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Secret McQueen #6
Secret Unleashed
The darkest secrets are the hardest to unearth.
After her last mission tested the limits of her humanity and took her out of this world, Secret’s friends, determined to keep her safe from her old nemesis Alexandre Peyton, keep ushering her from one babysitter to the next.
Couch surfing would be a lot more fun if Alexandre would let up on her long enough to allow her to get in some alone time with her lovers. Including Holden, her self-appointed shadow.
As if living out of coffin isn’t bad enough, Secret literally brings down the house while hunting a rogue, causing the council to exile her from New York—for her own safety, of course.
With her list of people to trust getting shorter and shorter, Secret ends up embroiled in a mystery to find a vampire warden gone AWOL and a missing artifact. Things go from bad to worse when she falls into the hands of a man who will prove that humans can be the worst monsters of them all.
Warning: Contains a cross-country journey, an unexpected family reunion, heated lovers’ embraces and a hell of a lot of trouble.
This book was previously released by Samhain Publishing.
The new edition contains minor word changes but no story changes.
After her last mission tested the limits of her humanity and took her out of this world, Secret’s friends, determined to keep her safe from her old nemesis Alexandre Peyton, keep ushering her from one babysitter to the next.
Couch surfing would be a lot more fun if Alexandre would let up on her long enough to allow her to get in some alone time with her lovers. Including Holden, her self-appointed shadow.
As if living out of coffin isn’t bad enough, Secret literally brings down the house while hunting a rogue, causing the council to exile her from New York—for her own safety, of course.
With her list of people to trust getting shorter and shorter, Secret ends up embroiled in a mystery to find a vampire warden gone AWOL and a missing artifact. Things go from bad to worse when she falls into the hands of a man who will prove that humans can be the worst monsters of them all.
Warning: Contains a cross-country journey, an unexpected family reunion, heated lovers’ embraces and a hell of a lot of trouble.
This book was previously released by Samhain Publishing.
The new edition contains minor word changes but no story changes.
390 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 15, 2013
27 people are currently reading
709 people want to read
About the author
Sierra Dean
53 books623 followersSierra Dean is a reformed historian. She was born and raised in the Canadian prairies and is allowed annual exit visas in order to continue her quest of steadily conquering the world one city at a time. Making the best of the cold Canadian winters, Sierra indulges in her less global interests: drinking too much tea and writing urban fantasy.
Ever since she was a young girl she has loved the idea of the supernatural coexisting with the mundane. As an adult, however, the idea evolved from the notion of fairies in flower beds, to imagining that the rugged-looking guy at the garage might secretly be a werewolf. She has used her overactive imagination to create her own version of the world, where vampire, werewolves, fairies, gods and monsters all walk among us, and she’ll continue to travel as much as possible until she finds it for real.
She’s also a book lover (of course!), obsessive collector of OPI nailpolish and the owner of way too many pairs of shoes.
Ever since she was a young girl she has loved the idea of the supernatural coexisting with the mundane. As an adult, however, the idea evolved from the notion of fairies in flower beds, to imagining that the rugged-looking guy at the garage might secretly be a werewolf. She has used her overactive imagination to create her own version of the world, where vampire, werewolves, fairies, gods and monsters all walk among us, and she’ll continue to travel as much as possible until she finds it for real.
She’s also a book lover (of course!), obsessive collector of OPI nailpolish and the owner of way too many pairs of shoes.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews
November 18, 2013
Okay let me get a few things off my chest
Dear Sierra,
I think you need to take a major step back and rethink your love interests and Secrets attitude. I actually feel sorry for Lucas, why you might ask? Well let's start at the beginning. He recognises Secret as his mate and everything is hunky dory unt she realises that Desmond is her mate too. Okay this doesn't bother me because they are clearly very close and Desmond will always defer to his King right? Well no he screws the girl and Lucas gets mad- Secret of course won't sleep with Lucas because why would she cheat on her weaker mate with the stronger one? Through out the whole series - sure he's been a bit of an arse but he always maintained the pack would always come first and she agreed to that. But what has she done for the pack besides killing Marcus? Absolutely nothing. She claims to be the werewolf Queen only when it suits her and not when Lucas actually needs her or the pack needs her. I think you've dropped the ball on this by allowing other influences into your series. For example - Holden... I know you need to show her vampire side but really did we need Holden added into the story as a love interest? Nope , you could have worked on her relationship with Lucas and Desmond and building that back up and making it something epic.
So what I liked about your series so far...
1. I like Secret despite her being a slut ( she fucked Holden whilst the man she claims to love beyond life was in werewolf form in the next room)
2. I like the characters as separate entities but together they're just a big old mess
3. I like. Sig andJuan
4. I like the world building but again stop focussing so much on the vampires
5. Desmond
6. Lucas
7. Brigit
What I don't like...
1. The plot in this book I've read it before - evil doctor kidnaps werewolves vampires etc and experiments on them... I just felt,like the entire second half of the book came out of nowhere and made little to no sense. Expanding on the Mercy arc would have made a much more exciting read
2. Lucas continually being shafted. We get it he bit her against her will, he stood her up at the alter and he's an arse but seriously ?! Instead of having her wah wah about it why doesn't she step up to the plate help her husband unite the pack and maybe he won't be such an arse anymore. I have a horrible feeling he is going to make a come back in the next book especially with the wolf recognising him again as her mate. *sigh*
3. Why does she continually have to be with two men? It makes the reader not believe in your story if you're continually throwing men at us and expecting us to believe that she loves them. Desmond is supposed to be her true love yet she's spent what maybe two chapters with him through out the whole series? It makes the reader think she is extremely fickle and love doesn't really mean a terrible lot to her.
4. Desmond... I love him as a character but I hate that you keep screwing him over, seriously if you want us to believe in their relationship why hasn't he bitten her and completed their mating? Oh I know why because you haven't finished screwing with her and Lucas so if Desmond bites her the whole Lucas angle will be ruined.
5. I get that the ultimate goal is to have your half breed werewolf vampire heroine in a relationship with vampire and a werewolf but it just doesn't feel right and reads horribly. I just wish you'd stick to a plan and flesh it out rather than jumping allllllllllll over the place because it's damn confusing and hard to keep up... Either cut Lucas free ( we all know you won't do it) or have Desmond Mark her
6. Secret can't have kids and should be shunned right? According to Dom those who can't carry on their lineage shunned , Lucas knows she can't have kids so why is he even bothering persuing her to such a degree?
Would I recommend this series:- sigh unfortunately no. It has a good premise but nothing has been stuck together properly and I can't warm to any of the characters due to the authors complete disregard for building actually relationships
Dear Sierra,
I think you need to take a major step back and rethink your love interests and Secrets attitude. I actually feel sorry for Lucas, why you might ask? Well let's start at the beginning. He recognises Secret as his mate and everything is hunky dory unt she realises that Desmond is her mate too. Okay this doesn't bother me because they are clearly very close and Desmond will always defer to his King right? Well no he screws the girl and Lucas gets mad- Secret of course won't sleep with Lucas because why would she cheat on her weaker mate with the stronger one? Through out the whole series - sure he's been a bit of an arse but he always maintained the pack would always come first and she agreed to that. But what has she done for the pack besides killing Marcus? Absolutely nothing. She claims to be the werewolf Queen only when it suits her and not when Lucas actually needs her or the pack needs her. I think you've dropped the ball on this by allowing other influences into your series. For example - Holden... I know you need to show her vampire side but really did we need Holden added into the story as a love interest? Nope , you could have worked on her relationship with Lucas and Desmond and building that back up and making it something epic.
So what I liked about your series so far...
1. I like Secret despite her being a slut ( she fucked Holden whilst the man she claims to love beyond life was in werewolf form in the next room)
2. I like the characters as separate entities but together they're just a big old mess
3. I like. Sig andJuan
4. I like the world building but again stop focussing so much on the vampires
5. Desmond
6. Lucas
7. Brigit
What I don't like...
1. The plot in this book I've read it before - evil doctor kidnaps werewolves vampires etc and experiments on them... I just felt,like the entire second half of the book came out of nowhere and made little to no sense. Expanding on the Mercy arc would have made a much more exciting read
2. Lucas continually being shafted. We get it he bit her against her will, he stood her up at the alter and he's an arse but seriously ?! Instead of having her wah wah about it why doesn't she step up to the plate help her husband unite the pack and maybe he won't be such an arse anymore. I have a horrible feeling he is going to make a come back in the next book especially with the wolf recognising him again as her mate. *sigh*
3. Why does she continually have to be with two men? It makes the reader not believe in your story if you're continually throwing men at us and expecting us to believe that she loves them. Desmond is supposed to be her true love yet she's spent what maybe two chapters with him through out the whole series? It makes the reader think she is extremely fickle and love doesn't really mean a terrible lot to her.
4. Desmond... I love him as a character but I hate that you keep screwing him over, seriously if you want us to believe in their relationship why hasn't he bitten her and completed their mating? Oh I know why because you haven't finished screwing with her and Lucas so if Desmond bites her the whole Lucas angle will be ruined.
