The worldbuilding here had some novelties that I really liked. Why is everyone so mad that the Others eat humans? Have we not been reading vampire and werewolf books this whole time? The Others are just more organized about it. I really liked Meg, and the way she charmed the Others. I loved Tess, need more of her! Scary as f*ck and runs the bakery? Yes. There's not really any romance in this book.

Though it was going to be a dumb shifter romance, but instead found an amazing feat of world building!

I really enjoyed the uniqueness of this paranormal book.

The main character, Meg, has the ability to see prophesies when her skin is cut. This is something that I don't recall ever reading about (other than witches making blood sacrifices). She escapes her prison and ends up becoming a liaison between humans and 'The Others' (supernatural creatures).

The story has a few different perspectives, but mainly takes place behind the eyes of Meg and Simon, a wolf shifter who runs one of the local businesses. While this may sound like the average boring setup in a novel like this, the romance aspect was barely in this at all! Instead, the book was very plot and character-focused, giving the readers a chance to really become immersed in the world and care about what's happening to it.

This book was missing a lot of the stereotypical scenes in novels like this, and I also enjoyed the logical elements regarding the Others' confusion regarding some human qualities like healing and cleanliness.

I'm really excited to see where this story goes next!

Review to come

My almost mother in law recommended this one to me and it looks great!





I wish others in the family could understand our love for reading

Note: this story includes cutting as a major plot point. I don't know much about what it means to struggle with it, but I mention it because sometimes warnings are given on tumblr for potential triggers. So, I thought I'd mention it.

Overall, this is a wonderful book/story, with fascinating turns and twists. I loved Meg, and Simon made my heart melt more than once.

Unlike other werewolf romances that tone down the paranormal side or turn it into something soft and cuddly, Anne Bishop makes it very clear from the beginning that the Others are a threat and not something to mess with. It's pretty refreshing, actually, and doesn't change the parts of them that are admirable.

Tess also became a favorite character of mine. She's one of the most creatively portrayed, with hair that changes color (and curl) according to her mood.

I can't say enough good about the plot. It made sense, it flowed really well, and the things Meg did and the things that happened because of Meg's kindness thrilled me.

One last thing. Sam's story almost made me cry at several points.

Spoiler

And his shifting back into boy form was the most inspiring part of the story for me. It was simple, and beautiful, and so natural that it really got me.

There were a few things that irritated me about the plot, but only one that I feel merits attention. The history at the beginning is completely unnecessary. In fact, it made me almost put the book down because reading that history made me feel one way about humans, whereas the first chapter made me feel an entirely different way. The emotional whiplash was not appreciated. However, the story still intrigued me, so I kept going. I'm glad I did. This is a book that definitely gets better as the story picks up steam.

Not only will I read the next book in the series, this book has been added to my (offline) To Buy list.

There is an explanation for that rating. It's not that the plot is overwhelmingly great or that I discovered something new and fantastic after reading this book.
It's just that this book and I have chemistry.



Despite the fact that the first half of the book was just world building and the characters getting to know Meg, I was really enjoying it. Honestly, a good chunk of the book was just Meg sorting mail, but I found it entertaining. Everything was just so cute, especially Meg and Sam, and I could have sat there watching them do geometry problems. That's how much I like the characters. I even grudgingly like that Asia Crane lady because how can you not feel even slightly entertained by a person who turns everything into a TV drama?

I like the world Anne Bishop has built here, though it is fairly simplistic in the base mythology. The Others never pretend to be human in any aspect and there is a lot of amusement to be derived from their non-understanding of humans.

“Humans don’t like mice?” “Not in the building!” Meg said. “And not around food,” Merri Lee added. The three terra indigene looked baffled. “But it’s fresh meat,” the brown-haired woman finally said.

There is a refreshing lack of romance here. Yes, Simon is possessive of Meg etc. but her decided lack of oohing and aahing over him is a relief. Plus it will take him ages to figure it out anyway.

All in all, I have a new author to obsess over.

I was at Barnes and Noble, because my library, somehow, does not have a copy of Nnedi Okorafor's Who Fears Death. As I was picking it up, the lady next to me said "Oh shoot!" while holding the first book of Naomi Novik's alternate history with dragons that talk.... She had read it already, we started talking, I pointed out V. E. Schwab's Darker Shade of Magic, which she promptly picked up (and bought, I saw her check out) and walked to Anne Bishop's book and handed me this one. While it might take a second read to see if I really mean the five stars, the story of finding this story is worthy.