Review: Wicked Hour

Wicked Hour by Chloe Neill
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This spin off series with the heirs to the ruling families in vampire and shifter world is dare I say, better than the original? There is a certain maturity that both Elisa and Connor have in comparison to their parents. Or I should say, specifically Elisa to her mother. Ethan is definitely a mature if a bit old fashioned in some ways.

In this second book, Elisa is invited to witness something that those outside of the werewolf world do not get to see... rituals performed by the werewolves. There is just one problem. Did I say 1? How about several problems or obstacles if you will. A vampire and werewolf mix is not something the werewolf packs like. With Connor as the possible Apex heir, this places more pressure on him and yet he is strangely cavalier about it. Elisa does enough worrying for the both of them.

The main issue is the wolf pack they are going to visit. There is something not quite right. And as the information unfolds, it is a sad sack of delinquents which pulls a strong pack apart. I felt Ms. Neill did a great job of showing how a couple of rotten people can cause a tightly knit community to become dysfunctional. I have seen this in real life at work. I see it in families. It is harder when a community is bound together with a secret. How do they effectively excise this malignancy without damaging others? Without causing fear in others? It all comes down to transparency, accountability and openness. None of which are evident in this diseased wolf pack.

Elisa and Connor's growing relationship is tested and grows stronger as they bond over the trials and tribulations of this short trip. They even need a little help from their friends who show up in an RV. Priceless.

This urban fantasy/paranormal romance is recommended to readers who enjoy a growing romance between two young adults coming of age.