5. I get that the ultimate goal is to have your half breed werewolf vampire heroine in a relationship with vampire and a werewolf but it just doesn't feel right and reads horribly. I just wish you'd stick to a plan and flesh it out rather than jumping allllllllllll over the place because it's damn confusing and hard to keep up... Either cut Lucas free ( we all know you won't do it) or have Desmond Mark her
6. Secret can't have kids and should be shunned right? According to Dom those who can't carry on their lineage shunned , Lucas knows she can't have kids so why is he even bothering persuing her to such a degree?
Would I recommend this series:- sigh unfortunately no. It has a good premise but nothing has been stuck together properly and I can't warm to any of the characters due to the authors complete disregard for building actually relationships
October 12, 2013
Posted at Yummy Men & Kick Ass Chicks
I have sitting next to me a box of Kleenex, a bottle of hard liquor and a punching bag. You know what that means…it’s time to crack open a new installment in Sierra Dean’s grossly addictive Secret McQueen series.
Secret Unleashed is book six in the series and takes place a few months after the last book leaves off. Secret is being shuffled from place to place while everyone tries to keep her safe from the crazy vampire who wants to kill her. Are they successful? Is there a Peyton/Secret showdown at dusk by the end of this book? Will Peyton stay escaped? Will Secret’s mother come back for her? Will Holden and Desmond finally duke it out in a Wal-Mart parking lot?! All good questions and all queries we get answers for by the end of this installment.
Speaking of answers, yes people this is THE book. The one where we finally find out what is the deal with Sig! And OMG it’s a doozie. I loved it though. I don’t think his and Secret’s story is exactly like anyone would guess. I think there will be ‘well I thought it was something like that’ but I don’t think anyone will be able to guess it spot on. It made me smile. I am anxious to see Secret and Sig on the page in the next book together to see if their relationship changes now that everything is out in the open.
The story this time starts off one thing and ends up taking you on twists and turns you would not imagine…only to leave you off with a perfectly acceptable ending. That’s right! This one does not end with one of Sierra’s almost patented crazy-hardcore-cliffhangers! I do NOT mean you will be feeling completely satisfied. I mean you won’t want to hunt Sierra down to shake the truth out of her immediately after closing the book. I never saw the direction this book ends up taking coming. At all. But man, it broke my heart. And I believe it broke Secret too.
Secret goes through a horrible ordeal and you can tell that it changes her. I expect her to be quite different in the next book and that what happens in this book to affect how Secret reacts to everything around her in the next books. If you wished Secret would mature a little bit, I believe you get your wish in this read.
The villain in this book is the vilest villain Sierra has ever written. And that is saying something considering what sort of evil minds she has created. The thing with this guy is that, as horrible he is (and he is HORRIBLE), you can’t completely hate him because he truly believes he is a good guy. Sierra wrote him brilliantly! It is so difficult to write a villain of that caliber that readers will have trouble hating. He is not likeable; don’t think that’s what I mean. But he’s hard to despise. You will all understand what I am talking about when you read the book.
Something else that I found was well done was how Sierra took real life things (such as buildings and stories) and worked them into the story here. It brings a level of real to an otherwise very much not real world.
The ending of the book, though it may not be a super-insane cliffhanger, is great. It happens thanks to a ‘boo-ya Holden’ moment held earlier in the book and I believe it showcases the beginning of the more mature Secret. (There is also a ‘boo-ya Secret’ moment where Lucas is concerned. *grin*) And even though I keep mentioning that the end was not a get-drunk-worthy cliffhanger, that doesn’t mean the rest of the book isn’t insane in the very best of ways. As usual, this installment is one hell of a ride. You will definitely find your heart in your throat on many occasions.
Overall, I loved Secret Unleashed. Holden, Desmond, Sig and Secret all have great moments in this book. It is definitely a book you won’t be able to put down and definitely not a book you should pass up.
I have sitting next to me a box of Kleenex, a bottle of hard liquor and a punching bag. You know what that means…it’s time to crack open a new installment in Sierra Dean’s grossly addictive Secret McQueen series.
Secret Unleashed is book six in the series and takes place a few months after the last book leaves off. Secret is being shuffled from place to place while everyone tries to keep her safe from the crazy vampire who wants to kill her. Are they successful? Is there a Peyton/Secret showdown at dusk by the end of this book? Will Peyton stay escaped? Will Secret’s mother come back for her? Will Holden and Desmond finally duke it out in a Wal-Mart parking lot?! All good questions and all queries we get answers for by the end of this installment.
Speaking of answers, yes people this is THE book. The one where we finally find out what is the deal with Sig! And OMG it’s a doozie. I loved it though. I don’t think his and Secret’s story is exactly like anyone would guess. I think there will be ‘well I thought it was something like that’ but I don’t think anyone will be able to guess it spot on. It made me smile. I am anxious to see Secret and Sig on the page in the next book together to see if their relationship changes now that everything is out in the open.
The story this time starts off one thing and ends up taking you on twists and turns you would not imagine…only to leave you off with a perfectly acceptable ending. That’s right! This one does not end with one of Sierra’s almost patented crazy-hardcore-cliffhangers! I do NOT mean you will be feeling completely satisfied. I mean you won’t want to hunt Sierra down to shake the truth out of her immediately after closing the book. I never saw the direction this book ends up taking coming. At all. But man, it broke my heart. And I believe it broke Secret too.
Secret goes through a horrible ordeal and you can tell that it changes her. I expect her to be quite different in the next book and that what happens in this book to affect how Secret reacts to everything around her in the next books. If you wished Secret would mature a little bit, I believe you get your wish in this read.
The villain in this book is the vilest villain Sierra has ever written. And that is saying something considering what sort of evil minds she has created. The thing with this guy is that, as horrible he is (and he is HORRIBLE), you can’t completely hate him because he truly believes he is a good guy. Sierra wrote him brilliantly! It is so difficult to write a villain of that caliber that readers will have trouble hating. He is not likeable; don’t think that’s what I mean. But he’s hard to despise. You will all understand what I am talking about when you read the book.
Something else that I found was well done was how Sierra took real life things (such as buildings and stories) and worked them into the story here. It brings a level of real to an otherwise very much not real world.
The ending of the book, though it may not be a super-insane cliffhanger, is great. It happens thanks to a ‘boo-ya Holden’ moment held earlier in the book and I believe it showcases the beginning of the more mature Secret. (There is also a ‘boo-ya Secret’ moment where Lucas is concerned. *grin*) And even though I keep mentioning that the end was not a get-drunk-worthy cliffhanger, that doesn’t mean the rest of the book isn’t insane in the very best of ways. As usual, this installment is one hell of a ride. You will definitely find your heart in your throat on many occasions.
Overall, I loved Secret Unleashed. Holden, Desmond, Sig and Secret all have great moments in this book. It is definitely a book you won’t be able to put down and definitely not a book you should pass up.
January 10, 2015
My frustration with Secret has been festering with each book I've read, her complicated love life has angered me at times and how the guys 'put up' with this is beyond me.
So Secret falls in love with Des, no bad there, I fell in love with him too and 6 books on, I've never wavered... Lucas, I never liked him from day one, again, nothing has changed, I still don't like him but Secret's wolf bonded with the wolf king and a triangle was born! I was relieved when Secret finally woke up and ditched Lucas, the royal pain, and with the goings on in the Fae Realm in the last installment, I thought Lucas was long gone - then he awakens the bond (grrrrrrr)... However, I was always able to handle Des and Lucas because I thought Des would win... then Holden became a development - I hated the last book when lines were crossed and they remain crossed in this book too...
Having said all of this - the content of this book was by no means the same as past books... There is a dark side and an introduction to a character worthy of horror stories, The Doctor, a monstrosity of a human if ever there was! I was shocked and sickened and my feelings of concern for Secret overwhelmed me... and, although I like Holden as a 'friend' to Secret and would prefer he stepped away, my concern for him grew too...
and - HOWEVER, I, again, hated the triangle at the end... I can't stand to see this love stuff going on anymore, I hate that Des is once again or is STILL not the number 1 guy! It's pissing me off!!!
I love that Sierra Dean can rile these feelings up in her readers, there is no 'just being nice' here and likewise, there is no 'predictability'. I hate being frustrated, I hate not getting 'what I want' but I am driven to see these books through, I can't remember having to take breathers inbetween books before but I have to with Secret McQueen, I need to step away and prepare for the next big bang... I look forward to seeing what is going to happen with this (I think!)
So Secret falls in love with Des, no bad there, I fell in love with him too and 6 books on, I've never wavered... Lucas, I never liked him from day one, again, nothing has changed, I still don't like him but Secret's wolf bonded with the wolf king and a triangle was born! I was relieved when Secret finally woke up and ditched Lucas, the royal pain, and with the goings on in the Fae Realm in the last installment, I thought Lucas was long gone - then he awakens the bond (grrrrrrr)... However, I was always able to handle Des and Lucas because I thought Des would win... then Holden became a development - I hated the last book when lines were crossed and they remain crossed in this book too...
