Family Heir: A Bigfoot Novel

by Sara M. Drake

Kelley longed for a normal life – to go to college, to have normal friends, and to work a nice desk job. When an unknown predator starts a killing spree, she finds herself drug back into a world that includes vampires, werewolves, and her ex-husband. Kelley agrees to lead the small team to find the murderer – which consists of one uncommunicative ex-hubbie and an inexperienced federal agent. Only shots in the night prove that Kelley has become a target and her training as a Hunter does nothing to prepare her for being hunted.

Genres: Paranormal, Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, New Adult, Paranormal Romance, Vampires

300 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 30, 2014

About the author

Sara developed her book addiction as a young child. Her concerned parents attempted an intervention and cut off her supply. These desperate times called for desperate measures forcing her to write her own stories. Since a human being cannot live on books alone, she has worked as a stage hand, care giver, active duty Air Force, college instructor, mental health counselor, and civil servant on the theory that more pay equals more books. Outside of that, she spends time developing a reputation as a crazy cat lady and irritating introvert.

Reviews

[Ginny Gallagher · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on Gin's Book NotesThis review was originally posted on Gin's Book Notes

Congratulations to Sarah Drake on her debut novel Family Heir: A Bigfoot Novel. 

Family Heir is a new adult urban fantasy that features a vast array of non-human creatures that have been or are in the process of being integrated into human society.

The main character is Kelley Venator, college student, divorcee, and next in line as leader of her "hunter" family. The hunting families serve as mediators / bounty hunters between humans and the non-human species. They're responsible for smooth negotiations during integrations, tracking and record keeping, and with enforcing human laws among the creatures.

At first Kelley's character was hard for me to like. I felt she was immature, mean, and a tad bit self-centered but as the author revealed different sides to Kelley's personality I changed my mind and really grew to like her. Actually, I struggled with connecting with all the characters at the beginning but once we hit the action and meet the first Bigfoot all the characters seemed to become more “real” and I was quickly able to make that connection that I was initially missing.

What I enjoyed about Family Heir: A Bigfoot Novel:

I loved the uniqueness of the story. I felt that the world building was solid. I especially liked how each species had unique traditions, personalities, and ways of life that were transitioned into modern society. I think that one of the strong points of the story were the culture and society issues that seemed to be part of this world where monsters and humans coexist.

Favorite Part(s):

I really enjoyed learning about the Bigfoot species, seeing their personalities, and discovering how they had remained hidden for so many years.

The "not so much":

From the synopsis we learn that an "unknown predator starts a killing spree". The beginning of the book is focused on the killer being an unknown. Unfortunately, the title of the book gives away the surprise so that there isn’t much of a mystery as to what type of creature the killer is. I would have liked to have discovered the new species as the main character did .

Overall:

I feel that Family Heir: A Bigfoot Novel by Sarah Drake is a solid start to a great new series in the NA Urban Fantasy genre.

I‘m looking forward to seeing how the Bigfoot(s) “coming out” goes and I'm curious to see how Kelley's romantic interest(s) develops.

Politics, romance, and interspecies relationships are all sources of future conflict. It will be interesting to see how the author develops and grows the characters in this series.

Quote from Family Heir:

"Mistakes happen when anyone steps out of the path of their familiar life, when they embrace the wild darkness within them," Seth said. "They do not have the experience to walk in violence unobserved."

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Giveaway

$100 Amazon Gift Card (INT)
Ends December 4, 2014

This review was originally posted on Gin's Book NotesThis review was originally posted on Gin's Book Notes

[BookLoversLife · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Kelley gets the call that she is to go hunt the thing that is ripping people apart, she has no idea what she is leaving herself in for. She is from one of the Families and it's her job to police the things that everyone thought were myth, the vampires, werewolves and often times somethings that haven't become public.

