From the Stacks: Coveted by Shawntelle Madison

This is yet another book that didn't take me long to finish, perhaps only a couple hours, though I know I was interrupted a few times and at about the 75% mark my NOOK actually died on me so I had to take a couple hour break, but it was an enjoyable read.

Summary:

"Sometimes what you covet is impossible to keep.

For werewolf Natalya Stravinsky, the supernatural is nothing extraordinary. What does seem strange is she's stuck in her hometown of South Toms River, New Jersey, the outcast of her pack, selling antiques to finicky magical creatures. Restless and recovering from her split with gorgeous ex-boyfriend Thorn, Nat finds comfort in an unusual place: her obsessively collected stash of holiday trinkets. But complications pile up faster than her ornaments when Thorn returns home-and the two discover that the spark between them remains intense.

Before Nat can sort out their relationship, she must face a more immediate and dangerous problem. Her pack is under attack from the savage Long Island werewolves-and Nat is their first target in a turf war. Toss in a handsome wizard vying for her affection, a therapy group for the anxious and enchanted, and the South Toms River pack leader ready to throw her to the wolves, and it's enough to give anybody a panic attack. With the stakes as high as the full moon, Nat must summon all of her strength to save her pack, and ultimately, herself."

My Thoughts:

Natalya is a neurotic wolf, I give you that. She obsessively hoards holiday ornaments and other holiday decorations and figurines, etc. Sometimes her obsession was a little annoying to me as a reader, but you know what? It totally worked for the story because it is a real issue and it isn't always pretty. Where one person can rationalize the hoarding by calling it collecting and trying to act like it's under control, another person can see just how much the obsession is taking over a life. That's the way it is with Nat, but by the end of the novel I think that maybe she is starting to get a little better on that front.

For a great majority of the story I honestly wondered why Nat, who is no longer a member of the South Toms River pack, was the primary target on the extermination list by the rival pack. I mean, if I were trying to take over the turf I would go after someone who held some power within the pack, but by the end the "why" of it all is answered, and it does make sense.

What can I say about Thorn? Okay, yeah, he is an alpha-type male lead, which makes sense as he will be the alpha of the South Toms River pack. But I didn't feel a connection between him and Nat aside from physical. From the time Nick the wizard is introduced, I thought he was adorable and very supportive of Nat...probably because he also shares her issue with...collecting, though his isn't contained to holiday paraphernalia. Their issues also help to tie in with the therapy support group meetings and all the interesting characters there.

I want more with Nick and Nat, and it will be interesting to see what happens with Nat and Thorn, I guess, as well as finding out what happens with Nat and the South Toms River pack. Really, these characters grew on me and I have to know more. I will definitely be picking up Kept. This was a great read...5/5.

Coveted at Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/coveted-shawntelle-madison/1104641073?ean=9780345529183

Coveted at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Coveted-Shawntelle-Madison/dp/0345529189/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1357602104&sr=1-2&keywords=Coveted

Other Readings:

I finished Falling Kingdoms and I've actually finished a couple of my February books already. Also on the agenda are the library books I've checked out and are due back soon, though they won't show up on this blog until around June because of my earlier scheduling of my review list before I went to the library. I'm currently reading Uncommon Criminals by Ally Carter, Mark of the Witch by Maggie Shayne, and Origin by Jessica Khoury and I imagine I'll be finishing those soon enough.