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Skin Witch #1

Good as Dead

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Seventeen-year-old Nina Belmonte knows her way around death; as the daughter of wolf witches lost in a magical catastrophe when she was just a baby, she grew up used to fighting on her own, tooth and claw. But her new next-door neighbor is something she’s never met, something that shouldn't exist. He’s a vampire; vicious, cunning, and determined to hunt her down and suck her dry.

Nina knows she can’t beat him alone, but the only person willing to believe her is Gideon, a young renegade agent as mysterious as the magictech organization he once worked for. Despite the danger, his presence lights up her heart with hope—and maybe something more.

Death comes for everyone, but Nina never gives up without a fight. And if she and Gideon can’t hold off the vampire’s teeth, she’ll lose everything—her family, her chance at love, and her life.

348 pages, Paperback

First published October 18, 2013

674 people want to read

About the author

A.J. Navarre

2 books17 followers

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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
Profile Image for Lou LaJeunesse.
79 reviews4 followers
April 22, 2015
I received a copy of this novel in return for an honest review.
It is not m favorite of genres but I thought it would be an interesting read. I am old school and I have begun having issues with the way this genre has gone. I got a big surprise. I thoroughly enjoyed the book. I am so glad I agreed to review it.
I try my best not to use a lot of spoilers in my reviews. I feel it defeats the purpose. If you give away too much information, it can make the possible reader feel they ahve alredy read the book so not buy it. With that in mind, if you love this genre , then this is a MUST READ.
You begin with a 17 year old girl, who is a student, one that is always on the outside. She is half witch and half werewolf. No one accepts her, she just does not belong in any group. She tries to make the best of life. She is a resiiant and responsible being. Upon her grandmother's deathbed she learns a secret. It is one that is both life changing and life threatening.
There is only one being that believes her and she does not know who to trust. Throughout the novel, the suspense and bone chilling story entwines itself into something you do not want to put down.
Although as I stated it is not written in my favorite genre, I will read anything this author writes. I enjoyed the noveel immensely.
I recommend this book to anyone that reads suspense, paranormal or fantasy fiction.
Profile Image for Jaidis Shaw.
Author 12 books280 followers
August 12, 2016
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway and I'm so glad I did! We are introduced to Nina Belmonte, a young woman struggling to make it through life. With a sister who never visits, Nina is the only one left to care for her dying grandmother. Her entire life has been a struggle of survival and Nina is determined to stay strong and do things her way. To top things off, she feels like an outcast since she is a wolf witch with absolutely no known powers. When a young and mysterious man, Gideon, walks into her life, she starts questioning everything she has grown to know. Especially when friends start disappearing and her next door neighbor is waiting for his chance to strike, craving her wolf blood.

I loved that this book had vampires that aren't what we are used to reading these days. They are more animalistic, primal, and true terrors of the night. Nina is a strong character with plenty of flaws. She must learn to compromise and allow others into her life to support her or she'll be as good as dead. My favorite character though was Gideon. I won't reveal what I liked about him as it would spoil the mystery but he is unlike any character I've read about thus far.

This book is definitely for mature readers, I'd suggest 18+. It contains lots of adult language, violence, and sexual scenes that younger readers may not be prepared for. The scenes that did contain graphic content were handled well and I'm sure many readers will appreciate it. Also, this was the only book listed on Goodreads and Amazon for this author so it may be a debut novel. If that is the case, kudos to the author for a job well done.
Profile Image for Liz.
2,372 reviews46 followers
March 21, 2015
I was given this book in exchange for an honest review. Paranormal books are not my first choice of genre but I was completely blown away by this one. A real page turner of a story that deserves to be read.

The book starts gently introducing Nina, a heroine in difficult circumstances. Left alone as her grandmother is dying, she is confused about her boyfriend and her ex best friend has crawled out of the wood work begging for help. A strange new neighbour with a photosensitivity causes makes Nina fear for her friend's safety when she disappears. Nina goes in search for answers, facing a terrifying reality where vampires are pure evil and are after her blood.

I loved Nina, an incredibly strong character even in the face of her worst nightmare. The intricate family history and the pack of wolves was a great addition. Gideon was my favourite character, the whole ink story was compelling.

A.J.Navarre was a new author to me but I will definitely be looking to read more of her work.
Profile Image for Quenby Olson.
Author 26 books372 followers
February 18, 2014
4 1/2 stars... I went into this book feeling a little wary about the whole "vampires and werewolves and witches, oh my!" premise. But it was so refreshing to see a story in which vampires are scary again! Nina is a smart, gritty heroine, and I loved that just when I thought the book was about to introduce a YA trope I'd seen a thousand times before, it twisted around and turned it on its head. Also, this book isn't for the faint of heart. There is language, there is violence, and there are pulse-pounding moments that had me holding my breath. Overall, just very well done!
Profile Image for Amanda.
Author 2 books10 followers
September 1, 2014
I'm not big on paranormal romance, and I wasn't sure what to expect, but I'm glad I read this book! It's fresh and riveting; I couldn't put it down. The heroine, Nina, is strong and relatable. The love interest, Gideon, is unique and endearing. He's very well-done. Also, I could envision everything so vividly. This book is action-packed, with skillful, polished writing and a bold voice in Nina.

Just beware of strong language and violence. Not for the faint of heart. However, I didn't find it gratuitous.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews

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