As Kelley is on her way to her parents house to get ready for the hunt, she is shot at. Who is trying to kill her and why? Is it this unknown who is killing people? As she learns what is happening, she has no choice but to plow forward and finish the hunt. Kelley along with her ex husband Troy and an supernatural cop, go into the woods to find out what is killing people.

My actual rating for this is 3.5 stars because while I did really enjoy it, there was some stuff I didn't like. I'm going to list my dislikes first.

What I didn't like -

We are supposed to go into the start of the book not knowing what is killing people but the tag alone gives it away!! There wasn't any mystery which put a dampener on the book straight away.

The characters weren't fleshed out enough. Kelley came across as selfish and mean sometimes and I had a hard time liking her. I also didn't like the way she was with Troy! We didn't get a proper sense of why Troy is like he is and why Kelley was like she was with him. I know I needed a bit more about Troy and his back story. Also Brent, what was his story?? He didn't really play that much of a part and came across as a newbie as such instead of a seasoned vet. I don't know why but, while I liked him as a character I also didn't like him as a character if you can understand.

I also didn't like the love interest. (I'm not saying who) They didn't spend a lot of time together yet they fell for each other! It felt unreal and needless.

Now onto what I liked -

I really liked the idea that the Supernatural creatures are part of the world. The Vampires and Werewolves are all accepted by the world and yet there are still unknown creatures in the world.

I liked how there was rituals and certain things you had to do when meeting the Supes. Like if the werewolves are having a baby, you have to bring diapers! It just added that little bit extra to the story.

I liked that we have a whole new Supernatural being in the world of books. This is my first Bigfoot book and hopefully it wont be my last. I've always been fascinated with the idea of Bigfoot so really liked the author's take on them.

Anyway, Family Heir was a good urban fantasy read and I will definitely pick up the next one, if there is a next one. While I had some issues with the book, it wasn't enough to make me dislike it. I think if we had a little more mystery surrounding the unknown creature then I may have enjoyed it more. Saying that, it's so nice to read a unique story and Sara Drake has definitely put her own mark on the Urban Fantasy Genre with her introduction to the Bigfoots.

[Eva Millien · Rating 5 out of 5]

An unknown predator goes on a killing spree and Kelley is forced back into a world of werewolves, vampires and her ex-husband in this fascinating urban fantasy.

Kelley is from a family of hunters and the latest mission has her teaming up with her ex-husband Troy and the new BHA Agent Brent to investigate a series of brutal murders in the mountains. Being named as the Family Heir complicates things for her not only emotionally but physically as she finds herself under attack. The reader can’t help but get caught up in this steady to fast paced plot that keeps anticipation building throughout with lots of suspense and excitement. The characters are strong, compelling and grab the reader’s attention from the very beginning ensuring that the reader wants to know everything. Although the story doesn’t have a lot of romance involved there is quite a bit of flirtation between Brent and Kelley that may lead to something in the future.

There’s never a dull moment as the author introduces readers to a whole new world where humans know about werewolves and vampires and hunters are more like a combination law enforcement and liaison than just killers. The present mission takes Kelley, Troy and Brent to the mountains and along the way Kelley finds herself at the mercy of an unknown hominid species, the Sasquatch, and Brent and Troy will have to face themselves in a spirit walk if they have any hope of finding Kelley.

The fascinating world comes to life with well written scenes and details that capture the imagination and draws the reader in as the characters face real challenges that have a whole different meaning. There are lots interesting and different elements that make for refreshingly different and unique situations and intriguing characters to keep readers well entertained. I was enthralled in the book from the very beginning and I am looking forward to finding out more about the promising possibilities of this world.

4 1/2 STARS

[Cassandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Thoughts - 4 out of 5 Unicorns - I really liked it!!!
***Received a copy of the ebook for an honest review

The cover is mysterious, and it definitely draws my attention.

Okay this novel is around 300 pages, and I’m hoping it is a series but at this point I’m not sure :)

You learn so much about this fascinating world that Sara has created in this book. Between the Families, the Hominids, the BHA, and everything else, there is so much going on. There is also a lot of places where I was laughing my butt off at Kelley’s thought processes, and I was sad several times too.

