Author : Dani Harper
Publisher: Montlake Romance
ASIN: B00BI4W7G2
Disclaimer: I have recieved this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
Review
Neva was a new Changeling and she hated that fact. She had been transformed from her human form to a wolf form by her own twin sister, Meredith.
She hated this change so much that she was ready to end her life rather than live under the control of her sister. She would have succeeded in killing herself had not the timely intervention of Travis stopped her.
She fought with him in the beginning, thinking that he was from the enemy camp, for she had no idea what a lone wolf was. She thought every wolf would be commanded by a sire like Meredith.
It took some time for Travis to make her believe in him. She was made to understand that what her sister was doing was wrong. And the basic fundamental rules were being broken my Meredith. He taught Neva to believe in her inner wolf. In this process they found that they were meant for each other in their human as well as wolf form.
All their running proved futile when Meredith uses her magic and finds them. Will this be the end of the two lovers? Will Neva become weak because of her love for her sister?
What I Liked
The best thing about this story was the way the changes of the humans to their wolf forms a vice versa take place. And again, this was to some extent present in most of their transformations. First with Neva, then Baker and not to forget Travis and Meredith. But the description is beautifully done. In most of these kind of stories, I tend to skip over these pages. But not this one. You would want to read how the stages of transformation took place. Secondly, I liked the fast pace of the novel. While on one side of the story was the love story between Neva and Travis, on the other hand it was the relationship between the two sisters. Something was always happening, which would make the reader want to turn the pages of this book.
Rating
Reasoning
Some of the morphing scenes were repetitive. I know this is a series but still I would love to know what happened to Meredith. I hate putting down a novel without tying up the loose ends. Guess will have to read the next in the series.
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Meet the Author
Dani Harper is a newspaper editor turned paranormal author. There isn’t anything she likes better than exploring the supernatural — unless it’s writing sizzling and suspenseful romance. Of course, all of her stories have at least one foot in the netherworld!
Dani is the author of the Changeling series. CHANGELING MOON was chosen as a 2012 RITA Award Finalist in the Paranormal Romance Category by Romance Writers of America.
TWO brand new paranormal romance series begin this year. The Grim Series kicks off on August 6, 2013 with STORM WARRIOR. The Dark Wolf series is slated to begin October 15 with FIRST BITE.
A Tete a Tete with Dani Harper
1. Welcome to my blog. Has paranormal always interested you?
Thank you so much for inviting me! Yes, I’ve always LOVED anything to do with the supernatural. I watched a lot of classic horror and sci-fi movies as a kid, plus I read everything in those genres that I could get my hands on. I read a lot of very old English and Welsh fairy tales and, oh yes, I collected superhero comic books too! (Wish I still had those!) I loved Halloween much more than Christmas, and in middle school, I drew a little ongoing comic strip about the residents of a haunted house. It was totally awful!
2. Introduce us to Neva and Travis. How did you come up with the characters?
I plead innocence – honest, I had nothing to do with it! I was sitting in the Seattle airport on a long layover with my laptop, and I was working on a completely different manuscript. Suddenly Neva and Travis popped into my head and started talking. This is typical I’m afraid. My characters generally show up fully formed, names and all (I imagine there must be some little factory in my subconscious that I don’t know about...) They were really persistent too – I ended up putting away my work and trying to take down what these new characters were saying. By the time I made it home to Alaska, I had the first chapter finished!
3. Before writing this series, did you plan it out, map it out. Or do you create the story as you go?
This is where I get into arguments with my characters. I like to plan. I like to storyboard and make little cards and map an outline. But my characters have their own ideas about what’s going to happen, and usually my plans get scrapped sooner or later. I seldom get to be a plotter, and I’m not a true pantster – maybe I’m a plantster?
4. What do you think about formal training for creative writing?
I spent my career life in newspaper and communications, writing and editing non-fiction. I did learn one important thing as I interviewed potential reporters --- the most critical question to ask was not “What are your credentials?”. It was simply “Do you like to read?” Experience proved again and again that those who didn’t like to read for fun usually couldn’t write very well. Sadly, even having a degree in journalism couldn’t replace a lifetime of reading books. If someone wants to take courses in creative writing, by all means, do so with joy. But I think the very best preparation for writing is to be an avid and enthusiastic reader of whatever interests you most.
