"On the outside, Dina Demille is the epitome of normal. She runs a quaint Victorian Bed and Breakfast in a small Texas town, owns a Shi-tzu named Beast, and is a perfect neighbor, whose biggest problem should be what to serve her guests for breakfast. But Dina is... different: Her broom is a deadly weapon; her Inn is magic and thinks for itself. Meant to be a lodging for otherworldly visitors, the only permanent guest is a retired Galactic aristocrat who can't leave the grounds because she's responsible for the deaths of millions and someone might shoot her on sight. Under the circumstances, 'normal' is a bit of a stretch for Dina. And now, something with wicked claws and deepwater teeth has begun to hunt at night... Feeling responsible for her neighbors, Dina decides to get involved. Before long, she has to juggle dealing with the annoyingly attractive, ex-military, new neighbor, Sean Evans -- an alpha-strain werewolf -- and the equally arresting cosmic vampire soldier, Arland, while trying to keep her inn and its guests safe. But the enemy she's facing is unlike anything she's ever encountered before. It's smart, vicious, and lethal; and putting herself between this creature and her neighbors might just cost her everything."--Page 4 of cover.
I'm a huge fan of Ilona Andrews' Kate Daniels series and had heard nothing but great things about this first book of a new series about a special kind of innkeeper offering sanctuary to all kinds.
The rave reviews are well earned - it is a great story with very intriguing characters. The Andrews team takes a whole different spin on werewolves and vampires, and I'm in love with the sentient inn named Gertrude. It's a great plot, fast paced and well written (although with more than a few copy writing errors). I was very invested in all three main characters.
The only reason I didn't rate it higher (besides the poor copy writing), is purely subjective. This story is a blending of traditional urban fantasy with its magic and paranormal entities, and science fiction. My friends know I really don't like science fiction, especially if it's the outer space variety. it just leaves me flat and disinterested, so whenever this story touched on those parts of its world building I tended to disengage.
Not enough to avoid reading the second book though; they had me at tall, broad and blond (the vampire), and really, I am besotted with that house.
Reading updates
-
Started reading
-
5 February, 2017:
Finished reading
-
5 February, 2017:
Reviewed