Kelley is sort of a work in progress, but I think Troy and Brent are too. They are not perfect, but they try to do what is best which I definitely admire. I want to see more of them, and this fascinating new world that Sara has created. I love how she shows that there is good and bad in everybody, and I like how moral issues are sort of mixed throughout as you read. I hated when it ended because I need to know what happens with everyone next :) I think this continues as a series that it will get better and better because building a new world takes more than just one book :)

I recommend this series to anyone who loves paranormal with a lot of stuff happening and lots of species where it is not limited to just shifters or just vampires. I can’t wait to see what Sara comes up with next :)

[Madison Woods · Rating 4 out of 5]

Family Heir was really an exciting read. I love being brought into new fantasy worlds because it really expands your imagination. As you read more books, especially fantasy, you get a new world to put your own self in so it was great.

I was really excited to read Family Heir, but a downside was how predictable it was. In the synopsis it says there is an unknown predator. However, from the cover, you can put two and two together and know what the unknown is. The book was like a dramatic irony, but not. The story does not actually tell you, but you know. The character does not know however. I wish I could be alongside Kelley and figuring out what was going on.

I liked Kelley as a character. She was really interesting to follow and she was an intelligent young woman. Of course, she had flaws at points, but what character doesn’t? Her ex-husband was a very interesting character to know also.

Family Heir is an original read, really. You read fantasy books revolved around the demon hunters and vampire hunters, but have you ever really read an urban fantasy focused around bigfoot? I do not think so! We read snippets of bigfoot experiences, but Family Heir was a totally different experience!

[Erika Messer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The premise of the story is fairly clear from the title of the book - Kelly is the "family heir" and comes from a family of hunters. So naturally I assumed I would love the book considering Supernatural and those kind of fantastical paranormal stories are exactlly what I like. I do think that they characters of Troy and Kelly have a very interesting relationship, but if there is one thing I wish it would be that there be some more complex characterization. We kind of start out in the middle of the story, and we don't get a whole lot of what happened before - it would be great if the author did a "prequel" book to go with this - I think it would really make it so much more interesting. Other than that it was a great book, I really enjoyed the scenarios. I have to say I actually liked Troy better than Kelly, I just think he was a more fascinating character. I am really hoping to see more from this author on this book to make it a series and really get more in depth with the back story and the characters. But overall I have to give it at least 4 stars because it was a really good read and it left me wanting more :) Plus the cover is amazing! I received a complimentary ebook to review.

[Jennifer Ricketts (Donnie Darko Girl) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a review copy of this book for my stop on the blog tour at Donnie Darko Girl.

Family Heir is a really cool urban fantasy novel that left me craving more. The cover drew me to reading the synopsis, sounding like a book I'd love - and I was right! The writing was awesome, the world building was creative, and the characters were a LOT of fun to read about.

Kelley is on a date when her ex, Troy, comes storming in to find her. They're needed to hunt down a killer. Attacks are increasing in frequency, and they're gory. Innocent people are being killed, even very young children. Kelley and Troy are divorced, but you don't find out why for quite a while. I was dying to know why and actually found myself wanting them to get back together when I didn't know why they split up in the first place.

In their world, scientists have confirmed the existence of creatures such as vampires and werewolves. The vampires and werewolves don't trust the government as much as they do the Families of Hunters spread out around the world. They work in conjunction with the Hunters to make sure any dangerous rogues are arrested or even killed if necessary. There was even mention of two mermen who had to be killed because they were raping and killing tourists. *shivers*

Kelley and Troy are Hunters, and their Family is based not far from where they currently live in Wyoming. They've trained as partners since they were kids. Even though they're now divorced, Troy refuses to work alone or with anyone but Kelley, which led me to start thinking he might not have wanted the marriage to end. I was looking forward to seeing how they work together and also with the addition of a newbie federal agent (Brent) whom Kelley thinks is cute and loves making him blush furiously.

