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Kitsune Chronicles #1
Witchblood
Sebastian Volkov, a fox shifter raised among werewolves, ran from everything he ever loved after a brutal attack that left him fearing his own shadow. That night a single kiss saved his life and left him with fantasies of a man whose face he couldn't remember. When Sebastian's car breaks down in a small Washington town, he meets an Alpha werewolf who reminds him vaguely of a stranger's kiss.
A year ago Liam Ulrich, Alpha of the Northern Cascade's Pack, shared a magic filled kiss with a virtual stranger, the infamous Witchblood child of the most powerful werewolf in the world. Since that night, Liam has been waiting for Sebastian to find his way home. Liam knows that Sebastian doesn't trust easily, or at all, so he's going to have to give his prickly mate time and space.
The past Sebastian tried to escape still stalks him and slowing down gives it time to catch up.
When the werewolves' ultimate enemy rises up to cast its shadow over them all, Sebastian realizes he will have to stop running or risk losing everything.... including his hope of a future with Liam.
A year ago Liam Ulrich, Alpha of the Northern Cascade's Pack, shared a magic filled kiss with a virtual stranger, the infamous Witchblood child of the most powerful werewolf in the world. Since that night, Liam has been waiting for Sebastian to find his way home. Liam knows that Sebastian doesn't trust easily, or at all, so he's going to have to give his prickly mate time and space.
The past Sebastian tried to escape still stalks him and slowing down gives it time to catch up.
When the werewolves' ultimate enemy rises up to cast its shadow over them all, Sebastian realizes he will have to stop running or risk losing everything.... including his hope of a future with Liam.
324 pages, Paperback
First published March 8, 2019
434 people are currently reading
1262 people want to read
About the author
Lissa Kasey
72 books667 followersLissa Kasey is Ace/Aro and ENBY. Lissa's storytelling specializes in in-depth characters, detailed world building, sweet and spicy romance, and twisting plots to keep you clinging to the page.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 264 reviews
dnf
August 18, 2020Audio - 4.5 Stars
Story dnf @ 50%
There is a great story somewhere in this book; however, the repetitive monologues and dialogues had me to bored out of my mind.
Story dnf @ 50%
There is a great story somewhere in this book; however, the repetitive monologues and dialogues had me to bored out of my mind.
March 11, 2019
Whenever you see passages like this one in an "MM" romance:
You know that homophobic nonsense like this is never far behind:
Just because some people are exclusively same-sex attracted DOESN'T make them somehow "less enlightened" or more "close-minded" than bisexuals. This is literally textbook homophobia and homosexual erasure, and it's frankly disgusting. The author's absolutely ridiculous use of the phrase "the term didn't exist when I was born as it does now" betrays either negligent ignorance or harmful bigotry---and I don't throw those charges around lightly. No gay man or woman would ever write such a foolish sentence, since we are in the position to know that gay people are 1. Born with our homosexual orientation and 2. Have ALWAYS been born with our homosexual orientation, throughout all of human history. In a society without any discrete words for same-sex attraction, there will STILL be a teenage boy wondering why his peers are looking at the girls rather than the other boys. "A rose by any other name" doesn't mean that if there's no term for "rose" then roses must not exist.
I wish I could rate this lower than zero. This is a textbook example of why, if a female author wants to write about male homosexual relationships, she should do a little research first.
The wolf doesn’t see gender, never has, no matter who I’ve brought to my bed. It
sees mate or not mate.”
You know that homophobic nonsense like this is never far behind:
I don’t consider myself gay. The term didn’t exist when I was born as it does now.
Just because some people are exclusively same-sex attracted DOESN'T make them somehow "less enlightened" or more "close-minded" than bisexuals. This is literally textbook homophobia and homosexual erasure, and it's frankly disgusting. The author's absolutely ridiculous use of the phrase "the term didn't exist when I was born as it does now" betrays either negligent ignorance or harmful bigotry---and I don't throw those charges around lightly. No gay man or woman would ever write such a foolish sentence, since we are in the position to know that gay people are 1. Born with our homosexual orientation and 2. Have ALWAYS been born with our homosexual orientation, throughout all of human history. In a society without any discrete words for same-sex attraction, there will STILL be a teenage boy wondering why his peers are looking at the girls rather than the other boys. "A rose by any other name" doesn't mean that if there's no term for "rose" then roses must not exist.
I wish I could rate this lower than zero. This is a textbook example of why, if a female author wants to write about male homosexual relationships, she should do a little research first.
April 28, 2019
I tried to get into this book, put it down several times. Finally decided to pick it back up and try to finish it. At 77%, I couldn't take it anymore. I adore this author's series Hidden Gem, but this book was a melodramatic mess. And the enormous amount of tell vs. show made me crazy. I am so done.
July 16, 2020
~4.75 Stars~
Excellent, truly.
Witchblood delivers as well developed shifter story with many facets.
It's set in a world where werewolves are made. Where they are in a constant state of battle between wolf and man. Where violence and dominance rages. It's not a pretty world.
Sebastian Volkov grew up amongst them, an outcast. He's an interracial omega fox shifter with magic coursing through his blood. He's been betrayed, violated, abandoned and there is only fear and flight left inside of him. His instincts at odds with one another, his mind wreaking havoc, his emotional imbalance affecting his physical well being. He's conditioned himself to expect the worst in everyone and even in himself. Finding his soul mate, his forever love, his mate is not a joyous moment. There is no insta-love. Rather a long, slow-burn battle of wills.
