Blooded Review

Blooded (Jessica McClain #0.5)

- Amanda Carlson

 

Publisher: Orbit Short Fiction

 

Jessica McClain was born the only female in an all male race. The only problem is-she's no wolf. Called a curse, a witch and the Daughter of Evil by the superstitious wolves, Jessica decides to fight for her freedom, at age nineteen, the only way she can-in the ring.
When she's brutally attacked right after her fight, is it enough to finally earn her freedom off Compound, or will she be forced to endure the hatred even longer . . .

 

Blooded is a short prequel novella to the soon to release Full Blooded. It introduces us to Jessica and give an idea of the world of the Pack in which she was brought up. Being born the only female to werewolves would be bad enough, accept Jessica is human and without the strength to defend herself against those who rally to denounce her as Daughter of Cain. Despite this, Jessica is determined not to go down without a fight so she challenges a young alpha wolf to a fight without her father’s knowledge. Jessica is feisty and stubborn – and she is smart. She uses her brain while fighting always trying to figure out the next move. She is also aware that the tenuous place she currently holds in the pack cannot continue and that if she stays, something will have to break – her or the pack. This makes for a tense and exciting introduction to a new UF heroine

 

While short, this novella is a great tease for what lies ahead in Full Blooded both in terms of writing styles and characters. With so few pages I was amazed at how much I fell for not only Jessica but also her father and brother and friends Daniel and Nick – all of which I hope have more time in the series proper. The writing was assured and energetic feeling like a well-established world and author. I can’t wait to get my hands on Full Blooded and with the potential shown here, it could well be another new series to add to my must-purchase list!

 

Recommended for fans of Nancy Holzner and Kelley Armstrong. 8.5 out of 10