Madly & Wolfhardt (Madly, #1-2)

by Michelle Leighton

[Kim Deister]

Madly & Wolfhardt is the second installment in the new Madly series, the first full-length novel. Mermaids and werewolves, traditional lore mixed with new mythology... fantabulous!

I loved the first novella, but the story really begins in this book. I love, love, LOVE old lore remixed into something new. We have a bit of Red Riding Hood in this book, but not in the way that most would expect. I love fairy tale retellings but using the Lores as the way to do it is genius! It is such an unlikely pairing, werewolves and mermaids, but it really works. After reading the book, it seems now like a natural fit.

And then there is the swoon factor. I am not generally a mushy gushy love story kind of girl, but Jackson and Madly... they could change my mind! He is THE BOOK BOYFRIEND! There is some serious chemistry going on there and it is fabulous! Their relationship is somewhat unexpected for reasons that I won't share so as not to spoil anything. Jackson is so serious that, at first, he seems like an unlikely romantic hero. But there is so much going on beneath the surface. Madly is frustrated with him and it shows! Good romantic drama!! Add to all of that a unique love triangle and it makes for a good story!

There is so much action in this book, with lots of twists and turns. Its hard to talk about it without spoilers, but there were a lot of unanticipated moments. There is also a cliffhanger that left me wanting more RIGHT NOW!!

Some Quotastic Goodness

--Spend more time with Jackson? Alone? In the woods? Um, yes please! Just try to stop me (Loc. 241).
--The first touch of his soft mouth was feather light, little more than the kiss of the wind on my skin (Loc. 375-376).
--“There are, no doubt, all sorts of creatures in existence that we know little to nothing about. And there’s no more perfect way to keep the world ignorant than to suggest that the presence of the supernatural is simply a fairy tale or a ghost story. It’s quite brilliant actually (Loc. 622).”
--“I love you, Madly James and if I never see you again, know this: someday, whether it’s today or a hundred years from now, I’ll die with you on my mind (Loc. 4379).”

My Recommendation: Fantastic read! If you like fairy tale retellings, mermaids, werewolves, and swoony romance... I highly recommend this series!

This review originally appeared on my blog, http://thecaffeinateddivareads.multifacetedmama.com/?p=8763'