Guest Review: Coveted by Shawntelle Madison - 4 Wine Glasses!

Coveted 
(Coveted #1)
by Shawntelle Madison
Paperback, 304 pages
Published April 24th 2012 by Ballantine Books
ISBN 0345529189 
Courtesy of NetGalley

SOMETIMES WHAT YOU COVET IS IMPOSSIBLE TO KEEP.
For werewolf Natalya Stravinsky, the supernatural is nothing extraordinary. What does seem strange is that she’s stuck in her hometown of South Toms River, New Jersey, the outcast of her pack, selling antiques to finicky magical creatures. Restless and recovering from her split with gorgeous ex-boyfriend, Thorn, Nat finds comfort in an unusual place: her obsessively collected stash of holiday trinkets. But complications pile up faster than her ornaments when Thorn returns home—and the two discover that the spark between them remains intense.
Before Nat can sort out their relationship, she must face a more immediate and dangerous problem. Her pack is under attack from the savage Long Island werewolves—and Nat is their first target in a turf war. Toss in a handsome wizard vying for her affection, a therapy group for the anxious and enchanted, and the South Toms River pack leader ready to throw her to the wolves, and it’s enough to give anybody a panic attack. With the stakes as high as the full moon, Nat must summon all of her strength to save her pack and, ultimately, herself.

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Crystal L's Thoughts:


So let me just start off this review by saying that Shawntelle Madison does not write your typical romance. I mean, there are certain check list features present in the story. Love triangle between the heroine and two possible hunk of burning loves? Check. Lots of angst. Check. Heroines got 99 problems, and another b*tch IS one? Check. What's notably absent for those of you who would find this particular feature a must have? Lots of smokin' hot love scenes. I'm going to go out on a limb here though and say, the missing hypothetical love scenes aren't needed. Madison did such a great job of keeping up with events and bombarding the reader with the protagonists emotions that I felt like it totally made up for the lack of mattress dancing. Not to mention that, while the heroine pines away for her former flame that abandoned her, who is a hunky werewolf that's now promised to another woman, I was actually cheering for the neurotic wizard she meets in her therapy group by the end of the book. This book is a fabulous example of how a love triangle should be written.

The other thing I totally loved about this book? The heroine Natalya, cause she's one crazy chick! Let's here it for an author who can totally write about a nutty ass character who's got some serious problems! My hubby says I like them so much cause I am one - but we're going to ignore him while he sleeps on the couch. I completely LOVE when an author writes that kind of character and does it well. Natalya has got a crap ton of anxiety issues coupled with obsessive compulsive disorder and hoarding tendencies. I could totally picture her hundreds of boxes of Christmas ornaments as she moved through her house. These issues stem from not just her genetic make-up (Natalya's great grandma had similar issues), but also from the abandonment of the love of her life, and her family turning their backs on her when she needed them the most.

This book has a lot going on, but it's all easy to follow, and I thought extremely enjoyable to read with all of Natalya's quirky issues. Besides, how many books will you get to read in your lifetime that feature a therapy group for supernatural beings with serious issues like Natalya's? I give this book a solid four wine glass toast as I frantically push buttons to pull up the sequel Kept. Enjoy you nutty readers! I know I did.

Rating: 4 Wine Glasses