Rating: 4.5🌈
I waggled between ratings because going into Hunter’s Descent, the reader absolutely must have read Monstrous Intent first or be completely lost. There’s simply no way to catch up or have enough information to understand the characters or backstory here to get a grip on the mayhem that occurs as well as underlying serious issues the author has woven through the series and relationships.
Some books you can do that with but not here.
But past that very basic point, this is a fabulous read and layered piece of storytelling from Winters.
Winters drops you into the lives of chimera Lake and ex hunter , now schoolteacher DeClan living their happily chaotic life, complete with Sir Reginald the beta fish and Mittens, the small chimera (it took me a while to remember Mittens wasn’t actually a cat). Back also are those two wonderfully humorous, slightly bent , ok very bent, members of this found family, chimeras Indigo and Sy.
Just when Lake and Declan are settling in after the last events of Monstrous Intents , a call from the DRD and murders of both humans and chimera draws them back into a past they’ve said they’d never return to. Serious issues alert, but extremely well addressed by the author.
Winter’s brings her typical snarky, sarcastic humor to a terrific plot that has elements of murderous hilarity, high suspense, fast-paced action, and mystery. It also brings in hard questions about research, speciesism, racism, guilt, and the inclination to equate anything different as a “thing”, less than whatever is on the other side of that equation.
And while we are narratively taking that all in, the author isn’t letting us forget that at heart, we’ve a found family and couple in love to care about. So she delivers moving scenes of fear of loss, anxiety and despair that brings Lake, Declan, and even Sir Reginald and Mittens, to the front emotionally of the story.
All the elements engaging the readers on multiple levels, humor, horror, drama,action , and romance. Right to the end.
Even then there’s a surprise or two , several threads that are left open, and many potential storylines for a third book. I certainly hope so.
In the meantime, I will probably go back and reread Monstrous Intent to see what things I possibly missed because it’s been a while. And who knew I missed those scamps Indigo and Sy that much!
I’m absolutely recommending Hunter’s Descent but not without reading Monstrous Intent first. Then hurry yourself right on over here.
Mischief and Monsters:
✓ Monstrous Intent #1
✓ Hunter’s Descent #2
Buy Link :
Hunter’s Descent (Mischief and Monsters Book 2)
Description:
Lake
Snagging the hunter was the easy part. Now I have to prove to him that a life filled with chaos, the most amazing fish ever, and delightful me is so much better than normal—trust me, he isn’t too hard to convince.
But when a group of insolent chimeras laughably think they can target my one true love, they have another thing coming for them—likely death.
With my dubious sidekicks in tow—and Declan, who is as happy as I am to run headfirst into danger—we travel across the country to track down why these chimeras are harassing Declan. But what we find might prove yet again that you never know who the real monster is.
Declan
Yeah… what he said. Except the fish part.
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 