First Born

Lily Moore #1

by Tricia Zoeller

When twenty-six-year-old graphic designer Lily Moore shapeshifts for the first time, Atlanta police detectives consult wildlife experts to sort through the bizarre forensic evidence she leaves in her wake. Her traumatic transformation coincides with murder and Lily finds herself the center of a mad vortex of area crimes.

On the run, Lily turns to her younger brother to help unravel the secrets surrounding her boyfriend’s death as well as unlock the mysteries of their Chinese heritage. When a loved one goes missing, Lily finds herself scrambling to find purchase in this new world where there hasn’t been balance for a century.

As she learns to master her new preternatural abilities, she must cut through the lies of those around her. With the police and a killer hot on her trail, can she solve the mystery of being First Born or will family secrets prove deadly?

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal, Fantasy, Shapeshifters

ebook

First published May 1, 2013

About the author

Tricia lives in Marietta, Georgia with her husband, Lou, her little yappy dog, Lola Belle, and her big orange mutant cat, George. Her two stepsons, Joseph and Robert, make stopovers as well, making sure to keep life an adventure.

Tricia earned a B.A. in Journalism and Anthropology from Indiana University in Bloomington. After moving to Atlanta in 1992, she obtained her Masters of Education in Communication Disorders from Georgia State University and spent a decade working as a Speech-Language Pathologist, most recently in the pediatric field treating children on the Autism Spectrum.

Writing has always been a part of her life–like breathing and chocolate. To reach Tricia or get the latest stories, please visit:

http://www.triciazoeller.com or http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tricia-...

Reviews

[Maria Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

WOW, WOW, WOW talk about suspense!!! I love a good page turner, especially when there are shape shifters involved, and Ms. Zoeller did NOT disappoint!!

When attacked by her not so gentlemanly date, Lily Moore shape shifts for the very first time in her life causing her to lash out and fight back. She flees the scene of the crime and in doing so builds the suspicion against her. In her new form she's taken in by a coworker who has no idea what or who she really is. Trying to stay out of the public eye and investigate hidden family secrets, as well as solve multiple murders, proves to be a bit difficult for Lily but she actually manages to succeed for a little while. That is until the bad guys catch up with her as they always do.

I'm always intrigued by the different paranormal worlds out there, getting each authors perspective & "living" in their world for a bit is simply amazing. I'm just in awe of the amount of creativity put into these types of novels. Maybe that's why this is my favorite genre ever!! Ms. Zoeller did a great job of pulling me into the story from the first couple of pages. The story moved along swiftly, yet gave great detail to the Chinese heritage of our main characters, Lily and Seth. It was equal parts action, humorous, dramatic and suspenseful. Basically this novel had many of the qualities I look for in a good book!! The writing was great and pretty much typo-free (which I LOVE and appreciate greatly). I really enjoyed First Born and would definitely recommend it to readers of paranormal mysteries/suspense.

[Willowolfe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is kick-ass! The humor is wicked and the characters are sexy and realistic. I enjoyed this book immensely and I highly recommend it. It is also cool that I met the author at my job and spoke a while on her book and why she decided to write. It is neat watching a new author take off and meeting her at the beginning.

[Dakota Storm · Rating 4 out of 5]

First born by Tricia Zoeller

[Windypicnic · Rating 1 out of 5]

Quite simply one of the worst indie novels I have ever had the misfortune of reading. Never in my life have I encountered so many stilted references to characters having gas. If this were a fetish book I could appreciate why these references would exist in-text, however, they're clumsily phrased and not overly descriptive so I doubt they'd appeal to a fetish crowd either. I'd go into detail with the plot but there's not a whole lot to say. Lily the heroine spends half the book as a dog, then the other half running around being all-powerful and getting in touch with her mystical Asian side (of course). This is bargain basement urban fantasy and there's absolutely nothing here story-wise that we haven't encountered multiple times before. Except perhaps the farting and burping.

Yup.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was really impressed with the book. The author answered a lot of my questions, but also left some questions to be answered in the next book. I love short chapters, which this book had. It was a fast paced book. Once I got into it, I couldn't put it down. One of my favorites things is when an author can make me laugh out loud. Tricia did this many times. I will admit that I didn't really like Lily in the beginning. Lily eventually turned into the heroine that we all want to see. Lily in shifted form early in the story was really cool. Overall, great story, great author. I'm looking forward to reading more by Tricia.

[Stacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

***** 5 Stars ***** Amazing! Awesome! New author, Tricia Zoeller's debut novel "First Born" is an urban fantasy that takes place in the Atlanta area.

Her writing is amazing! I FELT like I was on the run! There are twists and turns and all isn't what it always seems...

This is a page turner that you won't want to put down!

Looking forward to reading more from Tricia Zoeller!

Review by: Stacy Bailey Darnell/Literary Mania Reviews

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to follow soon. Must add to your list! Exciting debut novel from a very talented author. I can't wait to read more from her!

