Full Moon Saloon

Kira Fairwood #1

by Aimee Easterling

A fox making a name for herself in a wolf's world.

I'm Kira Fairwood --- fox shifter, bane of the werewolves, and also their employee. My job isn't just a paycheck. It's a way to ensure my unborn niece's heritage won't work against her when she grows up.

So I dive right in to bag a hot alpha werewolf who's using his bar as a front to murder human women. Unfortunately, I soon discover Thom is being framed.

Then the true murderer begins to hunt the hunters. Can I keep my family safe by continuing to follow orders like a wolf?

Full Moon Saloon is the first book in a brand new series by the USA Today bestselling author of Wolf's Bane.

Genres: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Shapeshifters, Audiobook, Paranormal, Paranormal Romance, Romance

220 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 18, 2022

About the author

Aimee Easterling is a USA Today Bestselling author writing on the boundary between urban fantasy and paranormal romance. She specializes in spunky shifters and invites you to dive into her werewolf world in the Wolf Rampant trilogy, the spinoff Bloodling serial, and her new Alpha Underground series.

Studying biology and working as a naturalist have both informed Aimee's writing, but she's quite willing to let reality slide in favor of a good story. When not writing, she loves to read and always keeps books by Robin McKinley, Patricia Briggs, and Elizabeth Peters on her shelf. You can learn more at www.aimeeeasterling.com.

Reviews

[Taylor Z · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is a story about the worst detective ever. No, not on purpose. She follows gut instincts that lead no where. She blames whoever seems guilty and chases after them, just to have it fall through over and over while missing the most obvious villain.

I'm not continuing, she's too stupid and lacks common sense. I also hate when magic gets talked about like I should absolutely be aware of what it is, but I have no idea and it's never explained. For example, the FMC has something called a magic samball, which is a sort of magic energy connected to her... but somehow also a sword I guess? And if it's separated from her, which I have no idea how that's possible, then she's worn down. It's weird. Hard pass.

[Elizabeth]

DNF at 8%.

I'm confused and not interested enough to push through.

[Linden · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kira is a kitsune--a fox shifter, legendary in Japanese folklore. She gets a message from Charlie, a friend who dropped her years ago, thanking her for reaching out and agreeing to meet. She never sent the message, but goes to the Full Moon Saloon to meet with Charlie. As a Lawmaker, Kira is sent back to the town to arrest a werewolf who is accused of murdering a human. Who is the real murderer? There is a battle between werewolves for control of the town, the battle ends, and there is a cliffhanger ending.

[Lorraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful fast paced book

I love all her books, but I think this one might be
my favorite! I cannot wait until the next one. Oh well ill just reread her other books. Highly recommended.

[M.S · Rating 1 out of 5]

From the beginning, you're thrown in the deep end, not sure what's happening or why. The story starts off way too fast without really introducing the characters and world setting. The plot is all over the place and has too many plot holes and convenient situations to solve problems.

The main character is unlikable and downright confusing. Her abilities weren't really explained or ironed out. They magically adapted and changed depending on the situation. Like at the end when her sword out of nowhere could change shape and collect blood???

She is supposed to be a professional, but pretty much everything she did in the book was a mistake and wrong.

I had problems with the other cast, too. They either were annoying and/or bland.

Nothing about this book was enjoyable, I had to force myself to continue reading. Sadly, it's not a book I would recommend reading.

[Sunny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chris B.
5.0 out of 5 stars QUIRKY FUN PLOT TWISTS, COMPLETELY ORIGINAL, FINE FOR Y.A.,TOO❣️🐺🦊

Kira's 12 year old's good hearted antics shot us into the Moon Marked Trilogy
where we met her and her sister Mai who was all Kira had in the world to keep her safe. Knowing how much Mai did for her, Kira will, now, do everything in her power to make kitsune in general and , specifically, Mai's kids accepted by werewolves who hunted the kitsune almost to extinction because of fear of their magical powers. Spoiler alert -- Mai's son is ADORABLE!
Now Kira is in her 20s and working to prove that kitsune can be trusted.
This is also another take on the recurring theme, "who do you trust".
There is a great twist on typical werewolf behavior that is funny, intriguing and endearing. You're going to love Thom!
I received an audio review copy and loved the narrater Yu-Li Alice Shen. She was perfect and gave Kira just the right voice for her age.
Fast paced, with plot twists that will have you saying out loud, "I did not see that coming" several times. But still appropriate and encouraging reading for the younger Y.A. readers, too.
Can't wait for the next installment‼️❣️

