Vampires, werewolves, warring couples. And that's just the day job. Ashley Keenan is a normal girl in a world that's left normal behind. She just wants to keep her head down and try to have a life. But she hadn't counted on the reappearance of Daniel Gibson, ex-lover, now a werewolf and the man she's never quite forgotten, even if she can't bring herself to date a supernatural. Worse, he's back because the vampire who killed her parents just might be coming after her. It's a fight to guard her heart and her life and sometimes to survive you have to learn to love your inner monster...
M.J Scott is a RITA® Award nominated author. She is an unrepentant bookworm. Luckily she grew up in a family that fed her a properly varied diet of books and these days is surrounded by people who are understanding of her story addiction. When not wrestling one of her own stories to the ground, she can generally be found reading someone else’s. Her other distractions include yarn, cat butlering, dark chocolate and fabric. She lives in Melbourne, Australia.
For free reads and all her news and sneak peeks sign up to her newsletter at https://www.mjscott.net!
I had decided to start this review blaming all my problems on expectations, I might have blamed some other unsuspecting reader, too. (Those who told me this was UF mostly :)...)
But then the 74% mark passed, and what was a weak book simply went banana. Up to that point I was going to say this was a good-enough PNR where the story - thank God - wasn't only focused on the couple. That it wasn't my cuppa, that I might have disliked but it was me, not you etc. etc.
Unfortunately all the remaining section of the story did prove me right (or is it wrong?). This isn't my idea of good enough. It's not my idea of two stars either. This book wasn't a DNF because I simply refused to be defeated by it. But it was a battle, let me tell you. At the end I skimmed a lot and considered this a read book. Kill me. I don't care. It will still sit on my read shelf.
*facepalm*
Ok, let me try again.
First, dear readers, please consider this is a romance, not a urban fantasy book. Yes, it's a PNR that tries hard to be one of the good guys. There's a plot and a world outside the me-and-you-lets-shag. This is certainly one of the good points. Pity the plot made mincemeat of it, but still.
World-building is dead. Like a vampire. Yes this is the usual vamp and were are within us story. But even if you don't create a magical world (we weren't told much except were and vamps are known), you still need some ground rules. So, if you create a section of the FBI dealing with the Others, I wouldn't mind a small idea of the how and why this is so. Moreover, I also expect this FBI to follow the same rules of investigations of normal detectives. Here, not so much. And it wasn't due to a different rule book. It was simply so the story could unfold. So we have the agent in charge of the investigations who makes blunder upon blunder, brings a civilian into a chase, bring the evil guy to his prey (the above said civilian), makes more than one unacceptable pass at the civilian (and no, the "oh well she is my ex, I'm still in love with her" is absolutely no excuse.)
All of this so the "love story" could unfold. Unfortunately what unfolded was my irritation at seeing a total lack of professionalism. At the end of a book an FBI branch lets a civilian get into a trap to save an agent with no backup. Just because (so she could shoe how much she actually loves him). WTH, yes I agree. I gagged a little. More than a little. And the story is full of such nits. There are some points that are holes to me .
So the hero is totally unprofessional. He doesn't understand or accept boundaries and he's dumb as fuck. (Kind of, I'm not feeling merciful at the moment.) She doesn't want a fiancee that is Other, but he can't accept it. While I can accept he's not willing to let her die, any other choice he made in this book is selfish.
The heroine is a total clusterfuck. It seemed to me that the author couldn't decide if she wanted normal or not. So her heroine moves to pitifully stupid (see under Vamp) to wonder woman, all in a day. But her lack of coherence was a tad more serious. We are told about a woman whose parents and siblings were killed by a psyco-vamp. She grew up with therapy to tolerate Others around her, but can't accept to marry one. Up to here good enough. So she broke her relationship with the guy she loved. Ok, good. She's then forced to become Other. She wants to die. She plans to kill her self. Her aunt convinces her to resist for a year. Again understandable and up to here coherent. ... Minutes after this scene it seems she's only paying lip service to that fear. The only reason she keeps him far is fear of a broken heart. No rage, no fury because he couldn't respect her wish to die. Or because even if she says she doesn't want to see him, he publicly claims her. No refusal of the were community. Nada, niet zip.
You know, I have no problems in forgiveness, as long as there's a real character growth behind. There was nothing of a kind here. Neither of them had any real reaction. Let me see her forgiving. What I saw was forgetting: "oh did I say I hated Others? Can't remember really". WTF.
Midway to the end the story moved fully into the I'm hormone-driven, I want him, but I can't have him, so let's whine. The plot unraveled into an absurd chase where everything was turned upside known. And not in a good way.
