Nocturnal Book Reviews

kindle freebie


Synopsis from Goodreads

Some secrets are dangerous. This Secret is deadly.


For Secret McQueen, her life feels like the punch line for a terrible joke. Abandoned at birth by her werewolf mother, hired as a teen by the vampire council of New York City to kill rogues, Secret is a part of both worlds, but belongs to neither. At twenty-two, she has carved out as close to a normal life as a bounty hunter can.
When an enemy from her past returns with her death on his mind, she is forced to call on every ounce of her mixed heritage to save herself—and everyone else in the city she calls home. As if the fate of the world wasn’t enough to deal with, there’s Lucas Rain, King of the East Coast werewolves, who seems to believe he and Secret are fated to be together. Too bad Secret also feels a connection with Desmond, Lucas’s second-in-command…

Warning: This book contains a sarcastic, kick-ass bounty hunter; a metaphysical love triangle with two sexy werewolves; a demanding vampire council; and a spicy seasoning of sex and violence. 

 Amazon  UK | Amazon kindle US/UK |  The Book Depository US/UK

 A Bloody Good Secret by Sierra Dean (Secret McQueen #2)

bought


Synopsis from Goodreads
After cheating death twice in one night, confessing her true nature to her werewolf soul mates and being asked to kill one of her closest friends, Secret took a much-needed vacation. By running away.

Now she’s back in town—dragged kicking and screaming—determined to clear Holden Chancery’s name. Right after she finds out what he’s accused of. It shouldn’t be hard—Holden has a habit of using their new and scintillating psychic bond to break into her thoughts and dreams at some very, shall we say, awkward moments.

Just a few things stand in her way: a secretive Tribunal leader, a group of would-be vampire slayers and two werewolf boyfriends who refuse to let her operate in her customary lone-wolf style. Even less amusing are the terrifying creatures that someone is using in an attempt to gain control of the council. Even for this out-of-the-ordinary bounty hunter, it’s a challenge with potentially deadly teeth.

Warning: Contains an ever-plucky heroine with no shortage of weapons, super-hot mind games, an ever-complicated love triangle and one hell of a creepy amusement park.

 Amazon UK | Amazon kindle US/UK |  The Book Depository US/UK

                                                                        
Where do I start with Secret McQueen? Wow. She reminds of earlier Anita Blake with a streak of Eddie Murphy in Golden Child. She is fun, sassy, sarcastic and knows her Jimmy Choo.

And did I say these two books were fun?  Great, light, clever read. 


I got the first book when it was a freebie, started reading it and emerged few hours later blinking, went to buy the second book and devoured it straight away.

I made a comparison with Anita Blake earlier, but the difference between Secret McQueen and Ms. Blake is that Anita hates all monsters in the beginning, and Secret is a monster herself. She is half-vampire, half-werewolf, and both her sides constantly battle within her. 

She has to sleep during the day and drinks blood, but she can't shift, although full moon will make her restless. Secret works as a bounty hunter and executioner for the Vampire Council, and most of her victims can't take the little cute blonde with a ponytale seriously until she blows their brains out. But then it's too late for them.

Her life complicates when her old enemy, the crazy psycho vamp who attacked her when she was sixteen comes back into town with a genious evil plan of world domination. Her werewolf side also shows itself at an awkward moment choosing to soul-bond to two powerful werewolves, one of whom is a local king.

Oops. Love troubles aside, she has to save her own ass first and think of everything else later. Both books deliver plenty of kick-butt action, smart-assery, bad puns and unexpected twists in the plot.


I highly recommend it if you want to read somewhat lighter urban fantasy as opposed to doom and gloom, save-the world-or-die-trying dark UF which I would normally choose to read.

Прекрасная серия, лёгкая без того, чтобы оказаться глупой, смешная и в то же время полная экшна и лихих поворотов сюжета.



Сикрет МакКуин чем-то напоминает мне раннюю Аниту, только она - милая блондинка с задиристым чувством юмора и с дорогим пристрастием к хорошей обуви типа Джимми Чу.



Обе охотятся на монстров, обе прозваны Палачами, обе маленькие девушки и совсем не впечатляют тех самых монстров, пока не расплёскивают мозги тех по стенке... Однако на этом можно сравнения и закончить.



Сикрет сама монстр. Она полувампир, полувервульф, и обе стороны её натуры не доставляют ей ничего кроме непрятностей. Вампир желает спать днём и пьёт кровь, вервульф, хоть и не может обратиться в полнолуние, но тоже иногда вырывается из под контроля.



Сикрет работает охотником за головами на Вампирский Совет, и когда в город возвращается её старый враг, психопат-вампир с планами мирового господства, Совет приказывает ей захватить того живым.



К проблемам Сикрет прибавляется взбунтовавшаяся натура вервульфа. которая выбрала этот самый момент, чтобы выбрать свою половинку в лице Короля оборотней региона и его телохранителя...



Отложив любовные дела в сторонку, Сикрет как разумная девушка решает сосредоточиться сначала на выживании...



Очень рекомендую серию, если вы устали от тёмного городского фэнтэзи и хотите чего-то полегче и повеселее, без того чтобы от этого хромал сюжет. Очень даже приличные книжки!