Tempest Rising by Nicole Peeler

Tempest Rising
(Jane True #1)
Nicole Peeler
Release: November 1, 2009
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Living in small town Rockabill, Maine, Jane True always knew she didn't quite fit in with so-called normal society. During her nightly, clandestine swim in the freezing winter ocean, a grisly find leads Jane to startling revelations about her heritage: she is only half-human.

Now, Jane must enter a world filled with supernatural creatures alternatively terrifying, beautiful, and deadly- all of which perfectly describe her new "friend," Ryu, a gorgeous and powerful vampire.

It is a world where nothing can be taken for granted: a dog can heal with a lick; spirits bag your groceries; and whatever you do, never-ever rub the genie's lamp.

Review:

The Jane True series starts off with the delightful Tempest Rising. The heroine, Jane, is a lovable and realistic woman who is extremely likable and has a hilarious inner monologue. Her thoughts often alternated between feeling like she didn't really fit in with the rest of her home town and attempting to tamp down her libido.

“So, once again, I ignored my poor, repressed libido--which was currently clamoring for me to lure Ryu behind the counter and knock him out with an unabridged dictionary in order to make him mine--and went ahead and started in on what he wanted to know.”

 I really enjoyed reading from Jane's point of view and the distinct 'voice' of author Nicole Peeler's writing. Jane has a painful past that shapes her self-image and how the rest of her town views her, but she still manages to be adorable and a fun character to "hang out" with.

Jane discovers during the course of a murder mystery that she is actually half-selkie, which is a seal shapeshifter. But, don't worry, Jane doesn't turn into a seal. Since she is a Halfling, she can't change into the animal but she reaps other supernatural rewards and abilities. This discovery leads to a lot of getting to know the supernatural world and all the different creatures that are a part of it. This also leads Jane on a journey of self-discovery that moves her closer to healing from her past. I liked watching Jane grow a little during the course of this book.

A whole host of supernaturals come into Jane's life, and Jane spends most of the book stumbling around in her new world. Most important of these is delicious vampire, Ryu, and a sexy, flirtatious relationship begins between him and Jane. Ryu is definitely fun and I certainly enjoyed reading their scenes - things occasionally got surprisingly hot and heavy! I like Ryu but I'm concerned that all the two have is chemistry and sex, so we'll see if that can bloom into something more in the next book.

As of this review I have already started the next in this series. This urban fantasy series is one I recommend reading!

Recommended for fans of: urban fantasy, supernatural creatures, myth, Sookie Stackhouse series, Arcadia Bell series, and heroines with uproarious inner thoughts.

    

  4 / 5 stars