?Or will she fight against her psycho brother?
Should read the next books in series to know how Kess story is progressed!
A great read for a debut!
Sri.
April 30, 2013
This was very interesting. I have to say that I loved that Kess's brother Sek has a POV. He was so unstable that it made reading his thoughts very interesting. Kess left her clan because of her older brother Sek. Sek is not right in the head and thinks that he is in love with her and one night tries to force himself on her. So fought him and escaped and has been on the run for a little over a year.
I think this story was faced paced and at times sweet but with a hint of madness. I loved all the Weres in this book. Loved the instant connection between Kess and Cormac. Cormac's cousins were a hoot.They light up the pages with their banter. There was never a dull moment for me. I will be reading the rest of this series to find out what happens next. The ending just left it wide open and had me wondering what now?
I think this story was faced paced and at times sweet but with a hint of madness. I loved all the Weres in this book. Loved the instant connection between Kess and Cormac. Cormac's cousins were a hoot.They light up the pages with their banter. There was never a dull moment for me. I will be reading the rest of this series to find out what happens next. The ending just left it wide open and had me wondering what now?
December 28, 2012
I really enjoyed this book. Ms. Battista is an amazing author about were/shifters.
Kess was a very likable, strong character. You wanted her to find a new life and escape the Hell she lived with in her family's were-leopard home.
I am not sure if I will continue, because I see that the next book is about someone else. But later Kess comes back into the picture and I don't want to get too wrapped up in all other people's business if I only care about Kess' life. We shall see though.
Kess was a very likable, strong character. You wanted her to find a new life and escape the Hell she lived with in her family's were-leopard home.
I am not sure if I will continue, because I see that the next book is about someone else. But later Kess comes back into the picture and I don't want to get too wrapped up in all other people's business if I only care about Kess' life. We shall see though.
February 19, 2013
This is my new favourite series!! I loved, loved, loved this book! The story is about Kess, a wereleopard, who is forced to flee her home and family in Miami once her brother’s obsession with her turns violent. I loved Kess. I loved Cormac. Cormac is perfect, if he was real I would want him to be my boyfriend! I cannot wait to read the next one!
Want to read
May 14, 2015There's something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori that cover. *hint hint*
Whatever, I'll try to read this one tho :D
Whatever, I'll try to read this one tho :D
March 25, 2012
Great spin on the werecreature tales. I liked the mix of all the different animals used as weres in this book. I look forward to the next book in the series.
May 3, 2012
I like that there were different were creatures instead of just wolves. The book was good - it didn't wow me or anything, but it held my interest
May 28, 2014
Another freebie I got from Amazon's Kindle list that ended up hooking me! Now on book 2 in the series! This author is very talented!
March 1, 2015
I absolutely loved reading this book.This is book is very good and the series also is good.
Its a damn 'Goodread'.
Its a damn 'Goodread'.
September 30, 2018
Not A Bad YA Shifter Series
I haven't read a lot of shifter books recently, and I've had this one a while so I thought I'd give it a go. I was pleasantly surprised by the fact I rather enjoyed it.
For me, the characters were well written and the world in which it took place was set up well. I found the lead male and female strong characters, if not a bit young to be so mature. The book was written from three different POV's, which worked really well, especially since Sek was in Miami. It gave the reader the ability to know what was going on at all times.
The main plot line was interesting and kept me reading. It was exciting, with plenty of action and some romance. The latter was slow to start and wasn't the primary story line, with only kissing.
Overall, it was a good, clean YA read. Suitable for teens and adults. I will be reading the next in the series.
I haven't read a lot of shifter books recently, and I've had this one a while so I thought I'd give it a go. I was pleasantly surprised by the fact I rather enjoyed it.
For me, the characters were well written and the world in which it took place was set up well. I found the lead male and female strong characters, if not a bit young to be so mature. The book was written from three different POV's, which worked really well, especially since Sek was in Miami. It gave the reader the ability to know what was going on at all times.