Kelley is a character I loved instantly. She's witty, intelligent, and fierce when she needs to be. Troy is one of the most interesting characters I've read about - he speaks in one to two words at a time. That's it! But Kelley knows him so well she can fill in the blanks for others who don't know what he's talking about.

With everything Family Heir has going on - the interesting dynamic between Kelley, Troy, and Brent unfolding, the tension with the unlikely trio hunting down the killer, the mystery of why Kelley and Troy divorced, and the reaction Kelley has to getting sucked back into the world of werewolves and vampires that she was trying to leave behind - there's never a dull moment in this novel. There was so much I wanted to find out and had a wild ride to get there, which I'd take again any day. I highly recommend this book to fans of Urban Fantasy or to anyone who wants to escape with some really awesome characters into a suspenseful story.

[Amphitrite · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I liked: I love the concept of this novel. Not just the storyline, but the concept behind it. Werewolves and vampires just branches on the hominid tree? They’re peaceful and aren’t out to kill anyone and they have an iffy stance with the humans? Yes please. The Families mentioned in the book that serve as a sort of intermediary between the humans and the other hominids, and we learn a little about the other hominids and their cultures and way of life in the story, which is really interesting as we get a glimpse of how the hominids are treated even outside of the US because of one of the characters. I found that it was really easy for me to settle in with the different characters and I liked Troy, despite how confusing he can be at times he’s a really interesting character. I also liked Domel, a character we meet later in the book. He’s a really interesting character who I enjoyed having in the story!

What I didn’t like: I felt that this book worked better in third person POV, and wish the entire book had been that way instead of having it in first person POV for just Kelley. The third person POV was much more exciting and engaging, I found it much more comfortable to read like that than in the first person POV. Also, some of Kelley’s inner dialogue threw me off. It would have been better if the novel had also been called just Family Heir as it would have left the mystery of who the unknown predator doing the killing was.

Overall Review: Family Heir is a wonderfully new kind of novel in the sense of its concepts and execution. With solid worldbuilding that answered the main questions that I had, and characters who had interesting stories to tell, this book was an amazing debut novel for the author to pen! While it does lack in some places, the book as a whole stands very well and I’m excited to see if there will be one to follow this!

Recommend?: Yes! This sort of urban fantasy book has new qualities to its story that I haven’t read before and I can’t wait to have the chance to read it again.

[Maureen · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I started reading ‘Family Heir’ I definitely wasn’t expecting to read about a whole new ‘original’ fantasy world. Most stories about vampires and werewolves are all a little the same. I love those stories but almost always the vampires and the werewolves are the strong ones who save the day. In the world of ‘Family Heir’ this is all a little different. There are a lot of different rules in this world and there are hunters and there’s… bigfoot! Yes, Bigfoot! I loved that there was an all-new fantasy character in this book and I loved reading about the world of bigfoot.

The character who really stood out for me in this book was strangely.. Troy. I loved the mysterious ex-husband who had his communicative problems. I felt really sorry for him and I longed to find out why he and Kelley got a divorce. And when I finally did find out I felt even more sorry for him. I thought the Troy character was really charismatic and mysterious and I definitely like my dose of mystery. I also found it really touching that Kelley was almost the only one who really got what Troy was saying at times.
Brent on the other hand didn’t work for me at all. Brent was the federal agent and somehow I always think of those guys being a little more.. brave and tough. Brent just didn’t seem to fit in the picture if you ask me.

I really enjoyed ‘Family Heir’ and the new world Sara Drake created. Although I sometimes found the stories about the history, the families and the hunters a little too much information to read in a short time. I really needed to keep my concentration when I read that part. But still, it was totally worth reading about bigfoot.

[Kimber Wheaton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review

Family Heir is an urban fantasy that really wasn't anything like what I was expecting. It's less about hunting and more about supernatural politics, relationships, and discoveries. That said, once I shifted my mindset, I enjoyed the characters and the story.