[Tami · Rating 4 out of 5]

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I've read many 'shifter' books as I have a bit of a thing for the paranormal genre so I started reading First Born with a few preconceptions. Well, they were blown out of the water fairly quickly! First Born is not your typical paranormal approach to the shape shifter story, which is kind of obvious given it’s described as Urban Fantasy, but it was something quite different for me and I really enjoyed it.

For Lily Moore, every woman's worst nightmare is about to come true. Out on a date she finds herself in a secluded location and starting to feel the effects of some sort of drug. Her date is closing in with fairly clear intent and there is no escape ... unless of course you can shape shift into some scary ass creature and fight your way free! That is exactly what Lily does and there begins her quest to uncover her shape shifting form, her heritage and the truth behind her boyfriend's death. Oh and perhaps a bit more about Detective Hottie while she’s at it!

Lily's shape shifting is a complete shock to her. Not only does she experience it for the first time without any indication it was possible, but she has no idea what she has changed into, how (or if) she can change back or precisely what state her date was in when she fled after fighting him. What she does know is that her senses are heightened, her appetite is voracious and a mysterious man seems to be watching her!

Forced into hiding as the police try and uncover exactly what happened to her date (and her) Lily has to try and discover details of her shape shifting, who the mysterious 'watcher' is and who is responsible for the increasing number of deaths of people connected to her. Detective Caldwell Simms (aka Detective Hottie) is assigned the case. Having met Lily previously following the death of her boyfriend some months earlier there is definitely a spark between these two. He struggles with his attraction to Lily and piecing together the evidence before him that is becoming stranger and stranger and seemingly pointing to Lily's involvement.

Lily calls on her brother Seth for help in her quest to stay safe and sane while they work out exactly what is going on. Seth has some secrets of his own which adds even more to the mystery in First Born.

I don't want to say too much more about the story because I definitely don't want any spoilers in this review. What I will say is First Born is well written, with tons of intrigue and suspense. Throw in the shape shifting element, complete with some Chinese mythology and you've got an absolute page turner. While the end of the book sets up book two in the series, there is completion to this story - and I didn't even come close to picking it! I certainly got all the answers I was looking for, as well as a solid investment in the characters so I'll be watching for book two from Zoeller.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lily Moore's bad date kicks off a chain of events she never saw coming. She blacks out and comes to a different person that what she started out the night as. Finding the police looking for her she goes on the run and hides out at a friends house right under their nose and they don't realize it is her. She manages to get to her brother to see if he can help her figure out what is going on. People who are close to her seem to be in danger and she know she has to figure it out. Her brother does have a few family secrets he know that he finally reveals to her but even he doesn't know how far down the secrets go and what they all mean. Lily finds herself not only hiding from the law but she seems to be the target of danger and has been for a while. She has to figure out, tap into and get her new abilities under control or more people may be in danger. It's time for her to look into the past to hopefully live for the future.

Starting out I wasn't sure what to think of Lily. I thought she was going to be stuck for a while because her fear was controlling her. She really took off as a character for me when she started to control her fear and started using her head. Don't think she is weak because she isn't she really comes into her own in this book. She has so much about her families life and secrets she has to learn it's really a wonder she comes out as strong as she did. At one point when something happens to her back I think I would have died of a heart attack lol. There is several other characters you will get a chuckle out of, hate or in Lily's case lust after at the worse times lol.

I really enjoyed this book as Lily is unique in her power. I would never had seen it coming what happens to her after she blacks out. Her reactions at times are very funny. One seen involving a bald head had me giggling for sure. Yes I am being vague about this book because I don't want to ruin it for others. You get to see a woman come into her own and become something greater in this book. As I mentioned there is several laughs but you also get a different kinda ability to read about. There is danger, secrets to be uncovered and so much more. I highly recommend this book to one and all. Once you start reading you won't want to stop. You keep going to see just what she is going to uncover next or what will happen next.

I love the colors on the cover. The picture fits the book perfectly as well.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'll be honest … my first reaction when reading some of the paragraphs in “First Born” was “WHA …? Where did THAT come from? What the h is going on??” I soon realized this was intentional on the part of author Tricia Zoeller – her protagonist Lily Moore is having the same reaction. As she sees what is happening, the reader sees it as well. It was an unpleasant reader experience early in the book, but once I realized the author's intent, I grew accustomed and comfortable with it.

The basic plot – 20-something Lily Moore is a shapeshifter, except that she doesn't know it – yet. Unfortunately for her, other people have determined this to be a likelihood and she has become a target. Who can she trust? Co-workers? Her brother? Her deceased father's former partner on the police force? The Atlanta police, especially that good looking detective that investigated her former boyfriend's murder months earlier?

This novel is not your typical urban fantasy. There are no werewolves, no vampires, and no zombies – each reader will have to make their own determination as to whether this is a good thing or a bad thing. Further, Atlanta and north Georgia are not traditional locales for urban fantasy, but are places that the author knows well and can describe for the benefit of the reader.

