TAKEN BY THE OTHERS by Jess Haines

Once, New York P.I. Shiarra Waynest's most pressing problem was keeping her agency afloat. Now she's dealing with two dangerous, seductive vampires who have been enemies for centuries. The only thing Max Carlyle and Alec Royce agree on is that they both want Shia - for very different reasons. Max is determined to destroy Shia for killing his progeny, while Royce's interest is a lot more personal. That's not sitting well with Shia's werewolf boyfriend, Chaz. As the feud between Max and Royce gets ever more deadly, a powerful vampire-hunting faction is urging Shia to join their side. Shia has always believed vamps were the bad guys, but she's discovering unexpected shades of grey that are about to redefine her friends, her loyalties - and even her desires.

This is the second book in the H&W Investigations urban fantasy series. After really enjoying the first one, I was looking forward to reading this one. So I powered up my Kindle and got stuck into it over the weekend...

Shiarra used to be reluctant to take any part in the world of Others, but after the events of the first book, she's now got a contract with a vampire, has a Were boyfriend, and her best friend/business partner is dating a mage. Oh, and the White Hats--who happen to hunt Others--are still trying to recruit her. But nothing is as frightening as the new vampire in town. Max is in New York to get revenge for the death of one of his vampires, which means hurting Royce. The two vamps have a very intense history and Shiarra's just been cast in the leading role to end their rivalry.

While this book is still filled with snarky comments and still has some fun elements, it's a lot darker than the first. We really get into the nitty-gritty of just how scary vampires can be, and Shiarra finds herself in one bad situation after another. I was hooked, and couldn't wait to see how it was all going to work out.

Phew. Now I can take a deep breath. What an awesome series! I'll definitely be grabbing myself a Kindle copy of the third book. Can't wait to step into Chaz's world. :) 

H&UFRC books read: 14/24