Having said all of this - the content of this book was by no means the same as past books... There is a dark side and an introduction to a character worthy of horror stories, The Doctor, a monstrosity of a human if ever there was! I was shocked and sickened and my feelings of concern for Secret overwhelmed me... and, although I like Holden as a 'friend' to Secret and would prefer he stepped away, my concern for him grew too...
and - HOWEVER, I, again, hated the triangle at the end... I can't stand to see this love stuff going on anymore, I hate that Des is once again or is STILL not the number 1 guy! It's pissing me off!!!
I love that Sierra Dean can rile these feelings up in her readers, there is no 'just being nice' here and likewise, there is no 'predictability'. I hate being frustrated, I hate not getting 'what I want' but I am driven to see these books through, I can't remember having to take breathers inbetween books before but I have to with Secret McQueen, I need to step away and prepare for the next big bang... I look forward to seeing what is going to happen with this (I think!)
August 13, 2013
I very nearly don't know where to start with this review. I mean... although Secret ultimately triumphs, the repercussions of what happens on her West Coast mission feel like they'll be far-reaching. I'm afraid for her. AFRAID.
She might be a big, bad werewolf queen/vampire big wig but she's had SO MUCH thrown at her that this newest development puts the fear in me. STAY STRONG, SECRET!
Okay. We do find out a few things about Secret's lineage/parentage/blood line thingy. What can I say about that except that it's complex. And it makes sense in the overall scheme of things. We also see what sort of hits Secret can bounce back from. Frankly, that part's not pretty. And those hits lead back to the potential repercussions of what she's now embroiled in.
Am I being vague enough for you? Sorry. (not really)
Meanwhile, things take a little step forward in Secret's tangled love life. Which is good. And I still want to kick Lucas in the junk. ALSO GOOD.
As an aside, a big chunk of this book takes place near where I live and I kinda love that. So... GO, TEAM WINCHESTER! Wait. That's not an actual "team" is it? You know, maybe it should be! Sarah Winchester, fighter of ghosties and hauntings! Righter of wrongs! Builder of big, spooky houses! Okay. I'll stop.
As always, Secret is full of fire and sass. Until she isn't. Which just makes things even more interesting.
Also, I would TOTALLY be down with a Desmond/Secret/Holden triad. Just sayin'.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
She might be a big, bad werewolf queen/vampire big wig but she's had SO MUCH thrown at her that this newest development puts the fear in me. STAY STRONG, SECRET!
Okay. We do find out a few things about Secret's lineage/parentage/blood line thingy. What can I say about that except that it's complex. And it makes sense in the overall scheme of things. We also see what sort of hits Secret can bounce back from. Frankly, that part's not pretty. And those hits lead back to the potential repercussions of what she's now embroiled in.
Am I being vague enough for you? Sorry. (not really)
Meanwhile, things take a little step forward in Secret's tangled love life. Which is good. And I still want to kick Lucas in the junk. ALSO GOOD.
As an aside, a big chunk of this book takes place near where I live and I kinda love that. So... GO, TEAM WINCHESTER! Wait. That's not an actual "team" is it? You know, maybe it should be! Sarah Winchester, fighter of ghosties and hauntings! Righter of wrongs! Builder of big, spooky houses! Okay. I'll stop.
As always, Secret is full of fire and sass. Until she isn't. Which just makes things even more interesting.
Also, I would TOTALLY be down with a Desmond/Secret/Holden triad. Just sayin'.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
January 25, 2015
4.75
I really teetered between a 4 and 5 star on this one. It had me glued to the pages and I found myself thinking about it when I wasn't reading it. Hands down my favorite in the series. Why....well lots and lots of awesome Holden moments. Also this one was quite dark and rather gruesome. Secret sure knows how to get herself in trouble and this one without spoiling anything was the big one lol! I can't wait to read the next one now.
I really teetered between a 4 and 5 star on this one. It had me glued to the pages and I found myself thinking about it when I wasn't reading it. Hands down my favorite in the series. Why....well lots and lots of awesome Holden moments. Also this one was quite dark and rather gruesome. Secret sure knows how to get herself in trouble and this one without spoiling anything was the big one lol! I can't wait to read the next one now.
October 30, 2013
This is such a fun series. It's not hard to get caught up in Secrets life and the drama it brings as it unfolds. SECRET UNLEASHED kicks off shortly after the events of book 5, a lot happens and it will leave you mentally drained by the end.
Secret always ends up caught in the middle and I love the way she thinks and handles every situation thrown at her. Secret's love life is crazy. There is Desmond and Holden, they are both sexy, supportive, and love Secret like they should. I am so conflicted, I don't know who I want Secret to love! She will just have to continue to love both of them. There were some really scary points in SECRET UNLEASHED. I didn't think everyone would make it out alive and I was right. There is no way that Secret won't be forever changed by the events that occurred. SECRET UNLEASHED also manages to bring us a good bit of fast and hard answers to some of our most sought after questions. Where is Secret's Dad? Who really is Sig and why is he so interested in Secret?
There really isn't anything I don't like about this series. The characters, the flow of events, the plot, the world, it is all well written and keeps me coming back for more. What could possibly happen next? Who knows but I will be on the roller coaster every step of the way.
Secret always ends up caught in the middle and I love the way she thinks and handles every situation thrown at her. Secret's love life is crazy. There is Desmond and Holden, they are both sexy, supportive, and love Secret like they should. I am so conflicted, I don't know who I want Secret to love! She will just have to continue to love both of them. There were some really scary points in SECRET UNLEASHED. I didn't think everyone would make it out alive and I was right. There is no way that Secret won't be forever changed by the events that occurred. SECRET UNLEASHED also manages to bring us a good bit of fast and hard answers to some of our most sought after questions. Where is Secret's Dad? Who really is Sig and why is he so interested in Secret?
There really isn't anything I don't like about this series. The characters, the flow of events, the plot, the world, it is all well written and keeps me coming back for more. What could possibly happen next? Who knows but I will be on the roller coaster every step of the way.
October 1, 2016
I survived!
Man, that was rough. I think it's my favorite of the series though.
August 29, 2018
Any book that keeps me reading until 3 a.m. to find out what happened deserves 5 stars. Secret travels from NY to LA at the request of Sig, the Vampire Leader of the East, to find out what has happened to one of his ‘children.’ What she finds out is more than he bargained on. First, she is kidnapped AGAIN but this time by a mad doctor bent on studying supernatural beings. He wants to find out how they are made up, how long does it take for them to heal, how much pain they can stand, and other nice things you wouldn’t want your doctor to try on you. While captured by this mad man, which is less than 10 days, she and Holden are tortured, and Max, their guide from the LA Tribunal suffers. The twist toward the end is quite a twist so I don’t want to reveal what happens but just know that Secret survives. Desmond plays a role and their three way romance is in full bloom. Two books to go. What could possibly go wrong?
October 15, 2013
Originally posted at http://smexybooks.com/2013/10/review-...
Favorite Quote: “If I wanted questions going unanswered, I could just watch Lost.”
Never has a book been so aptly titled than Secret Unleashed. Number six in Sierra Dean’s dark and wickedly sexy urban fantasy Secret McQueen series. In this installment, Secret learns some secrets that will leave her and readers reeling from the implications.
Recap from book five.
In book five, Grave Secret, Secret was challenged on many levels. She is forced to go to the Fae to retrieve her arsehat husband’s sister, is still trying to gain Desmond’s forgiveness, sleeps with Holden, investigates her bff for murder, and learns her mother will do anything to take the title of queen from her. And we learn exactly what anything entails. Also, as always, previously bad decision making on Secret’s part left her with a huge bill to pay…and she pays in spades here. The ending left us with a broken heart and Secret with a whole new appreciation for life.
Secret Unleashed starts off with the repercussions from Bridget’s death. As the key to keeping Secret’s nemesis, Alexandre Peyton in prison, Bridget’s death means his freedom. Secret finds herself being smothered by her friends and lovers as they seek to keep her safe while the Tribune tries to recapture Peyton. When a job goes bad and Secret lands in herself in jail, Sig has had enough and decides to send Secret to investigate a mystery for the California Vampire Tribune. Someone has stolen a valuable relic from them and they want it back. Piece of cake right? Not so fast. Before heading out to Cali, Secret learns some interesting and disturbing background information about the thief and why Sig is so interested in her. Grabbing Holden, Secret travels to California to begin her search for the missing relic. From there she uncovers a twisted mess of lies and deceptions that makes Secret long for the days when she was nothing more than an enforcer. I do want to note that I wouldn’t recommend starting here if you haven’t read the previous books. This arc is long reaching and each book picks up where the last one leaves off with almost no recap.