"A lifetime of betrayal and being an outcast didn’t lead easily to trust or affection. But man, did I want to be everything I could with Liam. All I could do was give him me, and pray it was enough."
Liam is everything I love about an Alpha wolf shifter. Passionate, domineering, possessive, compassionate, strong. Being given a skittish mate who's had many horrors visited upon him, he doesn't push or pressure. He's present, comforting, reassuring, reminding. Slowly peeling away the barriers between them. The story is told in first person and from Sebastian's perspective so it's a bit difficult to get a full grasp of Liam and his unlikable traits because we're seeing him through Sebastian's eyes and to him he's too good to be true and each search for a flaw comes up empty handed.
This story really hits the spot. It's a balanced shifter story. Where action and romance go hand in hand, neither overwhelming the other. Strong, complex characters. Excellent story telling and writing. Excellent pacing and new information revealed steadily creating this urge to keep reading, to keep finding out new things about this world; the fae, vampires, magic, kitsune ect.
Really enjoyed it, though this is only the beginning, there is still a lot left unsaid about the world and Sebastian still has a long way to go.
Highly recommend for those who enjoy a slow burn fated-mate shifter story with depth.
Excellent, truly.
Witchblood delivers as well developed shifter story with many facets.
It's set in a world where werewolves are made. Where they are in a constant state of battle between wolf and man. Where violence and dominance rages. It's not a pretty world.
Sebastian Volkov grew up amongst them, an outcast. He's an interracial omega fox shifter with magic coursing through his blood. He's been betrayed, violated, abandoned and there is only fear and flight left inside of him. His instincts at odds with one another, his mind wreaking havoc, his emotional imbalance affecting his physical well being. He's conditioned himself to expect the worst in everyone and even in himself. Finding his soul mate, his forever love, his mate is not a joyous moment. There is no insta-love. Rather a long, slow-burn battle of wills.
"A lifetime of betrayal and being an outcast didn’t lead easily to trust or affection. But man, did I want to be everything I could with Liam. All I could do was give him me, and pray it was enough."
Liam is everything I love about an Alpha wolf shifter. Passionate, domineering, possessive, compassionate, strong. Being given a skittish mate who's had many horrors visited upon him, he doesn't push or pressure. He's present, comforting, reassuring, reminding. Slowly peeling away the barriers between them. The story is told in first person and from Sebastian's perspective so it's a bit difficult to get a full grasp of Liam and his unlikable traits because we're seeing him through Sebastian's eyes and to him he's too good to be true and each search for a flaw comes up empty handed.
This story really hits the spot. It's a balanced shifter story. Where action and romance go hand in hand, neither overwhelming the other. Strong, complex characters. Excellent story telling and writing. Excellent pacing and new information revealed steadily creating this urge to keep reading, to keep finding out new things about this world; the fae, vampires, magic, kitsune ect.
Really enjoyed it, though this is only the beginning, there is still a lot left unsaid about the world and Sebastian still has a long way to go.
Highly recommend for those who enjoy a slow burn fated-mate shifter story with depth.
June 12, 2020
4.5★'s Rounded Up!
Yes, yes, yes. Finally.
FINALLY, FINALLY, FINALLY.
This is what I have been looking for, for what feels like forever. Gah! I love Shifter romances. I love Alphas falling head over heels in love with their Omega I just feel like a lot of them miss the mark for me. I have an idea you see.
THIS! This is exactly how I love my Alpha/Omega romances. All fated, instant and growly, MINE, MINE, MINE.
I love the stereotype Omega but one who is not a wallflower or a pushover. I love him having what makes an Omega so special but with a backbone, with a brain, with humor and attitude. A life. An opinion. And I love, love, love the stereotypical Alpha. More over the top the better. I will burn the earth to get to you and all that jazz.
This was all that and so much more.
So much more.
For me, this was pretty freaking close to perfect and I did not want it to end. Funny how when you get exactly what you are looking for you don’t have very much to say, so, I’ll just say finally.
Oh, and I’m so glad there is more.
Yes, yes, yes. Finally.
FINALLY, FINALLY, FINALLY.
This is what I have been looking for, for what feels like forever. Gah! I love Shifter romances. I love Alphas falling head over heels in love with their Omega I just feel like a lot of them miss the mark for me. I have an idea you see.
THIS! This is exactly how I love my Alpha/Omega romances. All fated, instant and growly, MINE, MINE, MINE.
I love the stereotype Omega but one who is not a wallflower or a pushover. I love him having what makes an Omega so special but with a backbone, with a brain, with humor and attitude. A life. An opinion. And I love, love, love the stereotypical Alpha. More over the top the better. I will burn the earth to get to you and all that jazz.
This was all that and so much more.
So much more.
For me, this was pretty freaking close to perfect and I did not want it to end. Funny how when you get exactly what you are looking for you don’t have very much to say, so, I’ll just say finally.
Oh, and I’m so glad there is more.
August 13, 2020
While I liked Witchblood, I had some issues along the way, which made me not love it.
