Review: 4.25 stars
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 11 14, 2013
*I was given an ARC for an honest review of the book*Ignore the blurb. In my estimation it doesn’t properly describe the story.I was looking for something a little bit different than regular wolf shifters and found it in Kari Gregg’s "An Unauthorized Field Guide to the Hunt." Part Hunger Games, part shifters in space, the premise is wonderful. Shane, trying to escape a murderous family back on his home planet goes to Mariket to compete in the Hunt. His goal? Not to win, but to lose just enough to make him irreplaceable to his family so they won’t kill him. What he doesn’t expect comes in the form of Lore, his own personal alien protector (and lover) during the Hunt.Ms. Gregg has all the typical shifter tropes: cats in heat, mating and bonding, but puts a very unique twist on those tropes which I thought was lovely. Plus, who can argue with  blistering hot sex scenes throughout the book? Not me! Did I mention Lore the shifter-cat has a barbed p*nis? Fans self.I really enjoyed Shane’s characterization which to me was a cross between Vin Diesel’s Riddick, dark and mysterious with a hidden agenda, and Ripley in Alien, fierce and strong. While the first chapter does have a Hunger Games-ish feel, the rest is all sci-fi paranormal world building. I think fans of both genres will really like this book. My only regret and why I didn’t give it a higher rating was I wanted just a little more back-story on Shane’s past. The reader got to see a lot of Lore’s history since the story was told from his home planet of Mariket, but Shane’s background wasn’t as forthcoming. Perhaps the author is waiting for a sequel?In the end, "An Unauthorized Field Guide to the Hunt" was a welcome change to the typical shifter fare I read. With strong characterizations, excellent world building and sex scenes so hot it might melt your Kindle, I’m recommending this different take to the paranormal genre.Reviews by Jessewave