Secret Unleashed is a emotional roller coaster ride that ends with Secret at the proverbial crossroad. Either path she takes will result in danger and possible death. Dean provides us with some much needed answers but at the same time opens the way for new adventures. I won’t lie to you, this book is harsh. Secret is tested in ways we have never seen before.
I thoroughly enjoy the world that that Ms. Dean has created in her Secret McQueen series. From the beginning Ms. Dean has written an energetic and feisty urban fantasy with its wonderful balance of humor and suspense. Continuing world expansion and deepening character development keeps this series fresh and engaging. Non stop action and Machiavellian inspired plot lines will leave you wanting more long after you reach the end.
Emotions run high as Secret is manipulated through circumstances into a situation that may result in her becoming the hunted instead of the hunter. An action packed storyline is made even more exciting by being built around the Winchester House in San Jose, California. I visited there once and it’s absolutely incredible. And creepy. If you don’t know about this particular piece of history, you can read about it here.
The main conflict is ripe with suspense, action, and horror. The subplots begin to intertwine with the main storyline, feeding off one another to lead Secret into a situation so twisted that we aren’t sure she will survive this fight. But survival is what Secret does best, so when a new monster rears their ugly head and friends are caught in its grip, Secret’s guilt only serves to increase her anger over the entire episode. She warns all those involved that heads will roll by her hand. The ending will leave you shocked by the implications of what’s to come.
New friends are made while old friends reveal pieces of themselves that shock Secret and cause her some disconcertion. Trust is a fragile bond that stretches and in some places, brakes, leaving Secret to wonder who else has been lying to her. The romance isn’t as prevalent in here as it has been in the last few installments which I appreciated as it is my least favorite aspect of the storyline. Lucas has been persona non grata, especially after dropping his balls, errr, I mean THE ball in Grave Secret. Desmond and Holden are both at Secret’s side and while I like that they are trying not to push her, it cannot stay at this impasse. Decisions will have to be made. Plus, Lucas, the douche, still has a foot in the door as her husband and supposed soul mate so he can’t be dismissed outright. But he can be killed. *hint-hint*
Once again, Sierra Dean leaves us bloody and shell shocked as we follow Secret down the rabbit hole. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for Secret in book 7-title and release date to be revealed.
Rating: B
Favorite Quote: “If I wanted questions going unanswered, I could just watch Lost.”
Never has a book been so aptly titled than Secret Unleashed. Number six in Sierra Dean’s dark and wickedly sexy urban fantasy Secret McQueen series. In this installment, Secret learns some secrets that will leave her and readers reeling from the implications.
Recap from book five.
In book five, Grave Secret, Secret was challenged on many levels. She is forced to go to the Fae to retrieve her arsehat husband’s sister, is still trying to gain Desmond’s forgiveness, sleeps with Holden, investigates her bff for murder, and learns her mother will do anything to take the title of queen from her. And we learn exactly what anything entails. Also, as always, previously bad decision making on Secret’s part left her with a huge bill to pay…and she pays in spades here. The ending left us with a broken heart and Secret with a whole new appreciation for life.
Secret Unleashed starts off with the repercussions from Bridget’s death. As the key to keeping Secret’s nemesis, Alexandre Peyton in prison, Bridget’s death means his freedom. Secret finds herself being smothered by her friends and lovers as they seek to keep her safe while the Tribune tries to recapture Peyton. When a job goes bad and Secret lands in herself in jail, Sig has had enough and decides to send Secret to investigate a mystery for the California Vampire Tribune. Someone has stolen a valuable relic from them and they want it back. Piece of cake right? Not so fast. Before heading out to Cali, Secret learns some interesting and disturbing background information about the thief and why Sig is so interested in her. Grabbing Holden, Secret travels to California to begin her search for the missing relic. From there she uncovers a twisted mess of lies and deceptions that makes Secret long for the days when she was nothing more than an enforcer. I do want to note that I wouldn’t recommend starting here if you haven’t read the previous books. This arc is long reaching and each book picks up where the last one leaves off with almost no recap.
Secret Unleashed is a emotional roller coaster ride that ends with Secret at the proverbial crossroad. Either path she takes will result in danger and possible death. Dean provides us with some much needed answers but at the same time opens the way for new adventures. I won’t lie to you, this book is harsh. Secret is tested in ways we have never seen before.
I thoroughly enjoy the world that that Ms. Dean has created in her Secret McQueen series. From the beginning Ms. Dean has written an energetic and feisty urban fantasy with its wonderful balance of humor and suspense. Continuing world expansion and deepening character development keeps this series fresh and engaging. Non stop action and Machiavellian inspired plot lines will leave you wanting more long after you reach the end.
Emotions run high as Secret is manipulated through circumstances into a situation that may result in her becoming the hunted instead of the hunter. An action packed storyline is made even more exciting by being built around the Winchester House in San Jose, California. I visited there once and it’s absolutely incredible. And creepy. If you don’t know about this particular piece of history, you can read about it here.
The main conflict is ripe with suspense, action, and horror. The subplots begin to intertwine with the main storyline, feeding off one another to lead Secret into a situation so twisted that we aren’t sure she will survive this fight. But survival is what Secret does best, so when a new monster rears their ugly head and friends are caught in its grip, Secret’s guilt only serves to increase her anger over the entire episode. She warns all those involved that heads will roll by her hand. The ending will leave you shocked by the implications of what’s to come.
New friends are made while old friends reveal pieces of themselves that shock Secret and cause her some disconcertion. Trust is a fragile bond that stretches and in some places, brakes, leaving Secret to wonder who else has been lying to her. The romance isn’t as prevalent in here as it has been in the last few installments which I appreciated as it is my least favorite aspect of the storyline. Lucas has been persona non grata, especially after dropping his balls, errr, I mean THE ball in Grave Secret. Desmond and Holden are both at Secret’s side and while I like that they are trying not to push her, it cannot stay at this impasse. Decisions will have to be made. Plus, Lucas, the douche, still has a foot in the door as her husband and supposed soul mate so he can’t be dismissed outright. But he can be killed. *hint-hint*
Once again, Sierra Dean leaves us bloody and shell shocked as we follow Secret down the rabbit hole. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for Secret in book 7-title and release date to be revealed.
Rating: B
November 15, 2017
Secret Unleashed features:
paranormal romance
sexual content
vampire
werewolf
torture
kidnapping
mystery
suspense
paranormal romance
sexual content
vampire
werewolf
torture
kidnapping
mystery
suspense
February 17, 2014
You know what? For book after book, this series has become more and more about the messy love life of its title character. It has made me angry and frustrated –and, at times, eclipsed everything else going on in Secret’s life. Well, that ends here. Don’t get me wrong, there are still romantic entanglements. But I promise you, when you finish this book, romance will be the furthest thing from your mind. Sierra Dean took a huge, shocking turn with this installment, and I was totally blown away.
As the story begins, Secret is in hiding. Her mother still wants to kill her and so does her vamp-nemesis Peyton. She’s laying low until her comrades can neutralize the threat –or least that was the plan, until she joins Shane for a hunt with a less than subtle result. Sure she is unable to keep a low profile, Sig decides to send Secret out of town. One of his progeny is missing and Secret’s bounty hunting skills can come in handy, all while she can get away from the mean streets of New York. She takes Holden with her for back-up.
I really don’t want to spoil what happens after that. Suffice it to say that shit rains down on her in epic fashion. You think she took a hit in the last book? That was nothing. This one reminded me a lot of one of Kelly Meding’s books with how the heroine is put through the wringer. It just came out of nowhere and left me with my mouth hanging wide open. It will do the same to you.
Aside from the events I will not spoil, I can tell you there are some pretty big developments in the overall story arc. We finally learn Sig’s connection to Secret and why he has taken such a special interest in her all of these years. We spend more time with Secret and Holden –and get more insight into his view of their pseudo-relationship. We learn more about Secret’s biological father and what happened to him. There’s a big surprise about Tyler. Plus –for those who have read A Low Down Dirty Shane– we get cameos from Shane and Siobhan, which is cool to see. And there is very little focus on the love-triangle-slash-rectangle or whatever.
All around, this book was completely enthralling. It moved fast. It made me care. It kicked my ass. Just… wow.
Rating: B+
*ARC provided by author for review
As the story begins, Secret is in hiding. Her mother still wants to kill her and so does her vamp-nemesis Peyton. She’s laying low until her comrades can neutralize the threat –or least that was the plan, until she joins Shane for a hunt with a less than subtle result. Sure she is unable to keep a low profile, Sig decides to send Secret out of town. One of his progeny is missing and Secret’s bounty hunting skills can come in handy, all while she can get away from the mean streets of New York. She takes Holden with her for back-up.
I really don’t want to spoil what happens after that. Suffice it to say that shit rains down on her in epic fashion. You think she took a hit in the last book? That was nothing. This one reminded me a lot of one of Kelly Meding’s books with how the heroine is put through the wringer. It just came out of nowhere and left me with my mouth hanging wide open. It will do the same to you.