Let's start with the cover - it's lovely, enough, but that guy is almost as pale as I am and in the story he is repeatedly described as much darker skinned (Seb is interracial - Japanese/Black). Why the hell is the dude on the cover so damn white?! Also, I think the story could have used another round of editing. It was very repetitive and dragged in several places. And then there's Seb -- when characters refuse to get out of their own way, it kind of makes me want to smack them with their own book, and boy was he in his own way. I certainly got where his trust issues came from. He wasn't treated well by the wolves of the pack he grew up with, and he was abused by the son of the pack alpha, repeatedly, so I got his apprehension, but, damn. Lastly, I felt there was a fuck-ton more telling, than showing, which could also explain why my patience with Seb was a bit lacking.
There was a lot of promise, here, though. I kind of liked that the shifters were different from my normal shifter novel. In this universe, wolves are made, not born, and the trauma is long lasting. Once a wolf is made and lives through the process, they live until they kill themselves or each other. Also, once they find their true-mate, they typically die if their mate does...well, except for a couple other wolves who managed to survive it, weirdly enough. That was kind of different for me, and I liked it.
I do like a lot of conflict and angst in my stories, and Witchblood certainly delivered there, so while I'm rating it at 3 stars, I think, with some decent editing and a cover that actually matched the character, it could have a 4.5 star potential, so not a bad effort, I suppose.
Let's start with the cover - it's lovely, enough, but that guy is almost as pale as I am and in the story he is repeatedly described as much darker skinned (Seb is interracial - Japanese/Black). Why the hell is the dude on the cover so damn white?! Also, I think the story could have used another round of editing. It was very repetitive and dragged in several places. And then there's Seb -- when characters refuse to get out of their own way, it kind of makes me want to smack them with their own book, and boy was he in his own way. I certainly got where his trust issues came from. He wasn't treated well by the wolves of the pack he grew up with, and he was abused by the son of the pack alpha, repeatedly, so I got his apprehension, but, damn. Lastly, I felt there was a fuck-ton more telling, than showing, which could also explain why my patience with Seb was a bit lacking.
There was a lot of promise, here, though. I kind of liked that the shifters were different from my normal shifter novel. In this universe, wolves are made, not born, and the trauma is long lasting. Once a wolf is made and lives through the process, they live until they kill themselves or each other. Also, once they find their true-mate, they typically die if their mate does...well, except for a couple other wolves who managed to survive it, weirdly enough. That was kind of different for me, and I liked it.
I do like a lot of conflict and angst in my stories, and Witchblood certainly delivered there, so while I'm rating it at 3 stars, I think, with some decent editing and a cover that actually matched the character, it could have a 4.5 star potential, so not a bad effort, I suppose.
April 9, 2021
This first novel set in a world that combines witches and magic with kitsune lore and shifter myths is a promising start to a new series. With rules all its own, characters that pulled me in from the moment I “met” them, and an intriguing mix of love story and action-adventure, it had me spellbound from the start. The story and suspense build fairly slowly over the first half of the novel, but there is an underlying feeling of dread to come combined with an inevitability about the final confrontation and its consequences from the start. The story is told by Sebastian, a young man who struggles with his nature, the consequences of the abuse he has suffered, and a bone-deep fear that he is unlovable. It made his experiences come alive and had me feel everything in an unfiltered way that made reading some of the story emotionally challenging. It’s a great way to experience the events as they unfold, and I recommend reading this book to everyone who likes to completely immerse themselves in what they read.
Please find my full review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Please find my full review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
May 1, 2019
There is nothing new under the sun, but if I were Patricia Briggs, I'd call my lawyer.
March 16, 2020
DNF’d/ dropped for several reasons.
1) the covers are white washed to hell and back. The author explains in several instances in under 20% that the MC has dark skin, is mistaken for being foreign or not American, explained his ancestors as “dark-as-night”, “eastern eyes.” The list keep growing.
2) the subtle racism mentioned above... the author needs a sensitivity reader because all of the above was icky. Especially with a white model on the cover. Just gross.
3) the author spends more time telling the story through explanations while the character is doing mundane shit. I’d rather read about his past as it happens, not while he’s having breakfast, showering, and just doing nothing.
4) why does the only POC character have to drop out of school?? There wasn’t even a good reason for it? He seemed to love learning, at least his profession and it’s more in line with his character to at least finish high school. Again with the micro-aggressions.
5)the pity-me-party that the MC is constantly throwing. Please, stfu and actually do something. He’s always doubling himself and his abilities with no real reason as to why other than his Apa’s family dislikes him. But everyone still treats him well, gave him lots of business, and he was learning to do more?
6) no warnings of rape or trauma. It would have been nice to at least know what I’m getting into before reading it. I don’t mind it, but what about others who will be reliving trauma???
1) the covers are white washed to hell and back. The author explains in several instances in under 20% that the MC has dark skin, is mistaken for being foreign or not American, explained his ancestors as “dark-as-night”, “eastern eyes.” The list keep growing.
2) the subtle racism mentioned above... the author needs a sensitivity reader because all of the above was icky. Especially with a white model on the cover. Just gross.
3) the author spends more time telling the story through explanations while the character is doing mundane shit. I’d rather read about his past as it happens, not while he’s having breakfast, showering, and just doing nothing.
