The Hunter's Moon by Beth Trissell Review

The Hunter's Moon by Beth Trissel
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Summary:  

Seventeen-year-old Morgan Daniel has been in the witness protection program most of her life. But The Panteras have caught up with her and her younger brother. Her car is totaled, she's hurt, and the street gang is closing in when wolves with glowing eyes appear out of nowhere and chase away the killers. 

Then a very cute guy who handles a bow like Robin Hood emerges from the woods and takes them to safety at his fortress-like home. 

And that's just the first sign that Morgan and her brother have entered a hidden world filled with secrets...

I received an e-book copy of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book had so much potential and the premise was so intriguing, but I just struggled to get through it. I know this sounds harsh, but seriously, It took me months to keep up. I had to put it down and go back to it.

Morgans character was just a little blah for me. She didn't seem to have much to her other than swooning over Jackson from minute one and wondering over and over again how this could be possible. She also complained a lot and had a bad attitude about her soon-to-be-released wolf. I understand the connection between her and Jackson but she just seemed too much of a victim.

The thing I enjoyed about this book was the Shawnee Native American history the author included. Learning about their culture, beliefs and exploring this new world was basically what kept me reading. Another part that caught my interest was the other paranormal creatures included in the story like the were-panthers, the strange birds and other things that go bump in the night. It all had great background. It was just delivered in a way that just didn't keep me locked into the story.

I was confused at times with the way the dialogs were put together. At times the characters, Morgan and Jackson, spoke as if they were from another time; more formal, like they were discussing history with a professor instead of with their peers. Then, they would switch immediately to flirty-banter that teenagers would use today. I think it needed better flow from one topic to the other, or less dictionary-type descriptions of the histories.

As much as I love a good were-wolf book, this one just didn't capture my attention and keep me "in-for-the-long-haul". Because of that reason, I only gave it 2 out of 5 stars.

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Surfacing by Shana Norris

Surfacing by Shana Norris
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Summary: (goodreads) 
Sixteen-year-old Mara Westray has just lost her mother, and now, being shipped off to live with the father she doesn’t know is not how she imagined grieving. She’s already counting down the days until she turns eighteen and can leave the tiny island of Swans Landing.

But from the moment she steps off the ferry, nothing is as ordinary as it looks. Whispers of a haunting song on the wind make her see impossible things, and she isn’t sure she can trust her judgment about what is real and what isn’t anymore. Maybe she can’t even trust her judgment about quiet Josh Canavan, whose way of speaking in riddles and half-truths only confuses her more, luring her deeper into the secrets hidden beneath the ocean’s surface.

As she tries to unravel the events that led to her mom fleeing the island sixteen years ago, Mara finds that the biggest secret of all is only the beginning.

Surfacing is the first book in the Swans Landing series.

Usually, I am not one for "mermaid" tales. I don't like swimming in the ocean for some reason, so the thought of turning into something sea-bound frightens me. So I was reluctant to read this, but I was pleasantly surprised.

For me, I just don't understand how, as is most of these paranormal books, no one tells the protagonist about his/her other persona/gifts/abilities. Like they aren't going to figure it out? They live between 2 forms of water... What are the odds that she (Mara) won't end up in shock from the transformation? But of course, she ends up putting clues together, and yup... realizes for herself.

That being said, I still enjoyed this book for the most part. A lot of things fell into place for me early on so when the big reveals came at the end, I expected most of them. The world building was great and so was the writing. You could feel the tension between the humans and the "fin folk".

I read this book via audiobook and audible. The Amanda Ronconi did a great job with the male and female voices adding to the depth of the book. Listening to books is the second best way to read if it is narrated by a good voice. This one didn't disappoint.

The second book Submerging, is on audio now and I will probably be listening to that one as well. I have to see where all these great characters end up!

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