Aside from the events I will not spoil, I can tell you there are some pretty big developments in the overall story arc. We finally learn Sig’s connection to Secret and why he has taken such a special interest in her all of these years. We spend more time with Secret and Holden –and get more insight into his view of their pseudo-relationship. We learn more about Secret’s biological father and what happened to him. There’s a big surprise about Tyler. Plus –for those who have read A Low Down Dirty Shane– we get cameos from Shane and Siobhan, which is cool to see. And there is very little focus on the love-triangle-slash-rectangle or whatever.
All around, this book was completely enthralling. It moved fast. It made me care. It kicked my ass. Just… wow.
Rating: B+
*ARC provided by author for review
November 13, 2013
Rating: A
I was a little worried when Secret Unleashed had a bit of a slow start. It took me a little while to get into the book which is a first for me with Secret. But once the bad evil depraved character called The Doctor walked on the pages I couldn’t put the book down. But I’m getting a head of myself.
We’ve had a plot that was surrounded by the werewolves in Secret’s life then we took a side trip to read about the Fae now it’s the vampire’s turn to have a full plot. Sig sends Secret and Holden across country to California to help the West Coast Tribunal. Secret needs to find a vampire that’s gone MIA and it believed to have turned rouge.
I had a prediction books ago (maybe book 2 or 3) about Sig’s relationship to Secret and I was pretty much spot on. I love it when that happens. LOL So that’s one answer we get from Secret’s life. Another answer of sorts deals with her father. Secret has never meet him but that changes with this installment.
Once we make the move to California I thought sweet a book with NO Lucas. But no Dean can’t grant that wish. The douche bag has to show up for one scene. UGH But she did make me happy with this interaction between Sig and Secret when she asks him to protect the people who is hers while she is out-of-town.
“And what about your wolf king, Lucas Rain? Is he yours as well?” ”Fuck him.”
My thoughts exactly!
Ok so Secret gets some long-awaited answers about some of her family connections but not for free. Sierra Dean put Secret through hell! Which brings us back to The Doctor. (shivers) Best. Villain. Ever. I can’t talk about it what all she went through but just know that there is no way Secret can be the same person after what she went through. It was things that nightmares are made of. In fact The Doctor and the surprised ending and somewhat cliffhanger ending is what moved my rating from a B to an A.
Now the long wait for the 7th book in the series, Cold Hard Secret. Which I predict our Secret will be dealing with some serious PTSD.
I was a little worried when Secret Unleashed had a bit of a slow start. It took me a little while to get into the book which is a first for me with Secret. But once the bad evil depraved character called The Doctor walked on the pages I couldn’t put the book down. But I’m getting a head of myself.
We’ve had a plot that was surrounded by the werewolves in Secret’s life then we took a side trip to read about the Fae now it’s the vampire’s turn to have a full plot. Sig sends Secret and Holden across country to California to help the West Coast Tribunal. Secret needs to find a vampire that’s gone MIA and it believed to have turned rouge.
I had a prediction books ago (maybe book 2 or 3) about Sig’s relationship to Secret and I was pretty much spot on. I love it when that happens. LOL So that’s one answer we get from Secret’s life. Another answer of sorts deals with her father. Secret has never meet him but that changes with this installment.
Once we make the move to California I thought sweet a book with NO Lucas. But no Dean can’t grant that wish. The douche bag has to show up for one scene. UGH But she did make me happy with this interaction between Sig and Secret when she asks him to protect the people who is hers while she is out-of-town.
“And what about your wolf king, Lucas Rain? Is he yours as well?” ”Fuck him.”
My thoughts exactly!
Ok so Secret gets some long-awaited answers about some of her family connections but not for free. Sierra Dean put Secret through hell! Which brings us back to The Doctor. (shivers) Best. Villain. Ever. I can’t talk about it what all she went through but just know that there is no way Secret can be the same person after what she went through. It was things that nightmares are made of. In fact The Doctor and the surprised ending and somewhat cliffhanger ending is what moved my rating from a B to an A.
Now the long wait for the 7th book in the series, Cold Hard Secret. Which I predict our Secret will be dealing with some serious PTSD.
June 29, 2022
Hello mes mordus, me voila avec ce tome 6. J'ai laissé passé quelques semaines avant de revenir dans les aventures de Secret McQueen et je ne suis pas déçue. Après avoir pris un immeuble sur la tête, pour une fois que ce n'était pas de sa faute, Secret doit disparaitre pour se faire oublier de Peyton, le vampire bien méchant qui tire dans l'ombre des ficelles prêt à tirer n'importe quelle flèche pour l'atteindre. Sig décide de l'envoyer dans un autre tribunal afin de servir ses intérêts bien entendu. Comme c'est une affaire de vampires, Desmond ne peut pas en être, mais Holden si. La voila partie avec son protecteur et Ingrid, l'humaine de Sig afin de réduire les ennuis en quelque sorte. Rien de bien compliqué, alors qu'elle débarque comme une fleur, elle va devoir récupérer un Gardien qui a disparu depuis plusieurs jours/semaines après avoir accepté une mission de la plus haute importance de ce tribunal qui ressemble en tout point au sien. (Un casse-pied, un de mauvais poil, un plus élevé que les autres). Retrouver un vampire, rien de plus facile, surtout lorsque nous savons où il devait aller. Mais c'est sans compter que les ennuis collent à la peau de Secret et que cette aventure va être plus sombre, plus sanglante et nous nous demandons même si elle va en ressortir indemne.
Le début est plutôt lent, même si elle doit pourchasser un vampire cruel qui s'amuse à enlever et torturer les petites filles pour son plus grand plaisir. C'est là que nous apercevons l'un de ses gardiens qui a évolué, même s'il est toujours un humain. Et puis Holden qui reste imperturbable dans son costume à plusieurs chiffres alors qu'il doit se battre. Et le débarquement dans la cité des anges qui semble assez à couteaux tirés. Un chef du tribunal qui en rencontre d'autres, il y a une tension, pas sexuelle, mais plutôt de pouvoir à qui l'aura la plus longue (la langue je parle bien entendu). Nous retrouvons Lucas (grrrr, je sors les crocs) car j'ai toujours autant de mal avec lui. Il est un roi, certes, mais il n'est plus au temps où lui parle les autres se taisent. Imbu de lui-même, il cache malgré tout un point qui lui fait mal et cela me fait sourire, avec tout ce qu'il a fait vivre à Secret, ce n'est que justice. Avec des mots que Secret a pu dire à Sig, je me dis qu'il ne va pas faire long feu ce petit roi de pacotille... Et puis, nous tombons donc sur une enquête et le carnage qui suit. Honnêtement je ne m'attendais pas à ce kidnapping et surtout à tout ce qui a suivi. Attention âmes sensibles, ce tome est très sombre et nous tombons sur le côté humain de personnages que nous n'avions pas vu ni même entendu. Mais alors c'est dingue ! Secret qui se prenait pour un monstre, nous découvrons qu'il n'en est rien. Oui, elle est mi-vampire, mi-loup-garou, mais au final, le monstre n'est pas celui que l'on croit.
Comment vous dire que si le début m'a laissé de marbre, de même avec la révélation de ce gardien disparu qui est connu de Secret par le nom, la suite dans le complexe est terrible et fais réfléchir. Ce que nous avons entre ses pages sont dignes de ce qui a pu se passer durant certaines guerres mondiales. Pas de gore dans le sens où les actes sont froids, calculateurs, au nom d'une science qui ne devrait pas exister. Les scènes laissent entendre les horreurs sans nom sur d'autres comme elle, différentes par nature, mais pas humaines, pas totalement. Le physique se soigne, mais le mental lui peut aller au-delà de tout. Plus nous avançons dans les scènes et plus nous nous disons qu'il va forcément y avoir des pertes, encore et c'est forcément le cas. Il n'y a pas de sadisme, même si de l'extérieur nous pourrions le croire. Le docteur est un personnage impressionnant qui a un but, une vision des choses et veut absolument comprendre ce qui l'entoure. C'est à la fois malsain de le pratiquer de la sorte et honorable de ne pas tuer les fameux monstres par peur. Non, il eut comprendre et si je suis contre sa façon de faire, il n'est pas le seul à chercher à comprendre ce que sont tous ces Secret et compagnie.
Un tome plus sombre physiquement et mentalement, nous laissant dans quelques flous malgré tout. Comment un humain peut réussir à faire cela malgré les années d'expérience qu'il a ? Il n'a pas de force, de pouvoir autre que celui de créer la peur en laissant volontairement ces patients dans un monde à part. Un autre point qui aurait pu être développé, je pense à cette fameuse porte qui mène à une fenêtre... Comment ont-ils faits pour être pris de cette façon ? Je reste sur ma faim pour certaines scènes, un peu plus de détail, de descriptifs auraient vraiment été un plus. Psychologiquement, Secret et d'autres personnages ont pris cher sans s'étaler sur leurs conditions. Elle a un but et ne va plus en déroger. Le besoin d'être auprès de Desmond est fort, et même s'ils ne sont pas liés comme elle a pu le faire à un moment donné avec Lucas, il saura la retrouver, même en enfer. Pour ma part, il ne devrait pas y avoir de trio amoureux, elle va bien avec lui qui est en dehors des vampires en quelque sorte. Même si elle a deux parts en elle, elle ne pourra pas durer longtemps avec les deux hommes qui ne peuvent pas se voir, mais l'aiment. Choisir est difficile et quel que soit le choix de l'auteur, j'aimerais juste qu'il n'en reste qu'un.
