Viper Moon

It says UF romance on the side and it fits. Sure it is a kick-ass urban fantasy but it does have a bit more romance than other books, only a bit though. And another thing that surprised me was that this was a stand alone novel. The book ends, with a HEA none the less. Of course that does not mean it is the end. Nope evil is still around but it seems that the next book will have a new heroine.

But this book is about Cassandra. When she was 18 the Earth Mother came to her and said she was her huntress and would rescue kids. That is now what she does. To her help she has an earth mother priestess, Abby who has saved her broken body more than once. She also has three pets, two snakes and a cat. Why are they important? Well, they can kick ass show more and take numbers too.

The Earth Mother is a "pagan" demi-god who cares for the Earth and her children. Because in this city it is needed. There is The Darkness that has engulfed a part of the city and reigns there. There are monsters in the sewers and bad humans on the streets. What is amazing about this world is that people forget about that part of the city. They think a bog starts there and even people living there pretends there are no monsters, but they still know. You can't even see the place on maps.

And Cass, do not even get me started about how kick-ass she is. She is violent and she will not hesitate pulling the trigger or cracking a rib on a bad guy. She does everything is takes to save kids. She felt raw and real. A total bad-ass. Oh and I loved her relationship with her pets, snakes scare me to death but her pets were just wonderful and friendly.

The romance then, well there is this cop named Flynn who needs her to rescue his sister who has gone to the Barrows. And things will heat up. And then there is Michael, yes, I know, but the mysterious bad/good guy is just so irresistible. He is yummy.

When the book ended I felt sad, I am not used to getting results so quickly and I really liked this heroine. But I am sure the next one will carry the torch and kick more ass in the Barrows.

Conclusion:

A good start to an urban fantasy series. It has action, it has romance and a new exciting world. I'd recommend it. Hard to put down too.

rating:

Good show less

I feel like I'm constantly saying this but the cover is awesome and was what originally drew my eye to the book (shocking right? lol) The opening scene of VIPER MOON really did a fantastic job of grabbing me and keeping me anchored to the story. The book started with action and ended with action.

I enjoyed following Cassandra, she was easy to get to know and like. Phelan shows up at her door looking for her help in finding his missing 13 year old sister. Her starts out not really liking her but attracted to her all the same. They really work well together. There is also Micheal who is the owner of a club in the Barrows. He really likes Cassandra and she is attracted to him but she doesn't trust herself with him, nor does she trust him so show more she refuses to even consider him. It definitely makes for some awkward moments for the three when they are together. The world building was great, I liked all the different places that were described and imagining the Barrows was super easy. The book was fast paced. I enjoyed the fact that Cassandra was the Earth mothers Huntress, it was unique and well written. My biggest disappointment about the book is realizing at the end that the next book isn't going to be about Cassandra. I got to know her and got attached to her character and the excerpt for the next book doesn't look like it features her. Hey, maybe I'm wrong I do hope that I am. All in all I was very much entertained and enjoyed VIPER MOON. show less

I bought "Viper Moon" because I found it for a good price and I am slightly obsessed with paranormal and Urban Fantasy books. I don't know what made me read this book as soon as it arrived as I have a horrendously big TBR stack. I am so glad I did read it right away because I was shocked by how much I enjoyed the book, especially its vibrant and unforgettable characters.

This story takes place in Duivel Missouri. There is a portion of town called the Barrows. There is a part of the Barrows that no one seems to consciously notice. In fact, its almost impossible to find on a map. 'This" Barrows if full of seedy mob-like criminals, gangs and people-eating monsters. The Barrows is ruled by an entity called The Darkness. Only the Earth Mother show more keeps the evil of the Barrows from coming into the rest of Duivel and attacking people.

Cassandra Archer is called by the Earth Mother to rescue children, many of whom are found in the Barrows. Then one day a prominent citizen asks for help finding his son. And a local detective needs her to help find his younger sister. This leads to all kinds of excitement as the reader gets introduced to Cass, Flynn, and the supporting characters. Many of these characters are not black and white but made up of shades of gray. There isn't always a clear good or bad guy. I especially liked a character named Michael who is charming but you never really know what is going on with him. Cass is a wonderful, strong, heroine and she made it impossible to not root for her.

The plot was a little confusing at first until all the characters and backstories gelled together. Then it was non-stop action amid several different intriguing mysteries. The book was well written and kept my interest. I had a problem like I said, at the first part of the book and then again at the very end. The ending is most of the reason why I am rating this book as four stars rather than five.