4) why does the only POC character have to drop out of school?? There wasn’t even a good reason for it? He seemed to love learning, at least his profession and it’s more in line with his character to at least finish high school. Again with the micro-aggressions.
5)the pity-me-party that the MC is constantly throwing. Please, stfu and actually do something. He’s always doubling himself and his abilities with no real reason as to why other than his Apa’s family dislikes him. But everyone still treats him well, gave him lots of business, and he was learning to do more?
6) no warnings of rape or trauma. It would have been nice to at least know what I’m getting into before reading it. I don’t mind it, but what about others who will be reliving trauma???
i-give-up
September 5, 2020DNF @ 66%. I've been attempting to read this since the middle of august. I kept putting this down and just didn't really care to go back. Maybe one day.
April 1, 2019
DNF because :
- Seb is too whiny for my taste. He goes on and on about what shifters are, how they should behave, why they're bad but from what I got he had a pretty sheltered life before he fled the Volkov pack so where did he get all his knowledge on wolves? Why so judgmental on a whole species because of his limited experience? His internal monologue was tiring.
- Too many repetitions: Seb physical apparence, Seb opinion about wolves, Seb fear of wolves and so on
- The world building was so bleak and déjà vu: all supernaturals are wicked and have bad intentions, no one is trustworthy, female wolves are rare and very low on wolf social order etc.
- Seb is too whiny for my taste. He goes on and on about what shifters are, how they should behave, why they're bad but from what I got he had a pretty sheltered life before he fled the Volkov pack so where did he get all his knowledge on wolves? Why so judgmental on a whole species because of his limited experience? His internal monologue was tiring.
- Too many repetitions: Seb physical apparence, Seb opinion about wolves, Seb fear of wolves and so on
- The world building was so bleak and déjà vu: all supernaturals are wicked and have bad intentions, no one is trustworthy, female wolves are rare and very low on wolf social order etc.
January 19, 2020
Boo :(
I really wanted to like this one, but unfortunately that didn’t happen. I felt that Sebastian was way too redundant.
I really wanted to like this one, but unfortunately that didn’t happen. I felt that Sebastian was way too redundant.
January 19, 2024
Giving up at 47%. I don’t think it’s worth it for me to read further and waste more of my time.
General complaints:
■ Sebastian kept on insisting that he wasn’t going to stay when everything else indicated there is nothing else he can do except stay: no money, no vehicle, injured, and his trailer just showed back up — how’s he going to bring that on the move with him?
■ It feels like this book didn’t have an editor to go over the grammar, vocabulary choices, and turns of phrase.
■ At some point you gotta stop italicizing Apa or witchchild once you’ve introduced the phrase. Italicizing it continuously after that just makes me feel like I have to pay attention to that word when it’s supposed to be a normal word in this universe.
■ Also? This book is weeby.
■ Having the other guy say something along the lines of “I’m not gay, I just don’t see gender” is so . . . w h a a a t
■ Oh and the author for some reason saw fit to give female werewolves an even worse status in the supernatural world. Because it’s not enough that in the real normal world women have it bad, in the supernatural world they have it even worse! Yay! Oh and once you’re a female werewolf you can no longer bear children. But of course a male werewolf can still get human women pregnant.
me, reading the book: wh a a a a a a a a aa t
General complaints:
■ Sebastian kept on insisting that he wasn’t going to stay when everything else indicated there is nothing else he can do except stay: no money, no vehicle, injured, and his trailer just showed back up — how’s he going to bring that on the move with him?
■ It feels like this book didn’t have an editor to go over the grammar, vocabulary choices, and turns of phrase.
■ At some point you gotta stop italicizing Apa or witchchild once you’ve introduced the phrase. Italicizing it continuously after that just makes me feel like I have to pay attention to that word when it’s supposed to be a normal word in this universe.
■ Also? This book is weeby.
■ Having the other guy say something along the lines of “I’m not gay, I just don’t see gender” is so . . . w h a a a t
■ Oh and the author for some reason saw fit to give female werewolves an even worse status in the supernatural world. Because it’s not enough that in the real normal world women have it bad, in the supernatural world they have it even worse! Yay! Oh and once you’re a female werewolf you can no longer bear children. But of course a male werewolf can still get human women pregnant.
me, reading the book: wh a a a a a a a a aa t
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 10, 2020
It is not a bad book or anything, but it is to near to Patricia Briggs world of "Mercy Thompson" to be enjoyable. The first 100 pages or so where already a hint of it, but there were enough differences to be something else. But in the end, the parallels just keep coming until it was "the same thing".
Read
April 11, 2020If you’ve read any Patricia Briggs books, this will feel wildly familiar. Dnf.
August 19, 2020
Can I dnf a book at 94%?
This started out as a 4 star rating. I liked the world building and the plot. The writing was really good and I was "heck yeah, I'm in to this!"
But then. The writing, it was too much of it!! I don't know how to explain it, but it was so. Many. Words. The plot drowned in all the writing. I was halfway at this point maybe when I started feeling this way. So I'm thinking "okay, maybe 3 stars instead of 4".
Approaching 80-ish% I was barely holding on. So much excessive writing! Damn my curiosity wanting to know how it all ended.
At 90% the action of the story was over and the rest was just tidying up loose ends. But man those loose ends droned on too with so many words. Ugh. The last 5-6% was skipping pages. I think there was a sex scene and maybe a sort of cliffhanger/set up for the next book.