Les quelques ennuis sur le livre en lui-même semblent se résoudre petit à petit. Les pages restent collées entre elles et il n'y a que le chapitre treize qui s'est fait manger niveau disposition, il est à la suite du dernier paragraphe du chapitre 12 comme s'il faisait partie du douzième.
En conclusion, nous sommes plus dans l'horreur avec la seconde partie de ce tome est c'est ce que j'ai préféré, pour la complexité de ce qui se passe dans l'esprit de Secret. Il est différent dans le sens où nous passons de l'autre côté, celui où les humains cachent bien leur jeu et nous avons des surprises jusqu'au bout. La recherche de ce gardien est un peu mise de côté surtout lorsque Secret n'est plus elle-même. Nous en apprenons beaucoup plus sur Sig et il est facile de comprendre maintenant pourquoi il semble si proche de notre héroïne. Je sais que je lirais la suite, vu que j'ai acheté les deux derniers tomes de cette série en croisant les doigts sur certains points.
http://chroniqueslivresques.eklablog....
Le début est plutôt lent, même si elle doit pourchasser un vampire cruel qui s'amuse à enlever et torturer les petites filles pour son plus grand plaisir. C'est là que nous apercevons l'un de ses gardiens qui a évolué, même s'il est toujours un humain. Et puis Holden qui reste imperturbable dans son costume à plusieurs chiffres alors qu'il doit se battre. Et le débarquement dans la cité des anges qui semble assez à couteaux tirés. Un chef du tribunal qui en rencontre d'autres, il y a une tension, pas sexuelle, mais plutôt de pouvoir à qui l'aura la plus longue (la langue je parle bien entendu). Nous retrouvons Lucas (grrrr, je sors les crocs) car j'ai toujours autant de mal avec lui. Il est un roi, certes, mais il n'est plus au temps où lui parle les autres se taisent. Imbu de lui-même, il cache malgré tout un point qui lui fait mal et cela me fait sourire, avec tout ce qu'il a fait vivre à Secret, ce n'est que justice. Avec des mots que Secret a pu dire à Sig, je me dis qu'il ne va pas faire long feu ce petit roi de pacotille... Et puis, nous tombons donc sur une enquête et le carnage qui suit. Honnêtement je ne m'attendais pas à ce kidnapping et surtout à tout ce qui a suivi. Attention âmes sensibles, ce tome est très sombre et nous tombons sur le côté humain de personnages que nous n'avions pas vu ni même entendu. Mais alors c'est dingue ! Secret qui se prenait pour un monstre, nous découvrons qu'il n'en est rien. Oui, elle est mi-vampire, mi-loup-garou, mais au final, le monstre n'est pas celui que l'on croit.
Comment vous dire que si le début m'a laissé de marbre, de même avec la révélation de ce gardien disparu qui est connu de Secret par le nom, la suite dans le complexe est terrible et fais réfléchir. Ce que nous avons entre ses pages sont dignes de ce qui a pu se passer durant certaines guerres mondiales. Pas de gore dans le sens où les actes sont froids, calculateurs, au nom d'une science qui ne devrait pas exister. Les scènes laissent entendre les horreurs sans nom sur d'autres comme elle, différentes par nature, mais pas humaines, pas totalement. Le physique se soigne, mais le mental lui peut aller au-delà de tout. Plus nous avançons dans les scènes et plus nous nous disons qu'il va forcément y avoir des pertes, encore et c'est forcément le cas. Il n'y a pas de sadisme, même si de l'extérieur nous pourrions le croire. Le docteur est un personnage impressionnant qui a un but, une vision des choses et veut absolument comprendre ce qui l'entoure. C'est à la fois malsain de le pratiquer de la sorte et honorable de ne pas tuer les fameux monstres par peur. Non, il eut comprendre et si je suis contre sa façon de faire, il n'est pas le seul à chercher à comprendre ce que sont tous ces Secret et compagnie.
Un tome plus sombre physiquement et mentalement, nous laissant dans quelques flous malgré tout. Comment un humain peut réussir à faire cela malgré les années d'expérience qu'il a ? Il n'a pas de force, de pouvoir autre que celui de créer la peur en laissant volontairement ces patients dans un monde à part. Un autre point qui aurait pu être développé, je pense à cette fameuse porte qui mène à une fenêtre... Comment ont-ils faits pour être pris de cette façon ? Je reste sur ma faim pour certaines scènes, un peu plus de détail, de descriptifs auraient vraiment été un plus. Psychologiquement, Secret et d'autres personnages ont pris cher sans s'étaler sur leurs conditions. Elle a un but et ne va plus en déroger. Le besoin d'être auprès de Desmond est fort, et même s'ils ne sont pas liés comme elle a pu le faire à un moment donné avec Lucas, il saura la retrouver, même en enfer. Pour ma part, il ne devrait pas y avoir de trio amoureux, elle va bien avec lui qui est en dehors des vampires en quelque sorte. Même si elle a deux parts en elle, elle ne pourra pas durer longtemps avec les deux hommes qui ne peuvent pas se voir, mais l'aiment. Choisir est difficile et quel que soit le choix de l'auteur, j'aimerais juste qu'il n'en reste qu'un.
Les quelques ennuis sur le livre en lui-même semblent se résoudre petit à petit. Les pages restent collées entre elles et il n'y a que le chapitre treize qui s'est fait manger niveau disposition, il est à la suite du dernier paragraphe du chapitre 12 comme s'il faisait partie du douzième.
En conclusion, nous sommes plus dans l'horreur avec la seconde partie de ce tome est c'est ce que j'ai préféré, pour la complexité de ce qui se passe dans l'esprit de Secret. Il est différent dans le sens où nous passons de l'autre côté, celui où les humains cachent bien leur jeu et nous avons des surprises jusqu'au bout. La recherche de ce gardien est un peu mise de côté surtout lorsque Secret n'est plus elle-même. Nous en apprenons beaucoup plus sur Sig et il est facile de comprendre maintenant pourquoi il semble si proche de notre héroïne. Je sais que je lirais la suite, vu que j'ai acheté les deux derniers tomes de cette série en croisant les doigts sur certains points.
http://chroniqueslivresques.eklablog....
October 19, 2014
Dean does it again. I've read this book a while ago but just got to the point of writing the review.
I love this woman for the way she writes, in every other series with reoccurring characters you find that by this point it all gets watered down a bit, but not with Dean, she just keeps on bringing out the awesome.
in this particular novel we deal a bit with Sig, a helluva opening there for the next one. Sig the pervy uncle....lol. Did not see that one coming, did you????
And Lucas godamn Rain, keep going back and forth with him, half hoping he will sort his shit out, and half wanting to dropkick him in the nuts. Well at least Dean sticks to her characters in a very real way that people don't change that often, or so easily or we would all live magic lives.
Hope Des gets some attention soon, he's my fave guy here and i feel like he's been neglected a bit. *sad face*
What is there left to do???? But sit and wait for the next one????
I love this woman for the way she writes, in every other series with reoccurring characters you find that by this point it all gets watered down a bit, but not with Dean, she just keeps on bringing out the awesome.
in this particular novel we deal a bit with Sig, a helluva opening there for the next one. Sig the pervy uncle....lol. Did not see that one coming, did you????
And Lucas godamn Rain, keep going back and forth with him, half hoping he will sort his shit out, and half wanting to dropkick him in the nuts. Well at least Dean sticks to her characters in a very real way that people don't change that often, or so easily or we would all live magic lives.
Hope Des gets some attention soon, he's my fave guy here and i feel like he's been neglected a bit. *sad face*
What is there left to do???? But sit and wait for the next one????
November 18, 2013
Honesty I felt like the whole book could have taken place in a couple of chapter instead of a book. The bad man is after Secret so she gets ship out to California to deal with a problem that just happens to involve her father who just happens to have been made by one of Sig children. So Secret and Sig have a closer relationship then we ever knew. I don't think anyone was surprised by that news. Holden and Secret get kiddnapped and tortured by a different bad guy then they get saved and go home the end.
I didn't see any character growth Secret is still a lost cause when it comes to relationships. The reader does not get any new information except about Secret's father. For me it was not worth the read.
I didn't see any character growth Secret is still a lost cause when it comes to relationships. The reader does not get any new information except about Secret's father. For me it was not worth the read.
