Eileen Wilks

So I have been off of urban fantasy for awhile now. Reading the newly released books in my favorite series but not starting any new urban fantasy series. If a friend hadn't recommended this series to me -- repeatedly, I wouldn't have read it. The cover doesn't call to me and urban fantasy just doesn't hold the same appeal to me anymore. And if I can avoid murder investigation urban fantasy books, I do. So there was a lot working against me picking up this book. But damn, I am so glad I read show more this book.

Tempting Danger is good, the story is good, the writing is good, the world is unique and the characters are even better. Many UF series depend on a sarcastic heroine that is abrasive and who is generally not liked by most of the side characters. There is none of that in this series. The main character is not rude nor is she funny, but she is strong and enjoyable to read about. She is actually a character I would enjoy meeting and I wanted her to succeed.

Shifters have been done and done. Police investigation UFs have also been done and done. But somehow, Tempting Danger approaches these storylines in a unique way. There are little surprises along the way and not everything is wrapped up perfectly, but it is done satisfyingly.

Because it is shifters and because there is a romance storyline there is a predictable theme -- the dreaded fated to be mated. I normally am not a fan. But this is the best fated to be mated storyline I have read. All the questions you would wonder yourself - like how does it feel to have all choice taken away and have a mate forced on you? Wilks doesn't tread lightly on this topic or romanticize it.

So how does it compare to other urban fantasy series? My favorites are Mercy Thompson, Katie Daniels, Psycop, Penryn & the End of Days, Experiment in Terror, Dresden Files, and Daughter of Smoke and Bone. Tempting Danger has good characters that I think will only get better. Wilks doesn't take the easy way out with her storylines and writes in a complex way. I can see it not appealing to everyone. She doesn't world build or define terms or belief systems. She expects her readers to pick it up along the way. She shows rather than tells. And personally I love that. It is a more complex way of telling a story and it means that the reader has to learn as she goes but it makes for a better story in my opinion. So to answer to my first question -- how does the World of the Lupi compare with my favorite UF series? Well, it wasn't compulsive must finish read but I still read it in about 3-4 days. I immediately bought the second in the series after I finished the first. I am not sure if this is going to be a favorite, but it has potential to become a favorite series of mine.

I cannot wait to continue on to the next book in the series. show less

Lily, a former homicide cop now working in the Magical Crimes Division of the FBI, struggles with the idea of a Shadow Unit created to work outside the law in order to prevent the worldwide disasters her pre-cog boss, Ruben, has been seeing. She understands that it’s necessary and will keep her mouth shut, but she can’t be part of it even when finding out that her lupi fiancé, Rule is already involved.

But she changes her mind after Ruben is accused of killing a senator, a vocal member show more of Human’s First who would like to shut down the MCD and wipe out all non-humans and everyone with a Gift. Lily also still carries the Wythe mantle and they’ve yet to meet someone The Lady wants to pass it along to. It’s healing Lily’s arm but causing her other serious problems. And they still haven’t identified the FBI insider who tried to kill Ruben.

The war has started and the opposing side has a plan to turn the tide with one fell swoop using very dark and devious means to prove to the growing tide of Humans First followers that their thoughts and fears are warranted.

Something happens to a character that shocked me, but I like the idea of it and can’t wait to see how it’s used in the future. A few questions from prior books get answers and by the end of the story Lily picks up a different type of ally. We also get to meet a troop of brownies—not the Girl Scout type. I hope we get to see more of them as they add a level of lightness to the story.

I’ve enjoyed each of the books in this series, but it really hit me in the middle of this one just how good the author is at world building. That’s not something I think about when reading; things either seem to make sense or they don’t. But the detail given in regards to how magic works seems so believable that it’s just easy to accept as something real. If you’re more interested in seeing the story move along without understanding why something will or won’t work or how some conclusions are arrived at, there are a few parts that might drag for you.

It’s still five months away from Rule and Lily’s wedding. There’s barely any time for them to sleep much less make love, so that’s not, and hasn’t been a big part of the story. Yet their love is evident by their words, looks and touches and that aspect leaves me somewhat with the feel of a Happily Ever After even though his isn’t a romance book, nor (thankfully) is it the end. show less

This book is a collection of four novellas by four different authors, each dealing with supernatural creatures of some sort in a modern setting, and with a strong romantic component; they all fall into the "sexy urban fantasy" category. I read it because the first tale, "Alpha and Omega" by [a:Patricia Briggs|40563|Patricia Briggs|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1228867484p2/40563.jpg], is the (absolutely necessary) introduction to the series of the same name, a companion to the excellent show more Mercy Thompson novels. I enjoyed how that story, and the novels that follow, reference some of the same events that take place in the Mercy books, but provide a very different point of view, and a more detailed look at some of the minor characters from that world. Four stars, and worth reading.

