Review: Great Paranormal - Fantasy!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 02 2, 2014
"(Un)wise" is the third installment in the "Judgement of Six" paranormal-fantasy series and begins when Bethi Pederson runs away from home to escape the dogs of death that track her. Plagued by sleep deprivation because of dreams of tortured past lives, and terrified of being captured and tormented by the Urbat who want her to claim one of their kind, Bethi at first rejects the help of Luke Taylor who she suspects of being in league with them. Undaunted Luke persists in protecting her, and in a game of hide and seek they elude capture as they make their way to the werewolf stronghold in Canada. What Bethi doesn't expect as they travel is to open her heart to Luke, and to discover answers from her dreams that might not only help thwart another war between the werewolves and the Urbat, but also prevent the annihilation of humanity. In all the death, hate and pain that Bethi and Luke experience, they cling to the love that blossoms between them and the hope of a better tomorrow.The plot is well-written and engrossing as the couple struggle against the tide of death and destruction that stalks them. As events progress and the story heats up, Bethi's spicy sarcasm and Luke's humorous interplay breaks the mounting tension. This is a story where past life dreams take center stage giving clues to the mystery of the Urbat, to the identity of the mole within the werewolf clan and to the role five young women will play in maintaining balance in the world. I liked the writer's subtle reflections in the plot about bullying, taking responsibility for one's actions, and impacting others positively.The core characters are well-developed, each personality lending depth and dimension to the unique plot. Bethi Pederson is a troubled teen haunted by dreams of torture and death, struggling with her anxiety and sleeplessness, but determined to spoil the plans of the Urbat and to protect the werewolf she loves. Luke Taylor is non-judgemental, patient and kind but stubborn and unyielding in his desire to win Bethi's trust and affection. In this story core characters, human and werewolf, reappear from Melissa Haag's earlier novels, Hope(less) and (Mis)fortune. The reader's given new insight into their personalities, especially Gabby, Michelle and Charlene and the troubles they faced before finding love and a home within the werewolf clan. But as events unfold it is the growing heartless cruelty and malicious pleasure of the antagonists that lends a chill to the suspense.Kudos to Melissa Haag for an entertaining and imaginative novel which I rated a 5.0 because of the complexity of the characters, an exciting plot and a climax that begs for another installment