[Lorena · Rating 5 out of 5]

As always, Aimee Easterling reliably delivers fun shifter stories with exciting plots. This book was suspenseful and fun. It features kitsune, one of my favorite paranormal creatures (and one that doesn't get very much attention), as well as Ms. Easterling's delightful take on wolf shifters. And maybe a ghost. This is the first book in the Kira Fairwood series, and I am very much looking forward to the rest of the series. Many of these characters were introduced in the Moon Marked series, but you don’t have to read those first to enjoy this series.

This relatively quick read started with a great hook and effortlessly captured and held my interest. It was fast-paced with an exciting, action-filled plot and several mysteries that presented some unexpected twists as our heroine Kira struggles to catch a killer while protecting her family and her human friend.

I really liked the characters in this book. Kira can be impulsive, and her tendency to jump to conclusions and take actions without thinking things through often gets her into trouble, but that’s all part of the fun. Her first suspect, Thom, is a cinnamon roll hero, and I loved watching the two of them get to know and trust each other.

I enjoyed the narration by Yu-Li Alice Shen. Her performance was well paced and easy to understand, and I liked how she conveyed personality and emotions with her character voices.

I volunteered to review an advanced reader copy of this book provided to me by the author. If you like contemporary fantasy or paranormal mystery/suspense with a hint of slow-burn romance, give this series a try.

[Tuija · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audiobook
Narration: Yu-Li Alice Shen

I liked the narration and the story was good enough for me to listen the next book.
I hope there is romance and banter in the next one to keep me interested because this first book didn't have neither.

[Jen T · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full Moon Saloon is the beginning of Kira’s story; if you’re already a fan of Easterling’s works, you’ll remember that Kira is Mai’s younger sister from the Moon Marked series, but you don’t have to have read that series in order to enjoy this one. Kira is a kitsune, which is a fox shifter that has special powers that cause werewolves to fear them. As such, she has lived much of her life hiding her true furry nature from strangers. In an attempt to make the world safer for other kitsune, she works as a Lawkeeper, which is a supernatural police force, in hopes of proving to other shifters that kitsune are not the enemy. After a night out catching up with an old friend, her weekend off is cut short when she is tasked with apprehending a shifter who murdered a woman from the very bar Kira was at the prior evening. When she returns to pick up the suspect, she realizes that something isn’t right and choses to conduct her own investigation with the help of the local non-Alpha, Thom. Together they find that there’s more going on than a simple murder.

I really liked this story! I liked seeing Kira all grown up, but I really liked Thom. As I read the story, I started thinking of him as a non-Alpha since he’s an Alpha werewolf who was raised by a human and knows very little about werewolf culture. He’s a very likable character and looks to be a great match for Kira. I liked that this story was more than a simple murder mystery—that’s definitely a part of it, but there’s the beginning to a much larger story arc and a good hook for the next book in the series. I really enjoyed this book and definitely recommend it to both current fans of the author and new readers. The next book can’t come soon enough!

Finally, I received an ARC of the book and am voluntarily leaving my review. It in no way influenced my opinion since all of Aimee Easterling’s books are insta-buy for me anyway. 

[Aileen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fuchswandlerin im Wolfszwiespalt
Spannung pur mit einer Brise Romantik

Kira ist eine Kitsune, also eine Fuchswandlerin, welche besondere Fähigkeiten haben. Diese sind sowohl Segen, als auch Fluch - da die meisten Werwölfe gegenüber Fuchswandler deswegen nicht positiv eingestimmt sind. Sie arbeitet als eine Art Polizistin und soll eine Verhaftung vornehmen, doch irgendetwas passt nicht so ganz zusammen. Da fängt sie selbst an Nachforschungen zu betreiben und ein Ereignis folgt dem nächsten.

