It was okay but I didn't feel like there was much actual plot and the plot there was seemed a bit rehashed. Bad stuff happens and Jessica has to sort it out with some new magical power that not really explained. Insert a few info dumps, a kidnapping, a few fights and some running away/towards baddies and you've got the story. There seems to be no limit on Jessica's power and pretty much whatever happens she can sort though magical power alone, we don't see her trying to learn anything about her new powers or the world, she just seems to rely on the fact that her powers will be enough. Whenever anybody tells her (in a fairly heavy handed way) how amazing she is she denies it but every action she takes counts on her being just that super duper amazing. I don't really get much of a personality from any of the characters, they all seemed fairly one dimensional. Jessica is the one who wants to save everybody, Rouke is madly in love with her, Tyler is her loyal and protective brother, her dad is protective and overbearing and the vamps are manipulative, but they don't have any depth to them, the vamps are manipulative for no reason that's been explained, the mate bond feels like a substitute for writing an actual emotional attachment, Tyler's loyalty seems to be demonstrated by him saying how protective he is ect.In all honesty this book bored me a bit. After reading the first three books in the Jessica McClain series in rather quick (for me) succession, I have the same general complaints for every book. I know a lot of people love the constant action in this series but I would prefer a little less. The piling up of action scene upon action scene results in :1) Lack of character development. Although I will say some of minor characters are more developed than the main couple. I feel like all I know about Jessica is that she’s the only female werewolf, she is strong willed, and she has these ever increasing powers carrying the plot around. I don’t really know her and I know Rourke even less. 2) Not caring about Rourke. As mentioned in complaint #1, I know nothing about him except he is the last of his kind of shifter, he is Jessica’s mate, and he’s really strong. No personality to speak of. After the sexual tension is finally sussed out, there is nothing. I just do not feel the connection and I don’t care about the romance. Something is wrong when I am crushing on Jessica’s father, James, Tyler, and Danny, but not on Rourke. Also, why can’t she call him by his first name? Really, really impersonal. 3) Jessica’s powers are a constant deus ex machina. Every time she’s in a tough situation, she pulls these powers out of her ass to save the day. Yes, she is a kick ass character. I’m not saying she doesn’t have that spark. But in the end, it’s her unknown-never-heard-of-before-in-the-supe-world powers that move the plot along. 4) Telling not showing. The dialogue is clunky. Every time there’s a heavy action scene where time is of the essence, Jessica and pals stop to have ridiculously lengthy conversations. Because the action is non-stop, this is needed to explain what’s going on and unfortunately, it doesn’t work in the slightest. There was one time I remember, I think in book 3, it is actually explained to the reader that despite being told repeatedly how little time there was, we now had a few minutes for this long, drawn out discussion. This nonsense happens in all three books so far and it really pulls me out of the story. 5) Cartoonish antagonists. Although we are told that each Big Boss is practically unbeatable, they are actually beaten relatively easily (powers to the rescue!) and I never once felt like Jessica or pals were in any real peril.
What do You think about Cold Blooded (2013)?
Jessica and Rourke are quite a pair. Still loving the series as much as book 1. Bring on book 4
—beast
heck of a ride. non-stop action. cliffhanger again.
—gashetri