October 18, 2013
HELLO PEOPLE!!!! DID ANY OF YOU READ THE SAME BOOK I DID?? THE LAST 50% OF THE BOOK WAS A WASTE. NOTHING WAS DONE WITH PEYTON AND HER MOM WANTING HER DEAD, (SHE WENT INTO HIDING BECAUSE OF PEYTON AND NEVER ONCE ENCOUNTED HIM AND HER MOM KILLED HER BEST FRIEND IN THE LAST BOOK AND SHE NEVER SAW HER) NOTHING WAS DONE WITH LUCAS AND THE EVER SO IMPORTANT PART SECRET PLAYS WITH HIM IN HIS WORLD (SHE IS HIS PACK'S QUEEN). WE GOT A PARAGRAPH WITH HER AND HER FATHER WHO SHE NEVER MET IN HER LIFE?? ARE YOU KIDDING ME RIGHT NOW?????? DID I MENTION THE LAST 10% OF THE BOOK WAS ALL OTHER AUTHORS BOOKS??? I THINK I WILL WAIT TILL THE SERIES IS DONE, SO I CAN READ ALL THE SPOILERS BEFORE I DECIDE TO FINISH THE SERIES!!!!
TRULY UPSET READER!!!!!
TRULY UPSET READER!!!!!
November 9, 2013
***Some may feel the following review has spoilers***
I was really let down by this book. I got it as soon as it was released because I was anxious to find out what Secret was going to do about her position on the council, her mother, Peyton,Lucas,Desmond,Holden and if she was going to come to terms with her dual nature. None of that happened. She seems to be even weaker now that in the first book. She gets knocked out a couple times, beaten and tortured.I see no character growth for Secret, it feels like she regresses. I feel like I threw my money away. I really liked the series but this one left a lot to be desired.
October 14, 2013
Started off well but I didn't enjoy the latter part of the book. Too much of Secret being tortured and helpless. I prefer kick ass snarky Secret. Loved finding out why Sig has shown such an interest in Secret. Still not caring for the love triangle and my previous comments stand. Don't dislike Desmond just don't feel anything between him and Secret. Secret & Desmond's love is a classic case of tell rather than show. While with Hunter it is show don't tell which is why they make a much more believable couple.
July 10, 2013
I want to have babies with this book. Sierra Dean is a genius!
Review to come closer to release date.
Review to come closer to release date.
November 21, 2013
Disturbing. This book will give me nightmares. And the resolution was completely rushed. Along with 1 decent sex scene, it was just disappointing
August 27, 2017
I read the final 4 Secret McQueen books back-to-back, so I can't really tell one from another. In two of the books, Secret is getting her ass handed to her in the usual dark urban fantasy ways. There's medical torture, for example. Then she turns it around, disposing of her enemies, and finally fighting zombies. Because EVERY book written at that time has zombies in it. It's apparently a rule - all UF authors must incorporate zombies, even if they don't fit in the book's world. The overall ending is a bitter sweet (some characters do die), but still satisfying.
October 26, 2022
This was an interesting addition to the Secret Saga. She cruises the country to track down a rogue who ends up being her father. But in the meantime, she is kidnapped and tortured. There is plenty of intrigue in this book, and I liked how they moved it forward.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 9, 2017
Best Secret book yet. Also the most horrific. I’m looking forward to how the events in this book will change Secret in the next book.
July 12, 2023
Just once I'd like to see a story where the author doesn't create angst over a love triangle and just embraces polyamory.
August 9, 2024
Great book in the series, just wasn’t a fan of the very descriptive torture scenes-also, the love triangles, frustrating af!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 2, 2025
Here we go with Secret and her crusade to roam freely as she owns the entire universe. It is getting repetitive with Secret not moving forward as a character. She has 2 men lurking by her side with no purpose. Lucas, the Ex Fiancé is still around with Miss Secret declaring that she is the Queen of Werewolves when it suits her ego.
Other than the loss of the young vampire Brigitte, and Secret’ Mother finally showing her insecurity with her uncivilized goons, this book is no different than the previous 2.
Other than the loss of the young vampire Brigitte, and Secret’ Mother finally showing her insecurity with her uncivilized goons, this book is no different than the previous 2.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 23, 2017
More Reviews: Lazy blog Day
Without a doubt the best damned book in this series so far! It was Exciting and Enthralling. Sexy and Scary as hell. Perfect! Secret Unleashed is Crazy, with Secret facing family and the ever-present choice between a Smokin' Werewolf and a Sexy Vampire, plus throw in another ex-boyfriend/mate Werewolf wanting her back and a maniac playing doctors and you're done...
This Type of stories that manage to get to the sixth book often may get a boring and repetitive but Sierra Dean has none of that! She's unique in her way of writing so she makes every book feel special. Managing to bring us a different story in each book with lots of danger, brand new enemies and problems with a whole lot of feel. This book will for sure chance the way you see some of the character because I found myself hating some of my all time favorites.
This is what I Love about Secret, just when you think that there is nothing MORE that she can get herself into she goes and manages to get yet another person wanting to kill her. It's a part of her I learned to love... Only if she managed to close her mouth or respect someone who warns her not to do something... But if that was the case we wouldn't have such an adrenaline filled book nor that many interesting enemies wanting to take down this tiny blonde that can kick your ass in a minute...
Can I just Say that Sig is the cutest thing ever. Before I wouldn't have even dared to call Sig cute but this book changed how I see him and now for sure I see the care and worry over Secret. and now we will know why as well. He's still hot and impossible but my viewing of him was definitely altered after I finished the book.
I knew he cared about me in a weird, twisted way. My death would upset him. It would inconvenience him. And Sig didn’t like to be inconvenienced.
FYI I am still hoping for a Threesome relationship between Holden, Secret and Desmond... And maybe add in Lucas and wouldn't it be the coolest thing ever? Hell yes, I support it!
A heart can only be divided so many times before the pieces stop feeling anything. How many times can yours be divided?”
Is it too bad that I like Lucas and kind of wanted him to be more present in the book? I know that he leaving Secret in the alter was bad but we see his desperation over not having his mate by his side... And it makes me feel sorry for him. Besides with the mind blowing kiss that they are going to be sharing in here (Ups.) it's difficult for me to hate Lucas!
They say hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. That goes quadruple for a woman stood up on her wedding day.
I am seriously not liking Desmond in this book. Sorry but he's too AWOL and always getting into Secret's vampire side. It's killing me because he used to be my number one character/choice for Secret and know I am a bit disappointed with him. I feel like the spark between Des and Secret is mainly gone. Or I just favor Holden too much.
Holden is perfect. Perfect for Secret and a perfect character overall. I literally turn into a love sick teenager when he starts talking because it's humanly impossible to resist his charms or the sexy as hell moments he will share with Secret. This book was so good for him and now I think That Secret can really see who she should choose and just be with Holden.
But it was the faint turn of a smile on his lips that hooked me. Holden had a way of taking the most terrifying situations and twisting them on their heads to distract me from the danger. Either by annoying me so intensely I wanted to murder him, or making me forget there was any risk by charming the pants off me.
(...)
“I watched those dogs circle, watched how they treated you like a toy they could share. No one has ever been good enough for you. No one has loved you the way I’ve loved you.”
Is there a word good enough to describe this book? No, that's what I tried to do with this freakish long review but it's still not enough and it will never be, because this book is AWESOME! Yes, that's still not good enough...
Without a doubt the best damned book in this series so far! It was Exciting and Enthralling. Sexy and Scary as hell. Perfect! Secret Unleashed is Crazy, with Secret facing family and the ever-present choice between a Smokin' Werewolf and a Sexy Vampire, plus throw in another ex-boyfriend/mate Werewolf wanting her back and a maniac playing doctors and you're done...
This Type of stories that manage to get to the sixth book often may get a boring and repetitive but Sierra Dean has none of that! She's unique in her way of writing so she makes every book feel special. Managing to bring us a different story in each book with lots of danger, brand new enemies and problems with a whole lot of feel. This book will for sure chance the way you see some of the character because I found myself hating some of my all time favorites.
This is what I Love about Secret, just when you think that there is nothing MORE that she can get herself into she goes and manages to get yet another person wanting to kill her. It's a part of her I learned to love... Only if she managed to close her mouth or respect someone who warns her not to do something... But if that was the case we wouldn't have such an adrenaline filled book nor that many interesting enemies wanting to take down this tiny blonde that can kick your ass in a minute...
Can I just Say that Sig is the cutest thing ever. Before I wouldn't have even dared to call Sig cute but this book changed how I see him and now for sure I see the care and worry over Secret. and now we will know why as well. He's still hot and impossible but my viewing of him was definitely altered after I finished the book.
I knew he cared about me in a weird, twisted way. My death would upset him. It would inconvenience him. And Sig didn’t like to be inconvenienced.
FYI I am still hoping for a Threesome relationship between Holden, Secret and Desmond... And maybe add in Lucas and wouldn't it be the coolest thing ever? Hell yes, I support it!