Der Einstieg fiel mir nicht ganz leicht, auch weil es für mich eine komplett neue Welt war. Aber kaum war ich eingelesen, konnte ich nicht mehr aufhören. Die Handlung und Charaktere haben mich regelrecht gefesselt. Zudem kommt es zu einigen unerwarteten Wandlungen, die das ganze noch interessanter macht. Bin schon ganz gespannt, wie es rund um Kira weitergeht.

Foxshifter inbetween a Wolf-Conflict
pure excitement with a touch of romance

Kira is a kitsune, a fox shifter who has special abilities. These are both a blessing and a curse - as most werewolves are not friendly to foxshifters. She works as a kind of police officer and is supposed to make an arrest, but something doesn't quite add up. So she begins to investigate and one event follows the next.

Getting started was not easy for me, also because it was a completely new world to me. But once I got into it, I couldn't stop. The plot and characters really captivated me. There are also some unexpected changes that make the whole thing even more interesting. I'm really excited to see what's going to happen with Kira.

[Dora · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kira Fairwood, Mai's little sister, had enjoyed protection and guidance ever since she and Mai became part of Gunner's pack. Now, as an adult, impetuousness and poor decisions seem to continue to haunt her, putting much more than her safety at stake. From the beginning I was intrigued by Thom’s character and his unusual way of acting. What secrets was he hiding? Was he the Alpha or not? Kira drove me crazy with the way she jumps into action and jumps to conclusions without thinking things through, but the young Kitsune seems open to learning. The stories of secondary paranormal characters have always caught my attention and even more so if they are about the young people starting to make a place for themselves in life. Anything can be expected from them! Kira promises a lot of adventure and dangerous situations and with Thom, who seems to be clear about how he wants things to happen, I’ll be waiting for the next book. Action, suspense, deception, danger, strong emotions, funny commentary, violence, mystery, the beginning of a romance, family bonds and camaraderie. Voluntarily reviewed this copy that I enjoyed.

[Laure · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kira Fairwood is kitsune, a fox shifter, and she knows that she is despised by most wolf shifters. It's the reason why she took a job with the Lawkeepers. When she investigates an alpha her boss blames for the death of a human woman, she quickly realizes that the alpha is being accused of a crime he didn't commit. No one believes Thom is innocent and it's up to Kira to prove that he didn't kill anyone. Unfortunately, Kira and Thom are no longer the hunters, they have become the hunted.
I absolutely adored Kira. She's snarky tough, and often reckless, but that just makes her more interesting. Of course, all of these characters are well written, compelling and have fascinating interactions. Plenty of action, some suspense, magic, shifters, and unexpected twists in the plot made it nearly impossible to put this book down. I think this is a fantastic must read beginning to this new series, and I'm already looking forward to the next book.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

[Laurel · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, this is a spin off series from Easterling's Moon Marked Series, which is utterly delightful. This series can probably be read alone, but do yourself a favor and read Moon Marked first as Kira is Mai’s younger sister from Moon Marked.

Kira Fairwood is a kitsune, fox shifter, (like her whole childhood history is in Moon Marked) all grown up now, she's working for the werewolf council that investigates shifter crimes. This story starts with Kira going out drinking with a childhood friend, Charlie. The next morning Kira is sent back to the same town, to arrest Thom, the werewolf accused of murdering a human, and the owner of the bar she was in the night before. Things aren't lining up.

This story was fast paced, with plenty of action, loads of plot twists that I did not see that coming, some suspense, magic, shifters, all of which made it hard to put this book down. I'm already looking forward to the next book.

#UrbanFantasy #ParanormalMystery #FantasyRomance #KistuneMagic

[Kat Montemayor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kira, a rare fox shifter who has led a sheltered life, thanks to her sister and her brother-in-law, Alpha Gunner. They run Fairwood-a wolf pack.
She works for Scarlett, as a kind of law enforcement of the wolf pack. A woman is allegedly murdered at a bar at Gate City, but Scarlett soon realizes she and Gate City's alpha, Thom, are being framed.

