Review: Action packed Urban Fantasy!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 04 22, 2013
Werewolves Be Damned is the first book in the Magic & Mayhem series by Stacey Kennedy. If you've been a follower of Stacey Kennedy, you might remember that this story was published previously as The Willow. It seems odd to me that the publisher is advertising this like it's a brand new book. There are some changes, but a lot of it is the same. I'm just afraid that a lot of readers will be upset if they aren't aware of this. I read The Willow probably 2  years ago, and I have an awful memory, so I can't remember exactly what all is different.This story revolves around Nexi, a 20-something year old who finds out that she is part witch and part Guardian. It starts off with werewolves killing her adoptive family. She is rescued by 2 warriors who are from the Underworld - one of which is her biological father. She is taken to her new home in the Underworld, and her whole life changes. She trains to be a Guardian - which is perfect since she is out for revenge. Nexi's trainer is Kyden - a half-naked, sexy, kilt-wearing guy.Kyden is my favorite character. He is the strong, alpha-male type that will make you drool. He is very protective of Nexi and is a gentleman...well, except when he and Nexi are fighting each other. Nexi is a strong willed, brave character who is determined to avenge the death of her adoptive parents. The downside to Nexi is that she often doesn't think before she acts.I didn't connect with Nexi and Kyden as much as I remember connecting with them in The Willow. The book skipped a big chunk of time from the prologue where she is rescued from the werewolves, to the first chapter when she is in the Underworld. We miss out on her meeting many of the characters, and it lacks character development. We miss her finding out that she's supernatural, and dealing with that fact.What I did like were the steamy scenes between Nexi and Kyden. There was a lot of sexual tension between these two before they became a couple. I also like the secondary characters, even though we don't come to know them very well. There is a lot of potential there. The different supernatural characters blend well together in the Underworld. This is a fast paced, action packed book. If you are a fan of Urban Fantasy or Paranormal Romance, then I recommend this book to you.