A heart can only be divided so many times before the pieces stop feeling anything. How many times can yours be divided?”
Is it too bad that I like Lucas and kind of wanted him to be more present in the book? I know that he leaving Secret in the alter was bad but we see his desperation over not having his mate by his side... And it makes me feel sorry for him. Besides with the mind blowing kiss that they are going to be sharing in here (Ups.) it's difficult for me to hate Lucas!
They say hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. That goes quadruple for a woman stood up on her wedding day.
I am seriously not liking Desmond in this book. Sorry but he's too AWOL and always getting into Secret's vampire side. It's killing me because he used to be my number one character/choice for Secret and know I am a bit disappointed with him. I feel like the spark between Des and Secret is mainly gone. Or I just favor Holden too much.
Holden is perfect. Perfect for Secret and a perfect character overall. I literally turn into a love sick teenager when he starts talking because it's humanly impossible to resist his charms or the sexy as hell moments he will share with Secret. This book was so good for him and now I think That Secret can really see who she should choose and just be with Holden.
But it was the faint turn of a smile on his lips that hooked me. Holden had a way of taking the most terrifying situations and twisting them on their heads to distract me from the danger. Either by annoying me so intensely I wanted to murder him, or making me forget there was any risk by charming the pants off me.
(...)
“I watched those dogs circle, watched how they treated you like a toy they could share. No one has ever been good enough for you. No one has loved you the way I’ve loved you.”
Is there a word good enough to describe this book? No, that's what I tried to do with this freakish long review but it's still not enough and it will never be, because this book is AWESOME! Yes, that's still not good enough...
October 26, 2013
It is very hard for me to write a coherent review about this book, without spoiling anything, so be warned, skip this review if you want to be surprised by it.
After the sad events in the previous book, the one vampire who hates Secret McQueen, Vampire Tribunal and Werewolf Queen, the most, has escaped his prison. He has also evaded being taken captive again for weeks now, and for her own safety, Secret is forbidden to return to her own small apartment. Being shuffled from friend to friend, not being allowed to go outside on her own, being escorted by one of her friends/lovers, is stifling. Secret’s dual nature makes her want to hunt, but she is protected from all the “fun”. Until she goes to her friend Shane’s house and meets his new girlfriend there. Shane needs their help in defeating Grendel, a notorious and gigantic vampire rogue. But it is all an elaborate setup, and Secret almost dies when the building blows up.
Sig, the Vampire Tribunal leader, has had enough, and sends her to San Francisco, to Hollywood, to help him out with one of his prodigy who is apparently behaving badly. If the man has gone rogue as the Tribunal over there thinks, Secret will have to deal with him. Secret doesn’t want to go, she does not want to leave her werewolf boyfriend Desmond behind, but she has no choice. She cannot possible arrive there with a werewolf in tow; it would destroy all her credit and the respect due to her rank. And so with only Holden with her, and Sig’s own personal daytime servant Helga (who seems to hate Secret more each day) they take a plane where the vampires will have to ride in the cargo hold. Secret is not pleased or amused by this, she hates small places, but she has no choice at all in the matter. It has been decided for her.
When Secret finds out what Sig has neglected to tell her about the missing vampire, she is livid. He made a fool out of her in front of the other Tribunals, he should have told her. And as the missing vampire is his progeny, where does that leave her? What is their bond? The attraction she is feeling beneath the terror, has suddenly turned very icky.
Secret also finds out that the Tribunal is lying to her, about the artefact they want retrieved, but she wants to find the missing vampire, it has become very personal for her now. And when they follow his trail, and Secret connects with him in his dreams, she does not heed the warning, and will regret that very, very much.
Sutherland has been taken captive by a human monster, who is determined to find out how vampires and werewolves and the likes work. And with Secret, he has a new type of specimen to dissect …
What a great story, action packed and with lots of twists and turns. I really felt for Secret, what happened to her was truly horrible, but she came out of it stronger. She has finally accepted herself for what she is, and that is not human. Secret takes a stand, even against Sig and the other Tribunal, and I admire her for that. But wow, what a lot of surprises in this book. And pain.
As for Secrets’ love interests, I already loathe and hate her werewolf King, Lucas. I hope he dies a horrible and painful death in the next book, as it did not happen in this one. I think Desmond is showing some more potential now, some more backbone, and I like that in him. But Holden truly loves her, he has seen her grown from a young girl in the woman she is today. And I have to admit, after this story, I have given up my preference for Sig. He is still intriguing and dangerous and he cares about Secret, but not in the right way. So, since Holden and Desmond have made some kind of truce, I do hope Secret will be happy for a while. After all, her vampire half wants Holden, and her wolf thinks of Desmond as her mate. But don’t think Secret is some kind of Anita Blake character (whom I love too), she only sleeps with one of her men in this book.
I really can’t wait to find out what will happen to Secret next. Of course her nemesis is still on the run, but with this new human development in the story, everything is possible. I love it.
Sierra Dean is a great author to have the series still so fresh and fun and intriguing after 6 books. I like her main characters, and the secondary characters are well fleshed out too. The evil is not in their looks but in their deeds, and sometimes there are just shades of grey between good and evil. The worldbuilding just got more interesting too, and her sense of humor and sarcasm is just what I like in a book. Heartily recommend to all lovers of this genre.
Although I did miss visiting with Calliope in this book, I really like her.
10 stars.
After the sad events in the previous book, the one vampire who hates Secret McQueen, Vampire Tribunal and Werewolf Queen, the most, has escaped his prison. He has also evaded being taken captive again for weeks now, and for her own safety, Secret is forbidden to return to her own small apartment. Being shuffled from friend to friend, not being allowed to go outside on her own, being escorted by one of her friends/lovers, is stifling. Secret’s dual nature makes her want to hunt, but she is protected from all the “fun”. Until she goes to her friend Shane’s house and meets his new girlfriend there. Shane needs their help in defeating Grendel, a notorious and gigantic vampire rogue. But it is all an elaborate setup, and Secret almost dies when the building blows up.
Sig, the Vampire Tribunal leader, has had enough, and sends her to San Francisco, to Hollywood, to help him out with one of his prodigy who is apparently behaving badly. If the man has gone rogue as the Tribunal over there thinks, Secret will have to deal with him. Secret doesn’t want to go, she does not want to leave her werewolf boyfriend Desmond behind, but she has no choice. She cannot possible arrive there with a werewolf in tow; it would destroy all her credit and the respect due to her rank. And so with only Holden with her, and Sig’s own personal daytime servant Helga (who seems to hate Secret more each day) they take a plane where the vampires will have to ride in the cargo hold. Secret is not pleased or amused by this, she hates small places, but she has no choice at all in the matter. It has been decided for her.
When Secret finds out what Sig has neglected to tell her about the missing vampire, she is livid. He made a fool out of her in front of the other Tribunals, he should have told her. And as the missing vampire is his progeny, where does that leave her? What is their bond? The attraction she is feeling beneath the terror, has suddenly turned very icky.
Secret also finds out that the Tribunal is lying to her, about the artefact they want retrieved, but she wants to find the missing vampire, it has become very personal for her now. And when they follow his trail, and Secret connects with him in his dreams, she does not heed the warning, and will regret that very, very much.
Sutherland has been taken captive by a human monster, who is determined to find out how vampires and werewolves and the likes work. And with Secret, he has a new type of specimen to dissect …
What a great story, action packed and with lots of twists and turns. I really felt for Secret, what happened to her was truly horrible, but she came out of it stronger. She has finally accepted herself for what she is, and that is not human. Secret takes a stand, even against Sig and the other Tribunal, and I admire her for that. But wow, what a lot of surprises in this book. And pain.
As for Secrets’ love interests, I already loathe and hate her werewolf King, Lucas. I hope he dies a horrible and painful death in the next book, as it did not happen in this one. I think Desmond is showing some more potential now, some more backbone, and I like that in him. But Holden truly loves her, he has seen her grown from a young girl in the woman she is today. And I have to admit, after this story, I have given up my preference for Sig. He is still intriguing and dangerous and he cares about Secret, but not in the right way. So, since Holden and Desmond have made some kind of truce, I do hope Secret will be happy for a while. After all, her vampire half wants Holden, and her wolf thinks of Desmond as her mate. But don’t think Secret is some kind of Anita Blake character (whom I love too), she only sleeps with one of her men in this book.
I really can’t wait to find out what will happen to Secret next. Of course her nemesis is still on the run, but with this new human development in the story, everything is possible. I love it.
Sierra Dean is a great author to have the series still so fresh and fun and intriguing after 6 books. I like her main characters, and the secondary characters are well fleshed out too. The evil is not in their looks but in their deeds, and sometimes there are just shades of grey between good and evil. The worldbuilding just got more interesting too, and her sense of humor and sarcasm is just what I like in a book. Heartily recommend to all lovers of this genre.
Although I did miss visiting with Calliope in this book, I really like her.
10 stars.
© 2013 Reviews by Aurian
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