Thom runs a bar for humans and werewolves. He's a reluctant alpha, and his pack is more like a group of friends and he rarely has a need to raise his Alpha voice. He's suffering from a generational curse of single parenthood. He was raised from birth by a human father, because his werewolf mother ran out before he was even born.

Thom is such a chill, measured Alpha. He and Curran from Kate Daniels are probably my favorite Alphas. Kira is smart and some of her powers are quite unique. I enjoyed this book and read the first three in the series.

[leardin · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Full Moon Saloon: Verfuchst und Zugenäht" von Aimee Easterling ist ein Urban Fantasy Romane, in der es um Kira die Fuchswandlerin die für die Werwolf-Justiz und Thom den Alpha Werwolf der unter Mord Verdacht steht geht. Kira wurde beauftragt Thom festzunehmen. Doch während ihrer Ermittlungen entdeckte sie das irgendwas nicht stimmt. Thom ist nicht die Person die hinter dem Mord steckt. Thom und Kira tun sich zusammen um den Mörder zu finden. Wer ist jetzt nur der eigentliche Mörder?

Die Story ist wirklich gut gemacht, nur zum Anfang etwas schwer verständlich. In den schreibstil musste man auch erstmal reinkommen, da er etwas verwirrend war. Dies liegt aber wahrscheinlich an der Übersetzung die nicht gerade hervorragend war, manche Sätze haben nicht mal Sinn ergeben wirklich. Dennoch will ich wissen wie es in Band 2 weitergeht.

[Penny · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am always eager to dive into a new series by this author, even though shifters aren’t my favorite, so I was happy to start this one. I didn’t realize that Kira from the Moon Marked series was the MC in this one, and I was thrilled to see her again. Kira is working for an organization which sends her to arrest a bar owner for murder. But she had been there, and she isn’t sure she’s going after the right man. What follows is an interesting book about finding the right culprit, keeping her family safe from her choices, and uncovering corruption. Not only that, but we also get to see Mai and Gunner again. This was a great start to the series, and I’m looking forward to seeing what Kira is going to do next. Recommend. I was provided a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed.

[Wanda Jewell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aimee Easterling has done it again. Moon Marked was a fantastic series and I enjoyed it. This book is about Kira, Mai's little sister. She is a guardian for the werewolves and no one other than her boss knows she is a Kitsune, a werewolf's nightmare. There is murder afoot and Kira must find the murderer, but the only accused is an innocent werewolf. What is a Kitsune to do? Find out in this marvelous adventure. The characters are intriguing and there is chemistry aplenty. I love the world Aimee Easterling has created full of wolves and a Kitsune intent on proving werewolves do not need to fear Kitsunes. I loved the story and would highly recommend it.

[Deb Barringer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full Moon Saloon, the first installment in Aimee Easterling's Kira Fairwood Series, starts off with a bang and keeps on rolling. Full of action, it will keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end. The storyline is fast-paced and well written, filled with magic and mayhem, intrigue, subterfuge, pack politics, danger and light romance. The characters are well developed and engaging. Thom was interesting as an untrained alpha. It was great watching him learn more about his alpha status, and the power that it entails. Overall, a very enjoyable read. I am looking forward to more of Kira's story.

[G. Vance · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a total meh read for me. Also, I somehow was a bit squicked out with the blood stuff, and I don't know why. I'm normally not so squeamish, but describing it as "cottage cheese consistency" was the end for me. I kept thinking if I wanted blood, I'd read about vampires, not kitsune. The protagonist also never got anything right; she jumped to conclusions and was wrong every single time. There's a line there that I think just wasn't found for me. Obviously having your main character get things wrong helps to move the story along, but she seemed a little self righteous in her over confidence. Or maybe it was just a tone.This is definitely another series I don't finish.

[Laura]

Audiobook: I enjoyed this story a lot. I was introduced to Kira previously as she was featured as Mai's younger sister in another series. In this story, Kira has become an adult, but she was still very young in many of her decisions and actions. I admired how passionate Kira was about making a safer world for her unborn niece. I liked Thom and his character's arc. I am looking forward to the next book in the series. I was entertained by Yu-Li Alice Shen's narration. I was given a copy of the audiobook through Spotify. I volunteered, without financial gain, to post this review which reflected my honest opinions regarding this audiobook.