Side characters were as shallow as the rest. And I really hated the pressure (so bad romancey) where everyone and his sister was pushing the heroine toward the guy. Everyone. Where are the real friends that support you and your choice? No one respects her choices, everyone knows best. No, no, no.
I would have liked to link a five star review to balance my opinion. But at the moment there aren't any yet. Keep looking.
I picked this one up because I like the other series this author writes.
I liked the werewolf/vampire world in this one - the hero is a werewolf fbi agent and the heroine is a human forensic accountant - I like that. They were once in love, but then he changed to a wolf and they broke up. A vampire killed the heroine's family so she has trust issues with supernaturals.
My big complaint is how bratty and immature the heroine acts at times. I tried to remind myself of how much pain she has in her past because of supernaturals - but she whines and doesn't take responsibility for so many things. It really started to wear on me in the second half. I grew to dislike her.
(FYI I tend to only review one book per series, unless I completely change my mind on a series, so want to change my scoring.)
What could have been a good story was ruined by the heroine and hero. I couldn't stand the 'hero' by about page 150 and the heroine soon also had me wondering why I bothered and at that point I dumped the book. I also didn't like the side characters by about the same 150 page point, although the aunt annoyed me before that. The heroine had a perfectly natural reaction to
First time read the author's work?: No
Will you be reading more?: No
Would you recommend?: No
------------ How I rate Stars: 5* = I loved (must read all I can find by the author) 4* = I really enjoyed (got to read all the series and try other books by the author). 3* = I enjoyed (I will continue to read the series) or 3* = Good book just not my thing (I realised I don't like the genre or picked up a kids book to review in error.)
All of the above scores means I would recommend them! - 2* = it was okay (I might give the next book in the series a try, to see if that was better IMHO.) 1* = Disliked
Note: adding these basic 'reviews' after finding out that some people see the stars differently than I do - hoping this clarifies how I feel about the book. :-)
Slight SPOILERS. More and more I keep getting books with the female lead thinking she knows best and running blindly into situations she shouldn't. Ashley is no different. A vampire killed her family so all supernatural are to blame. Yet her best friend/assistant is a vampire. Stupid. She dumped a guy for unwillingly becoming a werewolf. Stupid. He wants her back, though there is nothing likeable about her and her constant refusals. She even gets territorial when he talks to other women. Stupid. She gets kidnapped yet makes deals with the kidnapper that sexually and physically assaults her and expects him to keep his word. Stupid. Then after she's free, she makes deals with another vampire, again trusting his word. Stupid. She acts like a petulant child half the time and runs around in denial. So if that's the kind of lead you like, this is for you. And one small pet peeve of mind is when the author contradicts themselves. One page red lipstick is her favorite. Then a few chapters later she doesn't care for it. Keep track of what you write, please.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Where this book really lost of me is all the women bashing. Any woman who maybe has an interest in the heroine's ex gets demeaned. Sigh.
And said ex is very bad at respecting the heroine's wishes. Also I never to make this complaint, but this was set in Seattle and there were almost no specific setting details.
I've liked other MJ Scott books and I do see this was an early one, but overall a disappointment.
I enjoyed so much of this. Great plot, great world building and loved the writing. I did struggle with the female lead as she came across so whiny about something the man who loves her did that wasn’t his fault and she makes rash decisions constantly. This did undermine the story line quite a bit as it didn’t make sense. However there was something about this authors style that draws the reader in.
This book was alittle strong for me. It was very well written and the world building was magnificent. There are scenes of torture. That is a trigger for me. I think this is really a wonderful book though. It was very intriguing.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I downloaded The Wolf Within as a free ebook from Amazon. I liked the story line and many of the relationships (Jase is a hoot and a scene-stealer), but I have to say the main female protagonist was often annoying. The author may want to consider adding a trigger warning for abuse. Well-paced, but I felt no connection to the main couple--Now, Jase would make a great lead character!
Dark. Very dark! Suspense, mystery, pain, terror! The world in this story knows about Shifters and Vampires. Ashley knows more than most because she lost her whole family to a vampire when she was a child. A particularly psychotic vampire who everyone thought was dead. Everyone was wrong, and now she’s face to face with him. Very unusual and very gothic.
A fantastic plot full of unpredictable twists and turns, unexpected surprises, and unbelievable evil! Betrayal, terror, desperation, and a love for family that knows no end! It causes you to get so involved that you are right in the middle feeling all the anguish, pain and terrible terror as the characters.
