ehhhhhhhhhh.

re-read: still ehhhhhhhh but I like Lock and Gwen. ( )

***EDIT: 16 feb 2016***
I'm currently rereading this series and I have to say this is one is for me one of the better ones in the series. I still adore Locke and Gwen. But also all the other side characters.

Also after period in which the topic of my skin came up a lot it was refreshing to read a book/series in which people have different shades of skin color but that is not the reason why they are beautiful (also hardly mentioned at all). Nop cheekbones, and muscles baby, even the ladies. And that's exactly what I needed.

To remind me that there are people who write fantasy but who include everyone but without the baggage that the real world have. Without the need to mention that they are doing it.

And that it truly is a fantasy world to escape to.

Also when I think about Gwen I picture:

But without the tigerhead and a bit heavier

***FIRST REVIEW***
I totally didn't liked the first book in this series. What was a big disappointment because I loved the Dragon Kin stories. I'm so glad I kept on reading. I loved this book (although I didn't read the book with Sissy Mae because I really don't like a bully). I snorted, laughed and sometimes my heart beat so fast. Locke and Gwen are funny, dry (I don't know what the English saying is for that, Dutch people will get it) and so honest!

Jup jup. One of those series I will reread and buy in beautiful hardcover books. ( )

Fun fluff. ( )

I think I'm going to turn Shelly Laurenston into my go to girl, when I need to read something that will get me out of a reading funk. I LOVED this book. I adored the bear/hero. Loch was simply perfect--especially for the tigon heroine. As in all of Shelly's books, family plays a large part in the story. The crazier the family, the better. The hero's family was a nice counter point to her insane one. It was just a lovely, lovely romance that hit all the right notes. If you haven't read this book, honestly you should run out now and pick it up. You will not be disappointed. I'm pretty sure this is now my favorite Shelly Laurenston book. ( )

Bears!

Werebears! Why do we have so few shapeshifter books about werebears? We need more werebears!

Big clumsy snuffling, curious werebears that just want to know how things work and then end up breaking them because they’re just big, hulking, strong goofy people who are just adorable!

And all the bears want is plenty of honey and salmon and sleeping a nice long time all in peace without the other shapeshifting species getting in the way.

While those other shapeshifting species view them as massive engines of destruction to be poked at your own risk. And I think that’s a nice element; I mean we have big scary wolves and lions but when it comes down to it, a grizzly bear is a grizzly bear and every other predator is better off leaving it alone.

So we have Lock, our big, sexy, lumbering bear with his ice cream and honey and nice long sleep in and his quietly perfectionist carpentry, being generally exasperated by the manic antics of all the other shapeshifters around him. Oh and he knows that lions, tigers or bears, a Philly girl is apparently scarier than anything else, which amuses me muchly.

And those antics include the Wild Dogs which may still be my favourite shifters in this series because they’re goofy and silly and they have fun and they play and they chase their tails but are still probably more united and more serious and even more dangerous than the other packs. I love their whackiness, their geekiness, their squabbles and how they leave the poor bears thoroughly thoroughly confused by all that energy, random weirdness and big tearful eyes if they need to get there.

And I like Gwen and her story - I like her struggles for independence in the face of her mother’s plan for her - and her brother’s interference. I like that, even though she has the skills and knowledge to follow in her mother’s footsteps, she’s pursuing something else she wants to do. She faces a lot of discrimination because she’s a hybrid - a child of two different shapeshifters: She’s a Tigron, half tiger half lion. I think more could have been made of her Tigron nature and what it means - same as her best friend Blayne who is part wolf part wild dog. But I think it’s interesting that they didn’t emphasise any supernatural difference: because it’s not necessary or even accurate - and instead focused on how they were treated differently. A lot of supernatural prejudice involves a group facing discrimination but it turns out that, yeah, there’s a good reason for that. This managed to emphasise both the direct hatred they faced AND the subtle, not-feeling-welcome feeling that Gwen’s family gave her felt more real.

Gwen and Blayne have a great mutually supportive relationship covering their mutual plumbing business (which is excellent) through to calling each other out on their ridiculousness, through to roller derby. They work really well together and have an excellent us-two-against-the-world vibe.

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