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Monday, 25 October 2010

TRACKING THE TEMPEST by Nicole Peeler


Jane True has almost come to terms with her supernatural heritage…almost.

Valentine's Day is fast approaching, and Ryu – Jane's bloodsucking boyfriend – can't let a major holiday go by without getting all gratuitous. An overwhelming dose of boyfriend interference and a last-minute ticket to Boston later, and Jane's life is thrown off course.

Ryu's well-intentioned plans create mayhem, and Jane winds up embroiled in an investigation involving a spree of gruesome killings. All the evidence points towards another Halfling, much to Jane's surprise…

Okay, so I have to say it again: I absolutely LOVE these covers. They're just so cute and totally capture the mood of each book.

This is the second book in The Jane True series, and I couldn't wait to get stuck into it. And, uh, that's exactly what I did. I spent most of yesterday reading it. It was a rainy day, and this wonderful book helped soothe the horrible weather away. I do believe it's now become one of my fave series. (Check the tags below, lol.)

Jane might be getting some personal lessons from Nell the very powerful gnome, and she's learning how to set up defensive shields as well as mage lights (though the latter's a little harder), but she's still got a lot of learning to do about the secret world of the supernaturals she's now become a part of.

She's back in Rockabill and several months have passed since her ordeal at the Alfar Compound (can't say too much about the incident because it's riddled with spoilers). She's back at work, back with her father, enjoying her normal existence, and having a long-distance relationship with the vampire, Ryu. It's all a lot of fun. Until he surprises her with an open-ended ticket to go visit him in Boston for Valentine's Day. It's all very romantic and passionate, but Ryu's perfect plans are interrupted when they get attacked by a halfling ifrit who's escaped the laboratory he'd been locked up in. He's causing a whole lot of chaos and leaving dead bodies behind.

Of course, Ryu being an investigator, he's on the case of Conleth the halfling, and so Jane meets his deputies: Julian, a fellow halfling and tech-wiz, who also happens to be the son of Camille, who's a vamp. Daoud, a djinn with an amazing arsenal in his pants, and Caleb, a satyr with amazing healing powers. She also (unfortunately) meets a team of very dangerous creatures lead by the tiny but deadly Alfar, Phaedra, who've been sent in by Jarl.

After realising it's not safe in Boston for her, Jane heads back to Rockabill, only to be pursued by Conleth. Afraid that he'll torch her family and friends, she goes back to Boston to help figure things out. Only, at first none of them realise that this halfling ifrit's got an obsession that has nothing to do with his impulse to burn things. He's got his sights set on Jane, and is willing to do whatever it takes to get to her.

Tracking the Tempest was another amazing and fast-paced installment in this excellent series! I was out of breath a few times because things moved so fast, and poor Jane finds herself in some very sticky and scary situations that almost get her killed. This book is when she realises that this world of the supernatural is just a little too intense and insane for her, and she's got a lot of learning and dealing to do.

Ryu might be back as her boyfriend, but Anyan is also there every step of the way. She's pretty convinced that Anyan's interest in her extends from a caring almost paternal instinct, but I think she's totally wrong about him. And as you can see from the cover for the third book, it looks like she'll be spending some time with Anyan... which can only be a good thing! :)

I seriously love (love) this series, and Jane's awesome. She's a strong character with as many human vulnerabilities as supernatural ones. The poor thing goes through a lot of punishment in this book, but this weird and wonderful world she's found herself in is also very awesomely scary. Bring on the next book...

Tracking the Tempest: Jane True #2, August 2010, ISBN 9781841499673, Orbit Paperback

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