Rating dropped from 3 to 2 stars.
It's a pity really. The writing was really good and the story, but it all should have been tightly edited. Then it would have been engaging rather than offputting and a much better reading experience.
This started out as a 4 star rating. I liked the world building and the plot. The writing was really good and I was "heck yeah, I'm in to this!"
But then. The writing, it was too much of it!! I don't know how to explain it, but it was so. Many. Words. The plot drowned in all the writing. I was halfway at this point maybe when I started feeling this way. So I'm thinking "okay, maybe 3 stars instead of 4".
Approaching 80-ish% I was barely holding on. So much excessive writing! Damn my curiosity wanting to know how it all ended.
At 90% the action of the story was over and the rest was just tidying up loose ends. But man those loose ends droned on too with so many words. Ugh. The last 5-6% was skipping pages. I think there was a sex scene and maybe a sort of cliffhanger/set up for the next book.
Rating dropped from 3 to 2 stars.
It's a pity really. The writing was really good and the story, but it all should have been tightly edited. Then it would have been engaging rather than offputting and a much better reading experience.
March 16, 2019
This worked so well on so many levels for me. However, there were times it felt excruciatingly bogged down in itself. It might be those parts are setting up for the next one but I felt sloggy. Still the witch child himself was engaging and his history is revealed at a good pace. Liam was a bit too perfect but I can forgive that in my alpha omega verse type romances. Very descriptive - and fantasy can be ethereal but the romance here does deliver nicely. Really 4.5 stars
March 18, 2020
March 2020
Still LOVED it. This is such a great book. Love Seb and Liam.so glad that there is finally a second book
Love the cover ...
March 2019
WOW! .... I read the model series by Lissa Kasey and loved it. so when this came out, I had to have it and I was not disappointed ...
the story was a great mix of suspuense, love, personal development and devotion.
Yes, as I am a fan of dual POVs I would have loved to see Liams perspective but it worked out well this way too
and I can't wait for the next book, which I really hope will also be with Seb and Liam as the main couple
Still LOVED it. This is such a great book. Love Seb and Liam.so glad that there is finally a second book
Love the cover ...
March 2019
WOW! .... I read the model series by Lissa Kasey and loved it. so when this came out, I had to have it and I was not disappointed ...
the story was a great mix of suspuense, love, personal development and devotion.
Yes, as I am a fan of dual POVs I would have loved to see Liams perspective but it worked out well this way too
and I can't wait for the next book, which I really hope will also be with Seb and Liam as the main couple
April 8, 2021
I’m sure I can be accused of being biased regarding this author’s work, but in all honesty I loved the first book of hers I ever read and that was before I met her.
Witchblood transported me to an incredibly vivid and spellbinding world. Lissa Kasey knows how to create a world and I was entranced from the get-go. The characters are incredible, the fated mates trope is done beautifully, the angst is oh-so-great, and the love story is perfect.
Read it. You won’t regret it.
Witchblood transported me to an incredibly vivid and spellbinding world. Lissa Kasey knows how to create a world and I was entranced from the get-go. The characters are incredible, the fated mates trope is done beautifully, the angst is oh-so-great, and the love story is perfect.
Read it. You won’t regret it.
June 15, 2021
I skipped a lot of paragraphs towards the end. It was just so so long. I would've tolerated it usually except for the swinging between intense dislike and like I was feeling the whole time. I also thought Liam was a bit underrated honestly. He was literally so self-less all the time and no acknowledgement from Sebastian.
June 22, 2019
3.5 stars
I really enjoyed this author's Haven Investigations series and couldn't wait to start her new Kitsune Chronicles too. And for the most part I liked Witchblood. The world-building was detailed and we learned about the werewolves, fae, vampires and one skittish little fox shifter who was just discovering his kitsune powers. I loved how patient Liam was with Sebastian and the way their relationship evolved. They truly belonged together. I thought the drama at the end with the rogue wolves and Felix was gripping and the fight scenes gory and bloody, as they should be. But the time Sebastian spent in Underhill before that was a bit scattered and lost some of the momentum for me.
So why didn't this rate higher for me? I think it's because the entire time I was reading it I had a very strong sense of deja vu. And it wasn't because the alpha or omega wolves had the same characteristics written in so many paranormal books these days, which is sometimes unavoidable. Instead I was noticing various similarities to Patricia Briggs' Mercy Thompson series, found myself constantly comparing the two (see below) and then couldn't seem to get it out of my head.
Mercy was a tattooed coyote shifter (her shift was also painless) who lived in a trailer, her father was a Native American who died and her mother left her to be raised by the Marrok (the oldest and most powerful werewolf in North America) because Mercy couldn't control her shifts as a child. She was considered the Marrok's adopted daughter, disliked by the Marrok's wife and his pack, and played pranks on the pack as a form of rebellion. Mercy had fae friends she trusted to get her in and out of Underhill and she had a vampire friend who helped her on more than one occasion. She could also see ghosts. [similar to characters here of Sebastian*Volkov*Robin*Alexis]
The Marrok was responsible for out-of-control wolves, one of his sons was the enforcer of his pack and another son dated Mercy. The Marrok then wanted Mercy to be mated to Adam, who was a well-respected Alpha of a pack in Washington. Adam had a bitchy ex-wife and a pre-teen daughter. Adam also had dominant female wolves in his pack, his second in command didn't really want Mercy to join their pack at first, and his third in command was a gay wolf. [similar to characters here of Volkov*Oberon*Liam*Korissa*Leigh and Stacey*Carl*Dylan]
So yeah. I guess it just threw me off a little with the similar characters but different names. Still a good read though.
