Re-read: 6/14/14 - 4 stars

Original read: 7/15/12 - 4 stars ( )

just awesome ( )

4.5/5
It's not for the first time I find myself between books, not knowing what to read next, and Secret McQueen's adventures provides this mind-numbing, snarky and noir-ish entertainment that leaves me strangely perky and refreshed.

I've said that already, - Secret is a blond, perky, miniature... She plays on her blondness, and enjoys it immensely. Snark is coming off of her in spades. She also has a very messy love life, and "trouble" as a middle name.

If in book#1 she confronted an evil werewolf, and in book#2 an evil vampire, book#3 is completely out of her comfort zone. Secret is asked to find Lucy, missing niece of were-ocelots Queen, and accidentally at the same time, her ex-boyfriend Gabriel asks for her help to prove he is not guilty of murder of a college girl.

The investigation reveals not your average villain, but something much more sinister and alien, and as usual, Secret ends up fighting for her life and the lives of those she love for all it's worth.

At the same time, Lucas, the asshat King of Werewolves, whom I really dislike, continues to trick Secret into strengthening their soul-bond while she struggles to maintain her relationships with his lieutenant, Desmond.

See, I don't get that. I don't get Lucas and Secret. She doesn't particularly feel for him, and that link between them is nothing more than forced metaphysical bullshit. I would dearly love it gone. I hope that if he pushes her hard enough she will snap out of it. Desmond on the other hand, another part of the soul-bond, is someone you feel for and root for. He is lovely and genuine.

Holden, Secret's vampire mentor, makes a cameo appearance as well. I like Holden, ladies. He is a keeper as well. Devious and cheeky, dead sharp and sexy. There are sparks between him and our blondie, and I hope there will be some sort of development between them without slipping into Anita Blake territory.

Overall, fast, straightforward and very enjoyable urban fantasy. All three books are very much recommended. ( )

I love it and I need more!! When is the next one coming out? ( )

What was the deal with the disgusting rape analogy and its subsequent apology? If there's one thing that makes me gag it's reading apologies and justifications for what a rapist has done (and lets be real, it may not have been rape as it's usually defined, but if we did live in a paranormal word that would constitute rape). Now not only has he completely violated her and proved again and again that he's a manipulative waste of sperm, but she's going to marry him?!

I'm reading the next book in hopes he'll die a horrible death! ( )