Book Review: Full Blooded

Full Blooded

By:  Amanda Carlson

Publisher:  Orbit

Publish Date:  September 1, 2012

Format:  ARC, 322pgs

Genre:  Urban Fantasy

Series:  1st in Jessica McClain series; Novella #0.5 ~ Blooded

Recommendation:  OH YES!!  You need this one!  Strong female character who can stand her own, human and otherwise.  If you love full throttle, fast action reads, definite read.

Book Synopsis:
Born the only female in an all male race, Jessica McClain isn't just different -- she's feared.

After living under the radar for the last twenty-six years, Jessica is thrust unexpectedly into her first change, a full ten years late.  She wakes up and finds she's in the middle of a storm.  Now that she's become the only female full-blooded werewolf in town, the supernatural world is already clamoring to take a bite out of her and her new Pack must rise up and protect her.

First Sentence:
I drew in a ragged breath and tried hard to surface from one hell of a nightmare.

My Thoughts and Summary:
Jessica wakes to severe pain and the one thing she never thought would happen to her.  She's changing...into a werewolf.  There are no female werewolves, except Jess.  Females don't change, except now Jess has.  Now Jessica has to worry about controlling her wolf half or not be allowed to live, not a good sign to have a wild wolf and her first unexpected change doesn't go so well.  Jessica is already rare as a female in the wolf world but to shift, unheard of.  Just being female has stirred up the people in the supernatural world, spreading rumors and myth she is evil and will bring down the pack.  Now?  Jessica will fight that it's not going to happen, but now things might change with Jessica's shift...along with her human life she's fought to have.

When Jess changed she tore up her apartment, bad.  Of course the police were called and Nick, her business partner and best friend, made it look as a break in instead of a break out.  But the cop on the case is not a fan of hers, and suspicious of her physical talents.  She needs to keep the secret of being full-blooded werewolf from others as they believe her to be Cain's daughter, yet her newly born wolf is strong and ready to take the lead.  Jess can't stay at the compound with her father and the pack as that would stir the pack wolves up and more suspicious, and has to get back to her alias life away from the pack, as Molly Hannon, hoping no one suspects her being Jessica McClain.

I feel for Jessica as her human world collides with the supernatural world, with the wolf she's becoming.  Stirring up trouble that only can be handled by humans but caused by wolf strength, which is difficult to explain.  Jessica keeps getting deeper as she learns how powerful and special her wolf is.  There are many great secondary characters added to the mix.  Danny.  He's so loyal and knows his place, yet he says things that are fun to lighten Jessica and make her smile.  I loved meeting him in Blooded, and still love him here.  We have Tyler, her twin brother.  Very strong, and similar to their dad.  James... aw, he is special and I can't mention much more other than he's Jessica's dads number two, and close with the family.  Then we have a hired hit men as well...and the one and only Rourke.  Um, I'll stop there as you will want to see what happens with these two, as it's unexpected for both.

I REALLY like the wolf world created!  The old lore's and connection to Lycans.  Great set up, and finesse in playing the story out.  We learn through the book of the werewolf ways and history as we go.  It's given in pieces at exactly the right moment, not over told in a long history class.  Which makes this read a fast one, along with the action and movement going on.

This story is full of action and pounding.  I wasn't sure where the story would unfold to with Jessica's first change, but found I greatly liked the way things were playing out.  Jessica tries to uphold her human persona while it's falling apart with the knowledge of her change.  And that there just might be more to her, a lot more, than anyone had ever thought.  Everything in Molly Hannon's simple human life is changing, as Jessica McClain comes into her own on all levels.

This is one Pack I'm definitely following and howling with.  In the end we are left with our mouths hanging open, and scrounging for the next book.    So many wants in the end.  And Hot Blooded is a must read as soon as it's available!

Amanda has definitely figured out the right combination of information and action to keep a story fast forward and the reader drawn to flipping pages.

You can start with the eNovella, Blooded, (though don't have to) of Jessica fighting for her right to leave the Compound:

Want to read this book?

Amazon ~ Print:

Amazon ~ Ebook:

I received this novel from the author for an honest review.