I really enjoyed this author's Haven Investigations series and couldn't wait to start her new Kitsune Chronicles too. And for the most part I liked Witchblood. The world-building was detailed and we learned about the werewolves, fae, vampires and one skittish little fox shifter who was just discovering his kitsune powers. I loved how patient Liam was with Sebastian and the way their relationship evolved. They truly belonged together. I thought the drama at the end with the rogue wolves and Felix was gripping and the fight scenes gory and bloody, as they should be. But the time Sebastian spent in Underhill before that was a bit scattered and lost some of the momentum for me.
So why didn't this rate higher for me? I think it's because the entire time I was reading it I had a very strong sense of deja vu. And it wasn't because the alpha or omega wolves had the same characteristics written in so many paranormal books these days, which is sometimes unavoidable. Instead I was noticing various similarities to Patricia Briggs' Mercy Thompson series, found myself constantly comparing the two (see below) and then couldn't seem to get it out of my head.
Mercy was a tattooed coyote shifter (her shift was also painless) who lived in a trailer, her father was a Native American who died and her mother left her to be raised by the Marrok (the oldest and most powerful werewolf in North America) because Mercy couldn't control her shifts as a child. She was considered the Marrok's adopted daughter, disliked by the Marrok's wife and his pack, and played pranks on the pack as a form of rebellion. Mercy had fae friends she trusted to get her in and out of Underhill and she had a vampire friend who helped her on more than one occasion. She could also see ghosts. [similar to characters here of Sebastian*Volkov*Robin*Alexis]
The Marrok was responsible for out-of-control wolves, one of his sons was the enforcer of his pack and another son dated Mercy. The Marrok then wanted Mercy to be mated to Adam, who was a well-respected Alpha of a pack in Washington. Adam had a bitchy ex-wife and a pre-teen daughter. Adam also had dominant female wolves in his pack, his second in command didn't really want Mercy to join their pack at first, and his third in command was a gay wolf. [similar to characters here of Volkov*Oberon*Liam*Korissa*Leigh and Stacey*Carl*Dylan]
So yeah. I guess it just threw me off a little with the similar characters but different names. Still a good read though.
August 10, 2020
Hmmm... where to start?
1. Book cover is a complete whitewashing of the main character. Can you tell from it that Sebastian is Asian, Black and White? No? Neither could I. That was a surprise and though pleasant it never sat well with me that this cover exists. However, that's just the beginning of fuckery pie that ensues.
2. Sebastian often refers to his mixed heritage as "muddy" and a "mutt" WTF? He thinks of his physical traits in a self deprecating way, Matted red hair, dusky skin, Asian eyes and freckles. Unremarkable me. Would it be enough?" Pssht, such utter bullshit. I'm really curious about any beta reading done on this book.
3. If you are going to write a multicultural character, please don't have them fall in love with people that espouse this kind of excrement, And I see you. All of you. Your mixed heritage that you hate so much. The fire of your hair, and the skin you hate because it's not white. WTF is that? I had a really hard time reading that.
Hello Ms. Kasey, I am Asian, Black and White. Hating my skin has never been an issue especially hating it specifically because it wasn't white! This is unintentional I'm sure, but oh so revealing. If you wanted to explore internalized racism, some cursory research would have explained better how this kind of thing manifests itself. It would have also provided some more insight in colorism and exoticism. If these were subjects you didn't want to tackle, perhaps you should have just made Sebastian white. Also, the character's history does not support his self hatred. Many memories that point to why he may feel like an outsider because of his lack of being a werewolf but none of it to support this supposed hatred of himself for not being white. With deeper retrospect, I feel like this rankles more than anything else. It feels like the unspoken implication that people of color feel this way for no reason at all.
1. Book cover is a complete whitewashing of the main character. Can you tell from it that Sebastian is Asian, Black and White? No? Neither could I. That was a surprise and though pleasant it never sat well with me that this cover exists. However, that's just the beginning of fuckery pie that ensues.
2. Sebastian often refers to his mixed heritage as "muddy" and a "mutt" WTF? He thinks of his physical traits in a self deprecating way, Matted red hair, dusky skin, Asian eyes and freckles. Unremarkable me. Would it be enough?" Pssht, such utter bullshit. I'm really curious about any beta reading done on this book.
3. If you are going to write a multicultural character, please don't have them fall in love with people that espouse this kind of excrement, And I see you. All of you. Your mixed heritage that you hate so much. The fire of your hair, and the skin you hate because it's not white. WTF is that? I had a really hard time reading that.
