Author: Shawntelle Madison
series: Coveted #2
genre: Urban Fantasy
length: 320 pages (e-book)
release date: November 27th 2012
publisher: Ballantine Books
Fresh from defending her pack in battle, Natalya Stravinsky, a whip-smart werewolf with a lovable neurotic streak, wants a little rest and relaxation. Once an outcast, she’s now eager to rejoin the ranks of her New Jersey pack, and has even gotten a handle on her obsessive urge to hoard holiday ornaments. Yet Nat barely has time to revel in her progress before the next crisis comes howling at her door.
Nat’s father has suddenly gone missing, captured by the Russian werewolf mafia. And as Nat steps up to save her dad from a mob boss’s deadly game, two men step in to play another round for her heart: her gorgeous alpha ex-boyfriend, Thorn, and her new flame, the sweetly sensitive wizard Nick. With her life growing more harried by the minute, Nat must stay cool, calm, and collected . . . or else risk losing everything.
My Thoughts:
I wanted to love this book, really. But couldn't.
Also, I wanted to write a spoiler free review, like I always do, but there are sooo many things that were driving me nuts and I have to explain WHY I give this book three stars.
I started the book with the thought that it certainly will be better than the first one. At least the critics said that. Well, the story wasn’t bad but it wasn’t too good either. The first book’s conflict was better. Can’t they make one book out of these two?
** Spoiler alert: Read on...If You Dare! **
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So, about the story... Nat wants to join to the pack again at all costs, and she gets her chance to prove herself. She needs to pass and win a test. She should train hard, but her father disappears without a word. Nat, her brother and Thorn are searching for her father, and Nat ends up in a debt to the Mobster leader, who gives her a task. A consignment shall be delivered in less than 24 hours to another werewolf pack wolf, or else… as the old Code states: The debt should be paid with sweat and blood. She doesn’t know what’s the shipment is, but it’s in a big truck that she has to drive to dogs…I mean werewolves.
Nat starts her journey alone (because the good old Thorn, who said he will always be there to help her, went home to his fiancé…) And finally, FINALLY the road has some surprises. Action, action! It comes in all kinds of magical creatures determined to stop Nat.
Since the first half of the book bored me to death, no wonder I was almost jumping from joy when they nearly killed Nat and her little crew. Oh yes, because FINALLY she asked the right person to help her, the wizard who dropped everything and rushed to fight at her side.
TEAM NICK!! A muse and a siren accompany him, who are officially became my favorite characters in the book. Those two fools would be sin to miss. They’re sooo funny!
Unlike the previous book, in Kept, the conflict with the mafia does not last until the end of the book. It takes only 20-30 pages to solve. Then comes the test, where Nat can show that she’s worth to be a pack member. Since Thorn’s bride beats the shit out of Natalya a day before the test and swears Nat (what the hell?) not to tell anyone about this, otherwise Nat will find herself in serious trouble (again, what the hell?? And the stupid girl is, of course obeying…
*facepalm*) so Nat can past the test only with the help of the other competitors. In the final dual, she has to beat her opponent in a physical confrontation (in human form… not a big surprise that she loses.).
But this is still not the end, because Thorn states in front of everyone, that he loves her, and he won’t marry Erica- his fiancé. And here where’s all hell breaks loose, and Erica challenges Nat to fight to the death right then. When Nat’s about to die, by some miracle, she finally comes to her senses, and shift to a wolf form (it’s about damn time for the end of the Book 2!!) and beats the crap out of Erica and wins the title of an ALPHA (but she’s not ready to fulfill, yet).
The love triangle has never been a triangle. I hate when the girl is playing with one of the boys, especially if I am rooting for that boy, because even if Paul Marron portrays the other one, namely Thorn, on the cover, he’s still a huge jackass and I would totally kick him out in a heartbeat (and it really says something in my case).
Natalya is still annoying and pathetic. For example: Nick has to drain her life force (Thorn was tortured like this for 4 years) in order to protect themselves from raging werewolves in en impossible life-threatening situation. When Nat figured this out, she started to bitching, because seriously, how could Nick do that to her?? She didn’t think about that they’re still alive only because of Nick’s fast reacting… UNBELIEVABLE!
Nat’s family had not changed much, but her aunt is highly overtops everyone in the local b*tch competition. In Nat’s place, I would have killed her! Of course she just stood there and listened to the mental abusing her aunt was throwing at her, and sometimes she even thought her aunt is right.
*beats her head in the table and gives up to understand this girl*
I wonder if there is going to be a 3rd book, because there are still some unanswered questions, but not much has been referred to a possible sequel. We'll see and pray for that if we get a third book, Nat will finally grow into a good character, because she does have the potential.
So, I say, everyone read this series at your own risk!
*I received a copy from the author for review purposes.
Please consider that these are MY thoughts, MY opinions about the book, that doesn't mean it's not good! It's just doesn't do it for ME! There are plenty good ratings for this series, so you might will enjoy it. You'll never know, if you don't give it a try!
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It was OK.
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