Yes, several big mysteries are answered satisfactorily. We end the book knowing where Cass's professional and personal future is headed. But there is a big (like huge!) situation left unresolved. Which would be okay except it is apparently being resolved by an entire cast of different characters being introduced in the next book. I am certainly in love with this story enough to pick up the next book but because I loved these characters so much, I am truly disappointed Cass won't be the lead of future stories show less

You may also read my review here:http://www.mybookishways.com/2011/07/review-viper-moon-by-lee-roland.html

Cassandra Archer is the Earth Mother’s Huntress, and it’s her job to save children from the clutches of the Barrows, Duivel, Missouri’s dirty little secret. Since she turned 18, and answered the call of the Earth Mother, it’s all Cass has known. Life consists of diving into the filth of the Barrows, and bringing out the children that are held in its clutches. Monsters roam the sewers, and roving gangs roam the streets above. When Phelan Flynn, hottie and cop, comes to her door, looking for his missing 13 year old sister, Cass agrees to help him. When a mob boss contacts her about finding his missing son, Cass realizes the show more children may be connected somehow, and that this may be more than she bargained for.
I really enjoyed getting to know Cass. Physically strong, yet emotionally fragile, Cass’ world revolves around saving children and getting by the best she can. She’s got a cat named Horus and two snakes named Nerfertiti and Nirah, and can communicate with them on a basic level as part of her gifts as Huntress. It’s rare that Cass lets a man get close, for fear he’ll tire of her lifestyle and bail, so when she finds herself attracted to Flynn, all her instincts tell her that she shouldn’t get involved, but she’s falling hard and fast. Flynn is drawn to Cass as well, but has trouble turning a blind eye to the things Cass has to do in order to get results. However, he’s determined to rescue his sister, no matter the cost. The romance in Viper Moon really enhanced the story and the dire situation and traumatic events make it easy to believe that Cass and Flynn could fall for each other so quickly. It’s also their bond that brings such an immediacy to the events, which are sometimes violent and tragic. There is another man in Cass’ life; Michael, owner of the Archangel, beautiful beyond belief, and surrounded with secrets and mystery. Cass is attracted to him, but she can’t get past the feeling that he’d like to own her as well as be with her. The author did a great job building the Barrows, and creates a creepy world of night creatures and other nasties that will make you shudder. Viper Moon is fast paced and fun, with twists and turns that you may not see coming. I’m looking forward to more books in this brand new series! want to put it down! show less

Viper Moon is Lee Roland's debut novel and it shows. There are some great elements to the novel but there are also many aspects to the world and story that seemed a bit tired.

What I liked: Cassandra's relationship with her witch mentor and friend Abby and with her animals. Detective Flynn, who comes into Cass' life because his sister is missing because he's tough and caring. Cassandra's burgeoning relationship with Flynn, which moves quickly but seems rooted in genuine feelings. Dacardi and Michael, the darker men in Cass' world, who are possibly the most interesting characters in the novel. The basic plot, since there were some nice reveals in the latter half of the novel that made things a bit more interesting.

What I didn't like as show more much: Unfortunately, Cass. She seems kind of cardboard compared to the other characters in Viper Moon. Her snake, Nefertiti, seems better developed than Cass. This is a big problem to me since the protagonist is the anchor of the story and Viper Moon's lead just didn't inspire me. In fact, I put the book down several times to read other stories since I kept losing interest in Cass.

Will I read Vengeance Moon when it comes out next year? Perhaps, but I think I'll wait until it arrives at the public library.

http://ireadgood.wordpress.com show less

I will say that while I enjoyed this book, it wasn't the most original? At first I was reminded of Anita Blake from Laurell K Hamilton's Vampire Hunter series...but then it reminded me a little of Mercy Thompson from Patricia Briggs. Now, I did enjoy the story. And yes, I will read the next one when it comes out because I like these kinds of books.

One thing that will turn me off of a book is bad editing. The inconsistencies were so glaring in this book, I am surprised it even made it past the first round of editing! That is my biggest beef with this book. To start with, the main character makes it clear that her friend Abby is not a psychic; however, no more than five pages later, she is going on and on about Abby's wonderful ability to tell the future. Then, about 100 pages from the end of the book, she is again saying that Abby is a psychic. In another instances, she makes it clear that a low-life, scumbag took Maxie with aspirations of making a quick buck with a badly put together kiddie porn. However, later in the book, it comes out that Maxie was not kidnapped by this show more low-life, but was taken by the biggest dude int he kiddie porn business. What? Did I miss something?

Even though later it turns out to be rather justified, I couldn't understand Cass's belligerent attitude towards the Earth Mother. If you are called into her service, act has her Huntress, and have her as a pseudo-deity, I don't understand getting in her face and calling her a bitch or a whore.

Another thing, read history and mythology before you slap names onto deified characters. The Darkness is named Aiakos, which is the name a king in Greek mythology. This king was renowned in all of Greece for his justice and piety. Explain that to me in relation to the Darkness!

Aside from the glaring issues, this book wasn't terrible. It provided a little bit of entertainment, but it was a meh read for me. It didn't have a wow-factor, or anything that really stuck out to me. If you're looking for an extremely mindless read with some good action, steamy sex scenes, and a lot of guns and ammo, then pick this one up.

For explanation purposes, I am giving this two stars because I cannot get over the poor editing and the inability of the author to even crack a history book and do a little research. Others, however, might really enjoy this mind-numbing read. show less