After reading that story I set this book aside, because the other novellas looked like they'd be terrible, given their back cover blurbs. But after reading a few other books, I picked this back up and realized that the blurb for Briggs's story was terrible, too, so decided to give the rest a shot. And I'm mostly pleased that I did. [a:Eileen Wilks|46540|Eileen Wilks|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1234989216p2/46540.jpg]'s story "Inhuman" is part of her "World of the Lupi" series, which I probably won't read, since it appears to be pretty strong romance, which I don't have a lot of interest in, but the story was engaging, and I'm happy to know the series is out there should I ever feel the desire.

The third story, "Buying Trouble" by [a:Karen Chance|38066|Karen Chance|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1274779703p2/38066.jpg], doesn't appear to be part of a series, but I rather wish it were. Mages, fae, gangsters, and supernatural warfare combine with the stereotypical I-mustn't-be-attracted-to-him-but-can't-help-myself romantic angle in a very interesting way, and there's a good dose of "you are more than you know" for the lead character, which made me want to read more.

However, the last novella, "Mona Lisa Betwining" by [a:Sunny|11859|Sunny|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1237065699p2/11859.jpg], was just awful. Maybe if I were more into romance of the Harlequin variety, or if I were already familiar with the series it falls into the middle of, I'd have hated it less. But the first person narrative is lumbering and clumsy, trying too hard to explain the entire world, the plot seems like the worst kind of wish fulfillment fantasy, and the narrator goes from grieving over her dead lover on the first page to lusting after the next by the tenth. Bah. I couldn't be bothered to finish it.

Overall summary: If I were rating the stories separately, the first and third tales would get four stars each, the second a respectable three, and the last just one star, because one cannot give zero. show less

Every now and then I read a review that mentions something along the lines of, "I'm not going to summarize this book because you can read the description."

You kids are so cute with your functioning memories. Despite having placed book #7 of the series on my TBR list, I did not remember the general plots of books #3-#6, so I decided that I must have skipped them. Until I reached the last third of Mortal Sins and recognized a particularly tense emotional scene. I thought I remembered how it show more turned out, but I peeked to be sure. So I will continue to remind myself of the plots, who narrates and all those silly things, because apparently, if I don't, I won't.



However, don't consider that a mark against Mortal Sins or this series. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that people who would like a police procedural combined with a world rich in lupi and magic could do far worse than to pick up Eileen Wilk's World of the Lupi series. In most of them, particularly the first, Detective Lily Yu and Rule Turner, poster boy for the lupi-rights movement, are the leading protagonists. As the series progresses, each book may bring in other viewpoints depending on the case being worked. Mortal Sins concentrates almost exclusively on the stories of Lily and Rule as they attempt to wrap up issues in D.C./Virginia area.

Mortal Sins has two major plots: the personal one of a custody hearing for Rule's son, Toby; and the professional one of a series of seemingly unconnected killers who are almost fatally confused and whose victims smell of death magic. I thought the balance between the two was handled quite well, resulting in Lily and Rule feeling like a typical busy professional couple who were trying to balance needs of personal, family and professional lives. When Rule discovers the missing victims and both he and Lily note the death magic, she eagerly takes over the case on behalf of the FBI. Meanwhile, as Rule deals with Leidolf pack issues from the last book, the press gets wind he is in town on personal matters.

It's fun to watch Lily work, as her competence, focus, and drive often set those unused to her off balance. There's often some power dynamics when has to work with other agencies, and Wilks doesn't shy from bringing up sex, race, or species issues. Honestly, it's always a pleasure. Lily's such a thinking person, and her technique is to ask frequent questions, which often results in interesting answers for both her and the reader. Rule, however, often seems to be the feeling part of the couple, an absolutely enjoyable turnaround from normal female and male characterizations. The investigation struggles at first, as the team tries to sort out likely from unlikely scenarios. The fact that a great deal of magic was let into the world seven months ago means everyone is still discovering ramifications.

Wilks does a nice job of keeping the focus on the investigation and the family issues without getting distracted too much by prior plots or side characters. That said, it is likely a series that is harder to pick up without reading book one and two where Wilks does a more thorough introduction to her world. There's a bit of awkward info-dumping in the beginning of this one, but it's a nice shorthand for those forgetful folks (cough, cough). I thought characterization was extremely impressive, from Lily and Rule progressing, to Toby's nine-year-old perspective, to Granny.

I'd recommend this series to fans of urban fantasy. I think if you wanted to like Anne Bishop's Others series, but found it boring and illogical, this might be more palatable. Or if you liked early Anita Blake (minus the multiple sex scenes; while present here, they are quickly completed). I also suspect fans of the earlier Kate Daniels might enjoy this; while there isn't the prevalent humor and new mythology, there's a kick-ass, competent woman in charge. Thinking about it, I'd say it most feels like Shaefer's Daniel Faust series, with less smart-ass. Really, it's become my new favorite candy series, although it feels more satisfying than your average Skittles. Maybe it's a brownie read: solid and satisfying.

Note: series continues to maintain it's lead for "Worst Cover Art for a Series," 2018 reads edition. show less