Pub Date: May 2012
Publisher: Ballantine/Random House
Length: 291 pages
FTC: Received for free at an RT Convention
My friend, Sandy, urged me to read this book when I first picked up my copy at an RT Convention (I honestly can't remember which one!) I promised her I would...and of course it's been at least 1 year, but maybe 3 since I've had the book and haven't read it. Well..I'm digging out print books from my TBR and it was this book's time.
I admit, if I'd known this was about an OCD hoarding werewolf, I might have tried it earlier. Because honestly? That's unusual, even in the land of strange.
I'll start by saying I haven't read anything about the psychology of hoarding, so I can't vouch for whether the details or portrayal is exactly, clinically accurate. I can say that the OCD and hoarding aren't some token disorders thrown in to spice the story up. They're central to the story and to the main character, Natalya. They are also vital to understanding her relationship with her family, too.
Another warning: this is NOT a romance. It's an urban fantasy novel with romantic elements. Meaning that (spoiler) there is no self-contained HEA in the book. This book is about Natalya, so while relationships (romantic and otherwise) are part of the story, they aren't the main focus.
Some books are hard for me to get into. Some books are easy. This book was VERY easy. The author's writing style sucked me right in from the very first page. There's a wry sense of humor, lots of sarcasm (which honestly I should have expected given the fact that Sandy recommended it), and a lightness even though the book deals with some serious issues. There's plenty of tension between Nat and Thorn (Natalya's ex), between Nat and her family, between Nat and herself. The only complaint I have about the book is that certain events were given too much page time and others not enough. That, and I honestly kept thinking that Thorn's visitation was a little creepy. But, it's paranormal, so...I'm giving it a pass.
Highly recommended for Urban Fantasy readers who like humor and characters who are flawed, unique, or just plain different.
My Grade: A-
The Blurb:
SOMETIMES WHAT YOU COVET IS IMPOSSIBLE TO KEEP.
For werewolf Natalya Stravinsky, the supernatural is nothing extraordinary. What does seem strange is that she’s stuck in her hometown of South Toms River, New Jersey, the outcast of her pack, selling antiques to finicky magical creatures. Restless and recovering from her split with gorgeous ex-boyfriend, Thorn, Nat finds comfort in an unusual place: her obsessively collected stash of holiday trinkets. But complications pile up faster than her ornaments when Thorn returns home, and Nat and Thorn discover that old flames still remain intense.
Before Nat can sort out their relationship, she must face a much hairier problem. Her pack is under attack from the savage Long Island werewolves—and Nat is the first target in the turf war. Toss in a handsome wizard vying for her affection, a therapy group for the anxious and enchanted, and the South Toms River pack leader ready to throw her to the wolves, and it’s enough to give anybody a panic attack. With the stakes as high as the full moon, Nat must summon all her strength to save her pack, and ultimately, herself.
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