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This reads like a non-final draft that was rushed to print. It would have benefited greatly from a strong editor.

First, a small thing, isn't the wereleopard who wants to get pregnant Vivianne, not Vanessa?

Second, there are large holes in the police/action drama. In the beginning, we are led to believe that there is a monster master vampire who is turning old women and young children into vampires against their will -- and has been making a veritable army of them in recent years. Yet as the story unfolds, I don't think the master vampire we meet at the end did create them all -- so then are they just creations of assorted evil vampires, did they want to be turned? Are all these vampires are originally from St. Louis (made without Jean Claude's knowledge) or did they move here? If so why? Is it a coincidence or a "master" plan?

Third, the repetition of the attempts to give Anita the "cop/street" cred -- is too much. We could have done with one less long discussion of how "we stand shoulder to shoulder" and how our job is "to run in to where the monsters are."

Fourth, while some of the relationship development was natural and seemed to be long in the making/foretelling -- Sin, but especially Asher -- there are some relationship developments that seem very abrupt and could have been fleshed out more -- Dolph's regaining respect for Anita, but especially what happens with Larry (WTF??).

I did like the continuing evolution of Anita's metaphysical powers -- I think that was well done -- both the additional abilities and the control over the ardour. I liked Nathaniel's continuing maturation and the depictions of the relationships between him and Sin and Sin and Nicky.

The sex was okay - same old, same old

For the narration -- which is good as usual -- one comment. Did she change the way she did Micah's voice? It sounded foreign and was distancing and distracting to me.

If it weren't for Otto -- I would think there is nothing left to tell about this world.

I re-listened to everything previously written in this series to prepare for this book. I agree with the reviewers who believe Ms. Harris lost her heart for this series, I have seen this with other authors like in the Anita Blake series.

I was so disheartened that I went through my audio library looking for an old friend to re-visit.
Instead, I stumbled onto a new gem. Like the Sookie series, this series has an odd, gifted and very loveable heroine. Like Sookie's home, this is set in a world all its own. While it lacks vampires and werewolves, it has lots of chemistry.

Have a listen to Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley. Follow the adventures of Flavia. Listening is good again.

I selected this book because I knew nothing about Norse mythology, yet a basic knowledge of it is assumed in many of the books I like (American Gods, Kevin Hearne's Iron Druid series, Anita Blake and werewolf packs).

This definitely gives you a good introduction to Norse Myths -- and they are actually much more interesting than the Greco/Roman pantheon. It piqued my interest and I will likely read more in depth works on the subject.

The narrator was excellent.

Driving down the interstate, listening to this story and laughing uproariously, I see a state trooper in the lane next to me and almost swerve into traffic. He glowers; rather like Othello.

Great characters (mainly ovine) with unique personalities and gifts. A good perspective from which to comment on the human condition (apparently, we are really herd animals). A mystery which is stimulating enough to keep the pace. But the real gems are the interactions between this special flock and the cast of suspects.

Chose this book for the humor, the mystery plot or the odd perspective on humanity -- and you will not be disappointed. My only lament is that I cannot foresee that there will be a sequel (after they return from the Continent) and i will miss this cast of characters.

Listen to this book. You will laugh out loud at inappropriate times and feel the weight of the children's' burden at others -- in fact often at the same time. You will like the children and feel for them in their efforts to emerge from the bizarre cocoon their parents wove for them. You will struggle to understand the parents and to decide whether the ends of love are worth the means. You will want to see more from this author and hear more from this narrator. This is a unique offering -- a rare treat.

I rarely give five stars -- even to the best of stories, but this deserves it. Greene's story creeps into your psyche and lingers for days. It is thought provoking, challenging and uncomfortable at time, but keeps you longing to know more about each character -- even the minor characters like the PI, the stump speaker and the priest.

The narration was superb. Firth brought the main character into such full life that I could hear him in my head, even when I wasn't listening to the book. It was Firth's narration just as much as Greene's story that made me want to like the main character, even when he was being a jerk. Greene's story helped me to understand him and empathize with him, Firth's narration made me feel his humanity and pain.

This book does not succeed as a period romance or an erotic period romance -- Stephanie Laurens does so much better on both fronts, especially her Cynster series. I thought the mystery was too contrived and unbelievable, there was no real suspense. The writer never made me care about the characters -- I liked the supporting cast better than the two main lovers

I have enjoyed this series in the past -- some audio and some in print. Much of what I enjoyed was the hysterical snarkiness. But this book (1/3 of the way through) is 90% snark and no story movement. I just do not care. I don't care what happens to any of the characters; I don't care about the plot. It is way too much self-indulgent chatter, empty of meaning. Like listening to empty calories that become nauseating after time. This is a writing/plot problem, not a narrator problem. After listening to/reading all the previous stories and looking forward to this one, I am stopping after 2 hours. I cannot stand it any more. This is a shame.

I had this book on my wishlist for so long that I forgot why I originally put it on. So, I downloaded it as a change. Big mistake. Nothing seems to work together. The paranormal (vampire/dragon) mythology is quite different than usually written, yet the differences do not seem to work and they are not well-developed. She has not created a coherent universe -- which is important to do if you are going to leave the usual vampire mythology behind.

The erotica is fairly ho-hum and the character interaction (hero to heroine and heroine to villain) are melodramatic and two dimensional.

Save your credits. There are many other established authors in these two genres that do it much better.

This book had such a lingering impact. I found myself crying days later at the hopeless situation of these "students" lives. So, hopeless, that they barely even dared to dream of any life beyond what was set for them, let alone strive to escape their destinies. Ruth's big dream is just so pathetic in real life, that it made me re-evalute that character. At the end of the book, I disliked her -- judging her from the internal standard of her world. After all, she was manipulative and self-centered. And yet, days later, when viewed from outside her world, how can you judge her harshly. I have re-evaluated several times how I feel about Madame and Miss Emily, whether or not Miss Lucy was right and why Tommy continued to do his art.