Hello Ms. Kasey, I am Asian, Black and White. Hating my skin has never been an issue especially hating it specifically because it wasn't white! This is unintentional I'm sure, but oh so revealing. If you wanted to explore internalized racism, some cursory research would have explained better how this kind of thing manifests itself. It would have also provided some more insight in colorism and exoticism. If these were subjects you didn't want to tackle, perhaps you should have just made Sebastian white. Also, the character's history does not support his self hatred. Many memories that point to why he may feel like an outsider because of his lack of being a werewolf but none of it to support this supposed hatred of himself for not being white. With deeper retrospect, I feel like this rankles more than anything else. It feels like the unspoken implication that people of color feel this way for no reason at all.
July 28, 2019
I really enjoyed this book. The world building could have been a little stronger and Liam was a bit too perfect but those were really minor issues for me.
I liked Sebastian and I liked Liam. I liked that it took time for Sebastian to start to trust Liam after all that he had been through and I liked that Liam gave him time and space to work through it. There were some very interesting secondary characters as well. The romance was a slow build especially considering they were true mates and I really enjoyed that aspect. Overall very enjoyable and I'm looking forward to what comes next for Liam and Sebastian.
I liked Sebastian and I liked Liam. I liked that it took time for Sebastian to start to trust Liam after all that he had been through and I liked that Liam gave him time and space to work through it. There were some very interesting secondary characters as well. The romance was a slow build especially considering they were true mates and I really enjoyed that aspect. Overall very enjoyable and I'm looking forward to what comes next for Liam and Sebastian.
January 4, 2020
Not worth the effort
Pros:
- Interesting blurb
- A couple of likable characters
Cons:
- Oh my gosh, the apostrophe misuse was rampant!! Plurals do NOT call for an apostrophe!
- Lack of world building
- Lack of character development, it was all very "I thought about it for 5 minutes and now I'm different/ better/ healed"
- Lack of relationship building
Conclusion:
This could've been interesting, but fell apart instead. Maybe actually having an editor, or beta readers that aren't your friends and family do their jobs.... maybe with those in place this could've been a solid book. As it stands, I have no interest in reading anything else by this author.
Pros:
- Interesting blurb
- A couple of likable characters
Cons:
- Oh my gosh, the apostrophe misuse was rampant!! Plurals do NOT call for an apostrophe!
- Lack of world building
- Lack of character development, it was all very "I thought about it for 5 minutes and now I'm different/ better/ healed"
- Lack of relationship building
Conclusion:
This could've been interesting, but fell apart instead. Maybe actually having an editor, or beta readers that aren't your friends and family do their jobs.... maybe with those in place this could've been a solid book. As it stands, I have no interest in reading anything else by this author.
March 23, 2019
I’m about 40% through and Sebastian comes off as such a whiney spoiled person. Fear I understand. Having a hard time trusting I get. All this is reasonable given the abuse. But the smart mouth and bitchy attitude grated on my nerves.
Want to read
April 2, 2019WHAT THE WHAT?!?!! YASSSS! KITSUNE ARE ONE OF MT FAV THINGS EV-ER.
Okay. Calm.
October 3, 2021
It was hard to finish this one, it wasn't exactly bad, but I got bored at 50% of the book and couldn't get back to it. Doesn't mean it was bad, just not my thing 😩
March 8, 2019
5 out of 5 stars
Description ~
Sebastian Volkov, a fox shifter raised among werewolves, ran from everything he ever loved after a brutal attack that left him fearing his own shadow. That night a single kiss saved his life and left him with fantasies of a man whose face he couldn’t remember. When Sebastian’s car breaks down in a small Washington town, he meets an Alpha werewolf who reminds him vaguely of a stranger’s kiss.
A year ago Liam Ulrich, Alpha of the Northern Cascade’s Pack, shared a magic filled kiss with a virtual stranger, the infamous Witchblood child of the most powerful werewolf in the world. Since that night, Liam has been waiting for Sebastian to find his way home. Liam knows that Sebastian doesn’t trust easily, or at all, so he’s going to have to give his prickly mate time and space.
The past Sebastian tried to escape still stalks him and slowing down gives it time to catch up.
When the werewolves’ ultimate enemy rises up to cast its shadow over them all, Sebastian realizes he will have to stop running or risk losing everything…. including his hope of a future with Liam.
My Review ~
Lissa Kasey is back with a brand new book in a brand new urban fantasy/paranormal series... And what a wild, extremely addicting and satisfying ride this book was from start to finish! Witchblood is the first book in the Kitsune Chronicles. If you've never read this author's books before you're in for a treat. If you were already a fan, be prepared for a book that you won't want to put down. I got so sucked into this book while on lunch at work one day, I was late clocking back in.
While I won't delve too deep into the plot because I don't want to spoil it for anyone. So, Witchblood features a kitsune raised as part of a werewolf pack. Now of course Kitsunes are not normal shifters, so Sebastian hasn't had the easiest time of it. Too many in the Volkov pack fear him and/or hate him but also want to use him for his omega calming powers. All of this shapes Sebastian into who he is, and leaves him with scars and issues to overcome.
The story is told completely in Sebastian's voice, which worked rather well for this story and these characters. The pace of the story was tight and kept me engaged from start to finish. This could easily be a one sitting read for so many readers but I caution reading it too fast as you might miss some of the subtle things that happen in the book. There are many elements to the story from Sebastian being in a werewolf pack, working in the bakery, and even digging and planting his herbs for his alchemy projects.