Perfect? No, but what is? Sometimes, the author took longer to clarify the aforementioned confusion than this reader was comfortable with – and sometimes the situation seemed so clear that it was frustrating that our protagonist couldn't figure out what was occurring and why! Still, I was impressed by Ms. Zoeller's first book in this series and look forward to the next. (Uh, Tricia … I/we are waiting … where IS it???)

RATING: 4 stars

DISCLOSURE: I won this book from the author in a random draw at a book festival. No conditions were set or agreed to as a condition of receipt, although a polite “thank you” appeared to be appreciated.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I first saw the blurb for First Born, I knew that it was something I'd definitely read. Lily Moore sounded like exactly my type of character. A woman who is put into a crazy situation, and deals with it like the strong female she is. I eagerly broke into this book and waited to be blown away.
 
What I noticed first off was that the beginning was a little choppy. I'll fully admit that it may have been that I was reading an ARC, but it took me around 30 pages to fully figure out what was going on with Lily. From the synopsis I surmised that she was a shapeshifter, but it is what she shifts into that was so confusing. Once I had a handle on what was happening, I had a little better time following along. I'm glad I kept reading, because things really picked up after that.
 
In fact, I actually liked Lily the further I read. She starts out a little bit lost, and definitely not a confident character. I sympathized with her and the craziness of the situation she was put into. Still, I really wanted to see the girl who mastered her fear. I wanted to see some butt-kicking! I did eventually get my wish. However, as I mentioned above, it does take a while to get to this point. There is a lot that Lily needs to learn about her past, and we learn it right along with her.
 
While First Born wasn't everything I was hoping for, it was a pretty solid read. I definitely see potential in Lily Moore's storyline, and I'd love to learn more about her. In the next book I hope the beginning is a little more fleshed out. As I said though, give this one more than just the first few pages and you'll likely enjoy it in the end! I'm looking forward to more from Tricia Zoeller.

[Stephenie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lily Moore's life has been surrounded tragic mysteries. Firstly, there was the death of her father and then the mystery behind the death of her boyfriend, Peter Marx. One night, while out on a date that quickly turns nasty, Lily shapeshifts for the first time, which sees her flee from the police and from a mysterious person who seems to be following her.

Lily's character really grew on me. At first she seemed a little lost and uncomfortable in her own skin but as the story progressed she matured and grew stronger as a person and for me this is when the story really picked up. It's no secret that I am a fan of strong female protagonists.
I loved how Lily embraced her shapeshifting abilities and her chinese heritage. It was so refreshing to read. I loved her in all her forms as well.
I enjoyed the interactions between Lily and her brother Seth. Although Lily seems to be the stronger of the two, Seth really comes into his own. I loved his humour the most.
Detective sexy or should I say Caldwell Sims, brought sexy back. I loved his protective nature of Lily and the little moments he had with her. The only problem I had was there needed to be more.

First Born is a fast paced action, urban fantasy thriller, that I could not put down. It's a great mix of humour, suspense, mystery and intrigue that keeps you turning the page. The way Zoeller wrote kept the book flowing and really suited the pace of the story.

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good Shifter book but also to anyone who enjoys unique spins on traditional supernatural stories.

[Tigrish · Rating 1 out of 5]

Someone really tried to make this a good book, and I really wanted it to be good as well, but alas. When I read the word shifters I was like "yay!" until I figured out what she shifts into. And then the whole Chinese heritage thing just failed to sound genuine. The whole book was kind of jumbled, and I didn't really feel connected to any of its characters. I wasn't even that interested in the drama at some point, I was just waiting for it to get better, only it never did.

On a side note:

What's with the burping? I mean seriously. I have no idea what that was supposed to accomplish, all it did was draw attention to the awkwardness of the writing.

[Allison · Rating 1 out of 5]

You know, I started out by giving this book 2 stars … but it's been a month now since I've read it, and I really didn't like it.

I understand that an author sometimes has to stretch to make a book stand out from the pack. Werewolves might be passé. But a ditzy main character with the ability to change into several supernatural creatures, one of which is ankle-biter sized? That's stretching it a bit (a lot) too much for me.

[Jently · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the idea and I liked the main characters but at times I found myself barely able to hang on to the thread of what was happening. After finishing the book I'm still a bit unsure about just what was resolved and what happened (and why) to some of the side characters.

[Mark Carver · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was fun. A bit hard to follow at times, but I'm looking forward to the rest of the series.

[Patti · Rating 1 out of 5]

Something missing

Watching the main character run around as an animal got old real fast.Not enough explanation or interaction. Lost my interest really fast

[Sharon Inada · Rating 4 out of 5]

Different type of shifter

This was an interesting twist on shape shifters. I really liked the take on Asian mythology to explain why Lily, and her family had the ability to shift.