Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Release Day Review: Cursed by S.J. Harper

 
About the book:
 
Emma Monroe is a Siren, cursed by the gods and bound to earth to atone for an ancient failure. She’s had many names and many lives, but only one mission: redemption. Now that she works missing persons cases for the FBI, it could be just a rescue away. Unless her new partner leads her astray.

Special Agent Zack Armstrong just transferred into the San Diego Field Office. He’s a werewolf, doing his best to beat back the demons from his dark and dangerous past. As a former Black Ops sniper, he’s taken enough lives. Now he’s doing penance by saving them.

Emma and Zack’s very first case draws them deep into the realm of the paranormal, and forces them to use their own supernatural abilities. But that leaves each of them vulnerable, and there are lines partners should not cross. As secrets are revealed and more women go missing, one thing becomes clear: as they race to save the victims, Emma and Zack risk losing themselves.
My Thoughts:

Being a siren can’t be easy. Being banned from home without being able to return home before a Goddess says so – even worse. Then imagine having to save young women from fates worse than death, to hide who you truly are, always keeping your guard up, never falling in love, because if you do, they die. NOT easy.

But Emma isn’t the only one running from her past – although to be fair, her past is… uhmmm… longer than Zack’s.

I think this is the first story I’ve read involving a siren. And to tell you the truth, I enjoyed it immensely.

It was wonderful to dive into this story, to be absorbed by the puzzle that Emma and Zack had to solve, the clues leading to the culprit, and let me tell you – it certainly wasn’t the villain I expected. I was turning page after page, not even noticing how late it got, because frankly, the writing was amazing. I got caught into the hopelessness of Emma and Zack’s possible Happily Ever After, and the horrible decision Emma had to make. And in all the personal drama, they still had to find all the missing persons, follow all the clues and connect the dots.

I loved reading Cursed. Every damn second. The mix of a love story (although a tad bittersweet) with the police investigation, detective work… wow. Amazingly spun. I have read a few mysteries/police investigations over time, and this one is definitely on the top of my list! The balance between the two sides is perfect, the characters are wonderful written, and the story that the author is telling is captivating.

I’ll have to tell you though…  The ending was… oh, it was gruel. My heart was beating, my heart pounding, my hands were shaking… And even though the ending hurt like a b*tch, I understood the WHY. I truly did. I would’ve done the same, even if it ripped out my own heart in the progress.

Cross my heart, this is a wonderful start to a new series, and it shows exactly how good both Samantha Sommersby and Jeanne C. Stein are together. I hope they keep up the amazing good work and keep feeding my addiction! Thank you Ladies!
 
About the authors:
 
 
 
S.J. Harper is the pen name for the writing team of Samantha Sommersby and Jeanne C. Stein, two friends who met at Comic-Con in San Diego and quickly bonded over a mutual love of good wine, edgy urban fantasy, and everything Joss Whedon.

Samantha Sommersby left what she used to call her “real life” day job in the psychiatric field to pursue writing full-time in 2007. She is the author of more than ten novels and novellas including the critically acclaimed Forbidden series. She currently lives with her husband and cocker spaniel, Buck, in a century old Southern California Craftsman. Sam happily spends her days immersed in a world where vampires, werewolves, and demons are real, myths and legends are revered, magic is possible, and love still conquers all.

Jeanne Stein is the national bestselling author of The Anna Strong Vampire Chronicles. She also has numerous short story credits, including most recently the novella, Blood Debt, from the New York Times bestselling anthology, Hexed. Her series has been picked up in three foreign countries and her short stories published in collections here in the US and the UK. She lives in Denver, CO where she finds gardening a challenge more daunting than navigating the world of mythical creatures.
 
 
Where to find Samantha & Jeanne:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Buy Links:
 
 
 
 
 


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