The main plot line was interesting and kept me reading. It was exciting, with plenty of action and some romance. The latter was slow to start and wasn't the primary story line, with only kissing.
Overall, it was a good, clean YA read. Suitable for teens and adults. I will be reading the next in the series.
September 11, 2020
Wereleopard Kess is seventeen and on the run. She is running from her brother Sek. Sek seemed to be a little reckless and confused. He loved his sister but in more than a brotherly way. Jess was having none of it and ran to get away from him. He had private investigators looking for her and she kept running.
She ended up in the mountains of North Carolina in a college town. She got a job as a waitress. The restaurant was owned by a werewolf. Most of the mountain was werewolf territory. She met a young man /wolf who cared for her. Now she had to figure out if she could stay or needed to run again.
She ended up in the mountains of North Carolina in a college town. She got a job as a waitress. The restaurant was owned by a werewolf. Most of the mountain was werewolf territory. She met a young man /wolf who cared for her. Now she had to figure out if she could stay or needed to run again.
March 12, 2014
Okay, so this book technically wasn't on my 'to read' list but it was $1.04 on Barnes and Noble and I just couldn't pass it up. I found this book on Goodreads a while back. It was apart of a list on Goodreads that used the same stock photos... This one shared a cover with Fallen, the book that has caused me to turn away from Fallen Angels in the Paranormal/Supernatural genre.
So I've been on a kinda big paranormal kick lately. Maybe it's my insane need to go back to writing Promise... Anyway, for those of you who haven't heard to Leopard Moon--which may be a lot of you, I hadn't heard of it before stumbling upon it--here's the blurb according to Goodreads:
"How do you disappear when you come from a family of predators?
Kess, a wereleopard, is forced to flee her home and family in Miami once her brother’s obsession with her turns violent. Running from the investigators her family has dispatched to bring her home, Kess ends up in the mountains of North Carolina. Once there, she attracts the attention of Cormac, a young man with a secret of his own. As she attempts to live as normal a life as her were-nature allows, her brother Sek continues to hunt for her. He believes she is the key to revitalizing their weakened clan and is driven to extreme measures to ensure their continued existence. As Kess’ relationship with Cormac deepens, Sek closes in, threatening Cormac’s life and Kess’ freedom.
When the moon rises, the hunt is on…"
What drew me into this book at first--aside from the blurb and re-gift cover--was the fact that it was about were-animals. If werewolves were real, I'd probably try to become one. They're my favourite supernatural creature :3. I liked that Ms. Battista included other therianthropes into her world. Most paranormal novels with werewolf characters are WEREWOLVES. The one other exception to this was the Nightshade series and you didn't know about other were-animals until books two and three.
I really enjoyed the characters. Kess, our lead, wasn't some whiny little bitch all the time. Yes, she had a few pussy moments but her brother Sekhmet was a crazy mother. I liked that Kess wasn't perfect. At first, I thought she was with how Battista explained that she was: A. pretty (though not all Mary Sues are described as 'pretty'), B. hired for being pretty (then explained that she was a decent waitress) and C. instantly there were guys fawning over her (Cormac, our main love interest, and his self-proclaimed-ladies-man of a cousin, Finn). Now, I liked that there were only TWO guys instead of like a few other YA novels where the whole male cast/student body are dropping their significant others of varying lengths to contest against one another for the attention of this stereotypical damsel.
On to my now favourite male lead: Cormac. He was actually a GUY. I know what you're thinking: "Ali, of course he's a guy... He's got the whole shabang." What I mean by 'he's a guy' is that he doesn't think with his d-piece. A lot of male romantic interests in YA are all macho and are either complete jerks to the MC or are sulky guys who try to drive the MC away in order to 'prevent from hurting her.' (the latter of which is complete bull and a waste of a girl's time trying to persuade him that the relationship is totally worth it.) Cormac gently nudged Kess into going out with him and they certainly hit it off. But Kess's inability to date due to her psychotic brother was constantly in the way.