I'm completely hooked on this series and honestly can't wait to see what the author has in store for her characters next. I highly recommend picking up this book and indulging in a fantastic urban fantasy read.
Description ~
Sebastian Volkov, a fox shifter raised among werewolves, ran from everything he ever loved after a brutal attack that left him fearing his own shadow. That night a single kiss saved his life and left him with fantasies of a man whose face he couldn’t remember. When Sebastian’s car breaks down in a small Washington town, he meets an Alpha werewolf who reminds him vaguely of a stranger’s kiss.
A year ago Liam Ulrich, Alpha of the Northern Cascade’s Pack, shared a magic filled kiss with a virtual stranger, the infamous Witchblood child of the most powerful werewolf in the world. Since that night, Liam has been waiting for Sebastian to find his way home. Liam knows that Sebastian doesn’t trust easily, or at all, so he’s going to have to give his prickly mate time and space.
The past Sebastian tried to escape still stalks him and slowing down gives it time to catch up.
When the werewolves’ ultimate enemy rises up to cast its shadow over them all, Sebastian realizes he will have to stop running or risk losing everything…. including his hope of a future with Liam.
My Review ~
Lissa Kasey is back with a brand new book in a brand new urban fantasy/paranormal series... And what a wild, extremely addicting and satisfying ride this book was from start to finish! Witchblood is the first book in the Kitsune Chronicles. If you've never read this author's books before you're in for a treat. If you were already a fan, be prepared for a book that you won't want to put down. I got so sucked into this book while on lunch at work one day, I was late clocking back in.
While I won't delve too deep into the plot because I don't want to spoil it for anyone. So, Witchblood features a kitsune raised as part of a werewolf pack. Now of course Kitsunes are not normal shifters, so Sebastian hasn't had the easiest time of it. Too many in the Volkov pack fear him and/or hate him but also want to use him for his omega calming powers. All of this shapes Sebastian into who he is, and leaves him with scars and issues to overcome.
The story is told completely in Sebastian's voice, which worked rather well for this story and these characters. The pace of the story was tight and kept me engaged from start to finish. This could easily be a one sitting read for so many readers but I caution reading it too fast as you might miss some of the subtle things that happen in the book. There are many elements to the story from Sebastian being in a werewolf pack, working in the bakery, and even digging and planting his herbs for his alchemy projects.
I'm completely hooked on this series and honestly can't wait to see what the author has in store for her characters next. I highly recommend picking up this book and indulging in a fantastic urban fantasy read.
June 24, 2020
There was a lot I liked about this book. There's interesting new characters and a fascinating shifter world. I liked that not everything was good and happy. There are some really dark elements lurking under the veneer of their world. And all of that comes to a head in Sebastian. We start the book off with him at death's door after his attack. Surviving and on the run, trust is a hard thing to earn from him.
Liam's patience in the face of Sebastian's fear was great. His wolf is pushing him to claim his mate, but he understands what Sebastian has been through and isn't going to add more trauma onto his mates psyche. Of course the world wasn't going to be nice to these two and give them time to figure things out.
There's a lot of interesting subplots and parts of the world that we don't get to see fully in this book. I hope we find out more about the vampires and the fae of this world in future books. My biggest problem with this book had to do with a plot element that seemingly is left dangling. I feel like there needs to be some sort of resolution in a later book for me to be ok with that particular element of the story.
Still I really liked Sebastian's character. His interest in alchemy, his magical abilities, his fox nature...all of it made a complex interesting character who doesn't know enough about himself and so he's discovering things along with us as a reader. I look forward to seeing how he and Liam develop within their relationship and how he affects the world going forward.
Liam's patience in the face of Sebastian's fear was great. His wolf is pushing him to claim his mate, but he understands what Sebastian has been through and isn't going to add more trauma onto his mates psyche. Of course the world wasn't going to be nice to these two and give them time to figure things out.
There's a lot of interesting subplots and parts of the world that we don't get to see fully in this book. I hope we find out more about the vampires and the fae of this world in future books. My biggest problem with this book had to do with a plot element that seemingly is left dangling. I feel like there needs to be some sort of resolution in a later book for me to be ok with that particular element of the story.
Still I really liked Sebastian's character. His interest in alchemy, his magical abilities, his fox nature...all of it made a complex interesting character who doesn't know enough about himself and so he's discovering things along with us as a reader. I look forward to seeing how he and Liam develop within their relationship and how he affects the world going forward.
March 23, 2020
I actually liked this book even though there were a lot of issues. I had a hard time with the world building, it seemed like all of these other paranormal beings were discussed all willy-nilly without a follow up. Maybe the author was using the references as a set up for future books but I found many unnecessary and affected the flow of the story.
There were also a lot of contradictions that also threw me off, like the age of werewolves. It seemed some lived an "average" amount of time after they were turned but others lived for a thousand years?
My last complaint is that as gorgeous as the cover is, it is definitely not representational of the character in the book. He of mixed descent and had much darker skin than that. It's really a minor thing but I think it's an important part of the story.
There were also a lot of contradictions that also threw me off, like the age of werewolves. It seemed some lived an "average" amount of time after they were turned but others lived for a thousand years?
My last complaint is that as gorgeous as the cover is, it is definitely not representational of the character in the book. He of mixed descent and had much darker skin than that. It's really a minor thing but I think it's an important part of the story.
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