5. Who influenced your writing the most?
That’s a tough question. I’ve always wanted to write, always known since I was very young that I didn’t just want to read stories, I wanted to be the person who created them. I had an imagination the size of a small planet, and my early teachers didn’t appreciate it or encourage it. (Okay, okay, so it was math class…)
However, I had access to a LOT of old Ray Bradbury books. His sci-fi short stories made me feel like I could write if I tried. Something about Bradbury’s stories, the way he could paint a world with words, instilled immense wonder in me. And the way he explored “what if’s” – what if we lived on Mars, what if we could have TV screens instead of walls in our houses, what if we met someone who could fly? I wanted to do what he did – create worlds and make up answers to “what if” questions!
As I got older, Stephen King truly inspired me with the way he could take the reader inside a character’s mind. By the time I finish one of his books, back then or right now, I’m always left with the feeling that everything in the story happened to ME!
My biggest epiphany came when I ran across Christine Feehan’s Dark Dream in 2001--- I’d never really read romance, and I had no idea it could be combined with supernatural elements. I was completely hooked by the paranormal romance genre, and later, urban fantasy as well. It was only a matter of time before I tried writing it myself!
6. What should the readers expect from you in the future?
More paranormal romance, certainly. I have two series to finish, and a number of projects that characters are pestering me to complete. But if I had a wish (and the time, LOL), it would be to venture into Urban Fantasy territory and try the genre on for size! I certainly love reading it!
7. Is there anything you would want to change in your present novel?
My new release is FIRST BITE, and I’m really glad it’s just Book One in the Dark Wolf Series. There’s so much more to tell! With at least two more books in the series, I get the chance to add more layers to the characters and build the world they live in. In the second book, we’ll learn a great deal more about the hero, Travis Williamson, in particular. Some secondary characters also move to the forefront with romantic interests of their own. And of course, the struggle between good and evil continues!
8. Did you ever experience writer's block while writing this series? How do you overcome this? (this question is from all new writers)
This is a question that all writers face, new or not, and it can happen for a number of reasons. Sometimes my characters completely refuse to talk to me. Usually it’s because I want them to do something my way, and they want to do something different! As soon as I give up and do it their way, everything usually works out.
If that’s not the problem, it may be that I haven’t put myself in my writing chair regularly enough --- if I show up every day at the laptop, the muse will eventually show up too. Miss a couple days in a row and the muse gets bored and wanders away…. Sometimes, though, it’s a case of spending too much time at the keyboard! I have to take a break --- maybe go for a drive, or go dig in my garden -- and clear my head.
9. What advice would you give to the new writers in the block?
Wait a minute, I’m still one of those new writers on the block! Believe me, I’m still developing my craft, and I expect that I will always be learning. All I can do is offer my own small experience, and I’ve put together a page on my website that offers some resources to aspiring authors that I found helpful (and still do). http://www.daniharper.com/FOR_ASPIRING_AUTHORS.html
10. A sneak peak at your upcoming novel....?
My next novel will be Book Two in the Grim Series, STORM BOUND. Still working on the release date, but it should be out around March of 2014. Here’s a draft of the blurb:
Kidnapped on his wedding day in the twelfth century and forced into a thousand years of servitude by a cold-hearted faery princess, rugged blacksmith Aidan dreams of nothing but revenge on his captor. Then the spell of a beautiful witch awakens him to the modern world—and a passionate desire.. But to build a future, he must first confront his past…
Modern witch and magic-shop owner Brooke doesn’t think her life is missing anything, until a wayward enchantment lands a brooding medieval blacksmith in her spell room—and in her arms. Yet even after their passion proves to be truly magical, Aidan’s first commitment is to vengeance. Now Brooke must team up with friends and ancient warriors alike—and push her own powers to their limits—to save her love from the wrath of an evil fae.
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