Which brings me to my next topic: Sekhmet. I have a character similar to Sek (her name is Elena). They both have this sick obsession with their sibling (though Sek's love has always been unrequited where as Elena's hasn't until recently), they're both twenty steps past crazy and are both villains in a way. I liked that Battista hinted at what happened between Kess and Sek in the beginning and explained it later.
Now that I've finished gushing over a few of the main characters, time for the plot. Basically, the first half is Kess running from her psychotic brother who is hell bent on doing things to her that are as far from accepted today as one can get and the second half is Kess finally breaking out of the cage she locked herself in for the past few years to not only start a relationship with a great guy (who reminds me of my boyfriend sans the age gap) but to put her brother in his place. She not only conquered Sek but she conquered her fear OF Sek AND developed into a character I can wholeheartedly wish mine would become within the course of the novel. Not many YA authors do get that in a single book, opting for a series if at all.
Like my last book review, I stayed with the Goodreads rating system of ______ out of five stars. For Leopard Moon, I'll rate it four and a half out of five. Now, I'm sure you're asking "why only four and a half with all the raving of characters AND the plot line?" It's the cover.
Though I think it's quite pretty and it was one of the many things that drew me in, I was more than disappointed with it. Within the novel, Battista explains that a wereleopard (which is what Kess is) is strongest at a new moon, the moon on the cover is full. I know that's not much of an issue but out of all the people who make covers, I wish they used a stock photo that wasn't used for my least favourite (and what initially turned me away from paranormal fiction with angels) book.
So I've been on a kinda big paranormal kick lately. Maybe it's my insane need to go back to writing Promise... Anyway, for those of you who haven't heard to Leopard Moon--which may be a lot of you, I hadn't heard of it before stumbling upon it--here's the blurb according to Goodreads:
"How do you disappear when you come from a family of predators?
Kess, a wereleopard, is forced to flee her home and family in Miami once her brother’s obsession with her turns violent. Running from the investigators her family has dispatched to bring her home, Kess ends up in the mountains of North Carolina. Once there, she attracts the attention of Cormac, a young man with a secret of his own. As she attempts to live as normal a life as her were-nature allows, her brother Sek continues to hunt for her. He believes she is the key to revitalizing their weakened clan and is driven to extreme measures to ensure their continued existence. As Kess’ relationship with Cormac deepens, Sek closes in, threatening Cormac’s life and Kess’ freedom.
When the moon rises, the hunt is on…"
What drew me into this book at first--aside from the blurb and re-gift cover--was the fact that it was about were-animals. If werewolves were real, I'd probably try to become one. They're my favourite supernatural creature :3. I liked that Ms. Battista included other therianthropes into her world. Most paranormal novels with werewolf characters are WEREWOLVES. The one other exception to this was the Nightshade series and you didn't know about other were-animals until books two and three.
I really enjoyed the characters. Kess, our lead, wasn't some whiny little bitch all the time. Yes, she had a few pussy moments but her brother Sekhmet was a crazy mother. I liked that Kess wasn't perfect. At first, I thought she was with how Battista explained that she was: A. pretty (though not all Mary Sues are described as 'pretty'), B. hired for being pretty (then explained that she was a decent waitress) and C. instantly there were guys fawning over her (Cormac, our main love interest, and his self-proclaimed-ladies-man of a cousin, Finn). Now, I liked that there were only TWO guys instead of like a few other YA novels where the whole male cast/student body are dropping their significant others of varying lengths to contest against one another for the attention of this stereotypical damsel.
