Review: Dangerously sensual, enthralling debut novel
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 11 12, 2010
Dangerously sensual, enthralling debut novel by Eleri Stone is sure to satisfy your reading taste buds.The world setting of Mercy transplants readers from a cozy couch to deep in the jungle.  It is the very place where the Yaguara (Shapeshifting Jaguars) thrive- among the lush greenery and powerful wild life.Iada is the heroine that takes the cake for me.  She is robust in heart, mind and body.  The perfect trifecta.  For years after the death of her parents, Iada had been trained as a lethal weapon to serve her selfish uncles desires like winning the throne.  Future leader of the Yaguara society requires continuous battles and victories in the pit.  Iada is an undefeated warrior whose special talent combined with mastered skill has her at the top of the food chain.  Until Gabriel makes his way into the heart of the jungle.Gabriel is strength, courage and dignity wrapped up in a corded muscle, chiseled chest, cocky grin and a sun-kissed skin package.  Gabriel and others like him are considered an abomination to the fully born Jaguar shifters.  Half-bloods or mutants and their families live in scattered safe houses in constant fear- ready to haul ass at a moments notice.  As events transpire and life becomes more and more dangerous Gabriel sets out to create much needed change.  The change brings him to the pit to face off with Iada.The dangerous exchange of words and touchings between Gabriel and Iada is pure fire.  Both harbor prejudices against the other- thus, tensions run high and confusion palpable.  There is all kinds of fire occurring.Eleri Stones succeeds in creating characters with vitality and I just wanted to absorb everything about them.  But I believe there could have been more.  Perhaps, more detail in the back story or a few more exchanges between the two characters?  However, this did not stop me from whizzing right through- percentage after percentage. lol, ebooks have percentages instead of pages.All in all Eleri Stone is a brilliant story teller.  Her words are invigorating and sure to bring forth whatever it is she's writing to life.  I would read Eleri's grocery list is how much I loved her writing.  Plus, Mercy is my first read that headlines Jaguar shape shifters.