The last few days between this series and Tech Witch loving both series with strong smart heroines, nice good guys and stories with plenty of action and mystery
An interesting alternate world with humans, vampires and werewolves but it felt like heroine's treatment of the ex-boyfriend is a bit unfair at times. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I love supernatural stories and I really enjoyed this captivating and interesting story. The storyline and characters are interesting, and I like them. I also enjoyed the suspense, intrigue and twists and turns in this story. I look forward to reading more from this writer.
I love supernatural stories and I really enjoyed this captivating and interesting story. The storyline and characters are interesting, and I like them. I also enjoyed the suspense, intrigue and twists and turns in this story. I look forward to reading more from this writer.
I love supernatural stories and I really enjoyed this captivating and interesting story. The storyline and characters are interesting, and I like them. I also enjoyed the suspense, intrigue and twists and turns in this story. I look forward to reading more from this writer.
What a revelation! I’m ecstatic to have found this author and this series. Brilliant writing, relatable (even if they are supernatural) characters, and fabulous world building. This book has everything.
I really love the author's voice/writing style. This went unexpected places, which was cool. It got a little too torture-y for me at one point, but other than that, a solid read!
A ‘get-the-serial-killer-thriller’ with a fantasy twist. Give the serial killer some fangs and they become a different level of scary. Ashley, the most badass accountant who walks on the earth, and Dan, ‘the-one-that-got-away’ FBI agent with a tail and paws, are on the hunt. For a serial killer. For each other (at a snail’s pace, they put the slow in slow burn). Put some paranormal politics and belly laugh humor in the mix, and you have this book. These characters didn’t touch me like some of her other characters but I enjoyed it all the same. On a more serious note, the scene about torture and sexual abuse can be triggering for some people.
i really wanted to like the book. the only reason why i even read this book is because the author's first two books in the Four Arts series are so good and i thought that maybe this series would be just as good.
it isn't.
there's a lack of respect between everyone and the heroine Ashley - her good friend/PA, her aunt and especially the hero himself don't respect her opinion. i get that it isn't the hero's fault that he's now furry. but if Dan really loved her, he would have respected how Ashley's past trauma + him losing control after he's newly changed =s Ashley wanting to get away as far as possible from him.
but Dan doesn't respect her. he pines after her, he places her in danger, then makes Ashley like him when she expresses her wish to die. i get that Ashley has to live in order for the book to continue, but to me, the most traumatic experience isn't what Ashley suffers at the hands of the villain, but at the hands of Dan himself.
i completed this book and read the first 2 chapters of the second book in this series. i won't be completing it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
The logic in this story seemed messed up. Ashley’s family was killed by a vampire, so when the man she allegedly loved, Dan, became a werewolf (not by choice), she dumped him. Werewolves did not wipe out her family. But if she is over-generalizing to ALL supernaturals being bad, then how can she have a large number of supernatural clients and a vampire assistant? Or is it just Dan who is the bad guy for some odd reason, even though “she can’t forget him”?
Anyway, FBI Agent Daniel Gibson comes back into her life because now the vampire who killed her family is coming after her. She agonizes over having to spend each day with Dan, as they are trying to trap the vampire with her help. And the reason she is agonizing over him is that she cannot date a supernatural. (I would sure love to see her rule book.)
I didn’t particularly like the female character. And I thought Dan was foolish to even consider her as girlfriend material. The story line was choppy and didn’t flow well. This story did not keep me interested and I did not enjoy it.
This is a DNF, but not for the reasons other readers have said. I didn't actually mind the protagonist. She was a bit whine-y but nothing I haven't seen before. Of course, it could've been that I didn't get far enough into the book to discover the real problem with her.
I quit reading because the protagonist was captured and tortured. I don't like torture in my fantasy, as a rule, but can often push through it to get to the good stuff later. But this torture just went too long. I finally started skipping to different chapters to find out how long the torture would last, realized it would be close to 50 pages long, and decided it wasn't worth my time.
It's too bad, because I've really enjoyed everything else M.J. Scott has written, and do highly recommend her other stuff.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I love supernatural stories and I really enjoyed this captivating and interesting story. The storyline and characters are interesting, and I like them. I also enjoyed the suspense, intrigue and twists and turns in this story. I look forward to reading more from this writer.
Merged review:
I love supernatural stories and I really enjoyed this captivating and interesting story. The storyline and characters are interesting, and I like them. I also enjoyed the suspense, intrigue and twists and turns in this story. I look forward to reading more from this writer.
Just want to warn people thinking of reading this book that there is sexual abuse / torture, which is a big reason why I decided to drop it. I've read a lot of urban fantasy and this hasn't been an issue that has come up for me before, but I think this book really deserves a warning and could be triggering for people. I skipped through most of it but what I read was really disturbing and if I'd known I definitely would have skipped this book.