There were so many things I liked about main character Kelley but some things I really disliked as well. She was young, college age, rebelling against the role her family was trying to force upon her. There were times when she seemed so deep and knowledgeable and others she seemed idiotic. By the end of the novel, she had resolved the main issue that bugged me, so I guess I can let it go.

Ex-husband Troy was an intriguing character. When he was first introduced, I didn't know what to think of him-- he was so odd. As the novel progressed and we learned his back story, I grew to really like him. Agent Brent is sweet, nice, and somewhat bland. What I liked the most about him was his loyalty and his open mind.

As you can tell from the title, this book is about Bigfoot (Bigfoots or Bigfeet). Learning about their society was interesting, if not strange. Ms. Drake has quite the imagination! I really liked the first half of the book-- it was fast-paced and full of action. Around the midpoint, everything changed and slowed down-- becoming more spiritual and politically based. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoyed the story and would definitely pick up another book about these characters.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was completely sucked into this one. It was such an original and fun idea. While it wasn't as much of a mystery as it could have been since the title tells you what to expect, it was a really exciting and unique read.
I loved that there were all kinds of supernatural creatures in the book. While we only met a few other kinds were mentioned and I hope to read more with them if there are more books to this series.
Overall I liked the characters but I did have some issues at times. Kelley is very strong willed but has anger issues and can be whiny at times. She did an unforgiveable thing to someone she loved and it didn't really make sense to me with her character.
I really liked Troy. He was a big mystery but I did slowly learn more about him. I was really rooting for Kelley to get back with him and change her ways.
Brent was ok. While he was a good guy and I liked him enough I just didn't connect as much. The POV's alternated between his and Kelley's. It was interesting to get his perspective on things but there wasn't much character building with him.
Meeting the Sasquatches was a lot of fun. I can't say that I have read any books with them and having them be an intelligent species was very intriguing.
This was a great urban fantasy read. Very different from others that I've read. I hope that the author continues and makes this into a series. I would be really interested in learning more about all the supernatural creatures and the hunter families.

[McKenzie Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

The thing I enjoyed most about Family Heir was the uniqueness of the story and plot. You rarely see books written about supernaturals other than just werewolves and vampires. Reading about Bigfoot and the Bigfoot community was really fun and interesting. Sara M. Drake gave them a unique spin with a lot of very intriguing characteristics. The main characters were very unique as well. I love that they each had a strong personality, quirks, as well as weaknesses. I also like that they explored the weaknesses of the characters a little more, but I would have liked a bit more detail. There was quite the plot twist at the end that was fun, but I would have liked more background on that particular character. Overall, I enjoyed reading this book and I am interested to see if there will be any more in this series as it seems open for more books to be written.

*I received this book in order for an honest review.

[Wattle · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 out of 5 stars.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I liked this book but I didn’t love it. However I totally recommend it to anyone that likes fantasy that is a bit unusual.

The supernatural side of the story was pretty cool. I liked the idea that hunters act as a go between for different creatures and humans, and protect those that wish to remain hidden. The Bigfoot population was really neat too, I enjoyed reading about them a lot.

The second half of the book was much better than the first half. I feel like we got to know everyone a bit more and then everything just kind of fell into place and things started to flow well.

All in all this was an interesting story that really picked up as it went along.

[JadeShea · Rating 2 out of 5]

Family Heir begins when Kelley is called on a job. This job is big, bigger then anything they've worked so far. But they have a new FBI agent whose going to be in on the Hunt, along with her ex-husband who she still seems to have issues with. It's going to be a race to find the killer before they kill again, and to see if they can survive working together.

This book was a very unique plot line. But that's about all I liked about it. I really didn't like Kelley at all. I felt she had a lot of issues, and she just wasn't a very likable person. I also hated the relationship between her and her ex-husband. It was utterly ridiculous in my opinion, and I hated it. It really made me dislike the book. So, over all the book just wasn't for me.