[Brandy · Rating 2 out of 5]

⭐️: 2/5
🌶: 0/5
Narration: 3/5 Single narrator

Summary: It starts as a murder mystery, but wanders around.
Characters: Kira and Thom
My thoughts: It’s not a good book. The FMC makes a lot of poor decisions. It’s annoying.
Best Side Character: Dixie Lee

Readers should know:
- The writing feels YA, juvenile. It’s not supposed to be.

Would I spend $12 or an audible credit on it (again)? No

Note: 🌶 - spiciness scale is from 0, fade to black, to 5, detailed, explicit, repetitive sexual scenes with non-traditional sex acts.

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am always ambivalent when I read this author's work. One the one hand, she produces excellent stories. One the other hand, she writes YA...and I do not like to read such. In this case, the story was quite good, but the MC was a twenty-something that didn't seem capable of making any smart choices or to learn from her previous poor decisions. That and the underlying relationship angst are aspects of YA that really put me off. So, I desperately wanted to know how the story went, but I couldn't stand following Kira's path.

[Doreen Prisching · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kitsune trifft auf Wolf - interessanter Einstieg
Wir begeben uns mit Kira, einer Kitsune, auf die Reise durch ihre Welt. Ihre besondere Fähigkeiten sorgen dafür, dass vor allem die Werwölfe sie nicht leiden können. Während sie Nachforschungen anstellt, muss sie feststellen dass nicht alles so ist wie es sein sollte.

Die Geschichte an sich ist interessant, allerdings war der Einstieg etwas schwierig. Ich befürchte allerdings, dass dies größtenteils der Übersetzung geschuldet ist.

Trotzdem konnte mich die Geschichte noch abholen und ich bin gespannt auf Band 2.

[Tera Comer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kira is Mai’s younger sister from the Moon Marked series, but you don’t have to have read that series in order to enjoy this one. After a night out catching up with an old friend, her weekend off is cut short when she is tasked with apprehending a shifter who murdered a woman from the very bar Kira was at the prior evening. When she returns to pick up the suspect, she realizes that something isn’t right and choses to conduct her own investigation with the help of the local non-Alpha.

[Jennine · Rating 5 out of 5]

FOXY LITTLE SISTERS KITSUNE STORY
I have the audio copy of this book and can recommend both the narration and quality of the story. I always enjoy Aimee's books and continuing the family and friends having their stories told as they grow into their true selves. I am intrigued to find out if young Kira will get involved with Tom and how the secret of the tavern plays into their future, will the secret item form a connection to Kira? CLEAN shifter romance mystery where good trumps evil.

[A · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Fox in a Wolf world

Received an ARC, this is my review.

This book is by a favourite author however the previous kitsune series Moon Marked was a struggle and left unread. Full Moon Saloon was a great read, learning about Kira and kitsune in the Kira Fairwood world.

Very much enjoyed this one and patiently awaiting the next one.

[JW USA · Rating 2 out of 5]

tough

I really did not like the direction this took. Kira and her love for her family is the reason I wanted to read this series. Seeing her grown up and taking on the world after the first series sounded great. But Kira felt more like the teen of the first series and the tone grim. Betrayal and loss is never my favourite way to end a book. Not for me.

[Bruce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Half breeds and others

Kira, a kitsune working as a lawkeeper, is tasked with bringing in a wolf shifter her boss alleges is the murderer of a human female. She discovers this is not the truth. With the help of the wolf she was supposed to collar she stumbles her way through a conspiracy involving her boss.

[Liza · Rating 5 out of 5]

I admit I needed a while to connect this book to Aimee's previous Mai/Kira/Gunner stories - I was just happy to start a new kitsune story. This time Kira is the main character.

I’m looking forward to following Kira and Thom and the new group.

Another great story from Aimee.

[Wendy Jennings · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just as Good as the Others

I can't tell you how excited I was to have a new story from the Wolf Rampant world... And Kira as the main character was just the icing on the cake. Can't wait for the next one.