I'm so happy, that I decided to start with this book, because it was just great! I simply flew through it, although it was not a short book - 496 pages. I love Anne Bishop's writing style, so I knew I was going to enjoy the language of the book, I just wasn't sure if I would like the plot. And I did! It was a great story.

Meg is hiding from the people trying to hunt her and she hides among the Others. The Others usually don't like humans, but they discover, that Meg is unique - a blood prophet, who can see the future - and they decide to keep her.

I especially liked, that the Others were so not human. Usually a werewolf or a vampire is just a man who has some special abilities - well, the Others were not human at all and we kept getting really bloody and horrible moments, like eating a living person or burning somebody's hands. I don't like horrors, but Anne Bishop can write so well, that I enjoyed this book despite those moments.

Meg was so sweet and good and I really like her. The wolves were moody and angry all the time - I wasn't the biggest fan, especially of Elliot. I loved Tess, she was really original and scary. I don't understand why Monty from the police got so much interest in this book, because he did more or less nothing, but maybe he's going to be important later. Generally, the characters were well developed and interesting.

What I found annoying was the so-called villain - Asia Crane was so stupid, greedy and irritating, that I kept thinking why Simon simply didn't eat her. The Others are so powerful and strong, yet one stupid Asia managed to cause the death of two of them? I didn't like that.

The second problem I had was how little humans and the Others knew about each other. They lived together for hundreds of years and they behave as if they just met. It was strange.

Anyway, the book was great, I loved it and I will definitely read the second book in this series soon.

(first published on my blog https://dominikasreadingchallenge.blogspot.com/) ( )

Although I loved the Black Jewels books, I was quite surprised that I liked this series beginning as much as I did. Also, the audiobook was well done ( )

I would have guessed that this was not my type of book: urban fantasy with loads of in-your-face magic and magical creatures. Normally not my kind of thing, but it was recommended by a friend on LT, so I gave it a go. I'm glad I did, because I really liked it! Yes, it has many magical creatures, but they all fit together quite well, living together in one compound, and they are the norm. The humans are the outsiders. Yes, it has a small vulnerable woman and a large werewolf hunky guy, but the romance (and I say romance because I assume that's where it'll go sometime in the future, but in reality it's not even really there in this book) is taken slow. Sure, there are the obligatory fights with him bullying her, but they don't feel as cliche because she doesn't do the feisty standing up for herself thing. She's just herself, and although she doesn't let him drive her in a corner, and although she has been hurt in the past, she is not the fussy type. It doesn't become a whole drama, she just picks up and moves on. So the terra indigene befriending her doesn't feel overdone, and there are a few that dislike what she does as well.
Then there's the other characters. It's true that Meg, the main characters is not the strongest of girls, but there is no misogyny in this book. As a matter of fact, the scariest and most powerful terra indigene are women: the girl Elementals and Tess. No male/female posturing of any kind. And they become friends with Tess. There are many female friendships in this book, which is quite refreshing.

So, like the world, like the characters, and like the story as well. I'm hoping for many sequels as good as this one! ( )

Interesting alternate world. There are some gruesome bits but the story is enough to mostly overcome that.
library book read 12/12/2023 and copy acquired 12/15/2023 ( )

3.5 This is not for urban fantasy readers who need lots of action but I enjoyed the characters, humor and focus on friendships. ( )