Happy Release Day to Jess Haines!
In this third installment of
Haines’ H&W Investigations series, readers are introduced to some of the more private, inner-workings of the were pack and their traditions. In an effort to introduce Shiarra to his pack, and to see how she deals with a whole gaggle of shifted Weres during a full moon, Chaz takes Shia on a mini vacation way up in the Catskill Mountains. Hunter, New York is home to the Pine Cone Lodge, a shifter friendly (and shifter run) vacation spot, perfect for this late fall getaway…Mind you, Shia may not think of the Pine Cone Lodge as perfection by the end of the weekend!
As if the whole idea of hanging out with a bunch of shifted Weres wasn’t stressful enough, it takes no time at all for Shiarra to find out that not everyone in the Sunstrikers pack is excited for her to be there. From catty female pack mates to snarky punks hell bent on becoming alpha, there is no shortage of tension amongst the ranks. But, regardless of how scared shitless she really is, Shia takes whatever they can dish out with a bravery and determination that would make any sane person shake their head in awe and admiration.
I so totally DID NOT see that coming! ...
Ok. So in my review of
Taken By The Others
, (
which can be found here), I made it no secret that I have a total girly crush on Alec Royce, but I never really mentioned what I thought of Chaz…It’s official! Chaz is a dick of epic proportions! As this is an early review, I’ll keep the details to a minimum, but let’s just say that
Haines does one hell of a job foreshadowing in the previous two books of the series. In both
Haunted By The Others
and
Taken By The Others, I always felt there was something slimy about Chaz. Granted, readers are told up-front how he lied to Shia about what he truly was; revealing well into their relationship (a physical one at that) about his true self. But still, readers are treated to Shiarra’s willingness to forgive Chaz for his transgressions and asked to move beyond this rather major issue. However, all through out both
HBTO &
TBTO, I continued to feel that there was something “off” with this relationship. While neither story really delves too deep into their reconciliation, whenever the reader was led to focus on this relationship, there was an ever present feeling of mistrust and even mild disgust for Chaz.
As with the previous two books,
Haines presents readers with a wild, tension filled adventure from start to finish. With solid foundations already established in the previous two books,
Haines carries on the adventures of Shiarra Waynest with vividly described settings, a perfectly balanced cast of characters, and one hell of a kick azz protagonist whose believable personality and willingness to admit fear will have readers identifying with her and feeling as if they are experiencing this adventure right along side Shia.
In closing,
Jess Haines finally gives us “pro Alec Royce” types a sneak peak of what is to come…can we say squeeeeeeeeeee! Me thinks Shia is in for some pretty exciting new adventures and I am definitely signed on for the ride!
Kudos to you, Jess! Your H&W Investigations series has a permanent place on my shelf and I am certain
Deceived By The Others
will be at the top of many "favorites" lists for 2011!
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Deceived By The Others, H&W Investigations #3
by
Jess Haines
Zebra,
Kensington Publishing Corp.
July 5, 2011
ISBN-10: 1420111892
ISBN-13: 978-1420111897
From the Publisher
They’re here, and they’re real…werewolves, vampires, mages, and other creatures of the night. For New York P.I. Shiarra Waynest, taking care of Others business started out as a way to stay solvent. But now business is getting very, very complicated…
Shiarra’s relationship with sexy werewolf Chaz may be somewhat unconventional. Still, after a few bumps, Shia is finally ready to get serious. That means meeting family—or in this case, bringing Chaz’s entire werewolf pack along for a rollicking full-moon weekend in the Catskills.
Soon after they arrive, threatening notes appear, warning Chaz to go home. Then their cabin is ransacked. Shia starts digging to find out whether it’s the work of upstart teenaged werewolves or something more sinister. Yet as rumors about her vampire connections arouse the pack’s hostility, Shia has to contend with other dangers. Not just from an adversary about to make his fatal intentions known, but from a threat that’s even closer than she knows…
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
H&W Investigations series!
Where to find Jess Haines on the Web:
Reviews are written on a volunteer basis and are only the opinions of the individual review author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and/or views of the author, publisher, or public readers in general Copyright © YzhaBella's BookShelf 2010-11
, I held a Review & Swag Bag Giveaway which not only included SIGNED book marks featuring The Talisman Series, but also a whole gaggle of extra goodies!
, 
, (my review), Shift
, Bad to the Bone
, Bring on the Night
, book 1 of 
, this loverly lady and author extraordinaire made a few "appearances" at the BookShelf last month!
& 
! There was some really cool tid bits and tales so be sure to check it out 
, a political thriller which revolves around the events of 9/11 and more specifically this years 10th anniversary of the event.
' series remains my favorite reads. That series also inspired me more than any other to become a writer (
is second).