On to my now favourite male lead: Cormac. He was actually a GUY. I know what you're thinking: "Ali, of course he's a guy... He's got the whole shabang." What I mean by 'he's a guy' is that he doesn't think with his d-piece. A lot of male romantic interests in YA are all macho and are either complete jerks to the MC or are sulky guys who try to drive the MC away in order to 'prevent from hurting her.' (the latter of which is complete bull and a waste of a girl's time trying to persuade him that the relationship is totally worth it.) Cormac gently nudged Kess into going out with him and they certainly hit it off. But Kess's inability to date due to her psychotic brother was constantly in the way.
Which brings me to my next topic: Sekhmet. I have a character similar to Sek (her name is Elena). They both have this sick obsession with their sibling (though Sek's love has always been unrequited where as Elena's hasn't until recently), they're both twenty steps past crazy and are both villains in a way. I liked that Battista hinted at what happened between Kess and Sek in the beginning and explained it later.
Now that I've finished gushing over a few of the main characters, time for the plot. Basically, the first half is Kess running from her psychotic brother who is hell bent on doing things to her that are as far from accepted today as one can get and the second half is Kess finally breaking out of the cage she locked herself in for the past few years to not only start a relationship with a great guy (who reminds me of my boyfriend sans the age gap) but to put her brother in his place. She not only conquered Sek but she conquered her fear OF Sek AND developed into a character I can wholeheartedly wish mine would become within the course of the novel. Not many YA authors do get that in a single book, opting for a series if at all.
Like my last book review, I stayed with the Goodreads rating system of ______ out of five stars. For Leopard Moon, I'll rate it four and a half out of five. Now, I'm sure you're asking "why only four and a half with all the raving of characters AND the plot line?" It's the cover.
Though I think it's quite pretty and it was one of the many things that drew me in, I was more than disappointed with it. Within the novel, Battista explains that a wereleopard (which is what Kess is) is strongest at a new moon, the moon on the cover is full. I know that's not much of an issue but out of all the people who make covers, I wish they used a stock photo that wasn't used for my least favourite (and what initially turned me away from paranormal fiction with angels) book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 6, 2018
Captivating
Captivatingly different switch on a young finding oneseljf storyline. Decent character development. Lighthearted romance discovery while running from and breaking ties with family issues. Mostly from a feline perspective with some canine perspective sprinkled on top. Once I started I couldn't put it down and finished it in a couple of days. Looking forward to the next book in this series to see how things continue to unfold.
Captivatingly different switch on a young finding oneseljf storyline. Decent character development. Lighthearted romance discovery while running from and breaking ties with family issues. Mostly from a feline perspective with some canine perspective sprinkled on top. Once I started I couldn't put it down and finished it in a couple of days. Looking forward to the next book in this series to see how things continue to unfold.
May 18, 2017
Shape Shifters
Was a good read. I enjoyed the characters and the names the author gave to the characters. The only thing I would like to see is more care taken in sentencing. Books are coming out with little to know care about proofing and sentence structure. Please pay more attention to such details
Was a good read. I enjoyed the characters and the names the author gave to the characters. The only thing I would like to see is more care taken in sentencing. Books are coming out with little to know care about proofing and sentence structure. Please pay more attention to such details
January 28, 2019
This was okay: not poorly written and very well imagined. I liked the spin on were-creature fantasy. Was definitely a shot-in-the-dark, filler book for me but it was pleasant if not immensely engaging or adrenaline rush inducing.
May 9, 2019
Leopard Moon
The story is good and the characters are interesting. It's not as intense but it's ok. Cormac and Kess chemistry is ok but lack more intense feeling. But overall the story is good
The story is good and the characters are interesting. It's not as intense but it's ok. Cormac and Kess chemistry is ok but lack more intense feeling. But overall the story is good
June 29, 2022
I wasn't sure when I first read the description of this book but decided to give it a go. I'd say I liked it enough to give a 5 start. It's a good book and I'm always willing to read & give a book a chance. It didn't disappoint.
September 17, 2017
Leopard
Well written and entertaining. Just missing something not a bad book just not for me I hope you enjoy it
Well written and entertaining. Just missing something not a bad book just not for me I hope you enjoy it
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