Under My Skin (edition 2010)

Originally posted on Lovey Dovey Books

Under My Skin equals dark, mysterious, and just plain humorous! Judith Graves surprised me with a down to earth heroine with a knack for witty sarcasm and...er, violence. I couldn't get enough of Eryn's spunk, even when her human side clashed with the beastly side she had a way with words.

Eryn is sent to the out-of-the-way town, Redgrave, supposedly to stay away from paranorm trouble while the Council searches for her 'dead' parents. While running a race in the woods during gym class, Eryn is stalked by a dirty werewolf and from here the story completely evolves. There's more to Redgrave than Eryn was led to believe and she's roped up into a mission with a rogue team of hunters to find the bottom of paranorm increase in the small town.

Under My Skin is filled with all the elements to make a fun teen read: wit, romance, action, and of course, mystery. I should put most emphasis on mystery because there are still some aspects of the novel that haven't been explained. It seems that Eryn's new hunter friends, Alec, Matt, and Brit are not all they seem. While some of their secrets are outed, Alec, Matt, and especially Eryn still have some explaining to do. So far, only a few dark creatures have been introduced, but I have a feeling Graves has many more hiding up her sleeve.

"He smelled of sweet spice and possibilities. He dipped his head. His lips drifted slowly down to mine. The heat of his breath feathered over my sensitive skin. I grabbed his coat collar and pulled myself onto my toes, wanting his kiss and wanting it fast." Under My Skin (Kindle Locations 1505-1507)

The romance aspect of the novel has a different approach. Eryn isn't afraid to admit her attraction to the two men she meets, but either choice she makes can have a negative effect on her life and the life of those around her. Already, Graves is building a complex love story and fortunately, it doesn't outshine the main plot. There are so many more developments I'm looking forward to in the next installment, Second Skin. I have a feeling that it'll be even more revealing and action-packed!

*ebook provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review* ( )

Don't let the drawings in this book fool you or misguide you. At first I wasn't sure if I would like the book or not, but I'm glad that I bought it because I loved it! This book as everything supernatural you could think about from werewolves to vampires and things in between. I can't wait for the next book to come out. The characters are very likable except for Eryn's cousin who I wanted to disappear forever. You have a love triangle and a mystery. So go pick up this book and read it in one night like I did. ( )

Reviewed by Monica Sheffo for TeensReadToo.com

Eryn isn't like other girls. After all, that's what got her sentenced to living in Redgrave. She is a part-wolven, part-human girl banished to the small town in an attempt to destroy the magic that runs in her veins.

But when she discovers that she isn't the only magical being around, everything changes. Suddenly, she is the newest member of Redgrave's own paranormal detective squad, as well as being caught in a love triangle as epic as the TWILIGHT saga's.

She finds herself being forced to choose who she really wants to be with - the dark, brooding Wade, or the protective Alec. In a place where wolves are frequent guests and vampires run the town, will Eryn's life ever be normal?

Dripping with wit and humor, Judith Graves' UNDER MY SKIN is electric. Eryn battles werewolves, vampires, and high school armed with her unique sarcasm that all teens can relate to. She writes with a brutal honesty that makes her story stand out in a sea of novels and connects with the readers. Ms. Graves steps inside the reader's mind and leaves with the promise of two sequels in the future to keep your thirst at bay! ( )

Have you ever had a secret that you couldn't share? Eryn has a few secrets that she is trying to keep from her new friends. Worried about how they would take the news that she is much different from them, she tries her best to keep the secrets deep inside. Little does she know the town she now calls home has many of it's own deep, dark issues too.

Eryn is a tough cookie, always showing off that she doesn't need anyone's help, but deep down she's like every other girl – needing to fit in and feel loved. She accidentally stumbles across the secret that her friends have been keeping from her and joins forces with the misfits, Brit, Matt and the ever drool-worthy Alec. While her friendship with the misfits is growing, Wade the coolest kid in school, starts sniffing around and making her friends second guess their importance in Eryn's life.

Once you turn the first page, you won't want to stop, as you are drawn into the happenings in Redgrave. This is such a well written novel, with characters you can relate to and teenage issues you can remember dealing yourself, except Eryn and the gang have the added touch of paranormal to the mix. A few characters (no spoilers) seemed a little ho-hum at the beginning, but I know you will change your mind about them by the end of the book, as you see their secrets revealed.

I cannot wait to read the next book in the series! Will everyone's secrets survive the chaos in Redgrave?
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This review is set to be posted on AURORA reviews under the reviewer name of Snowdrop ( )