Review: Masked by M. Greenhill
Take a dive into the world of supernatural suspense, werewolfitude, and the sizzling chemistry between two people with me today. A thrilling read I could not put down!
I know, I know... Werewolf books. There are hundreds out there at the moment. We all know how it goes: Pretty girl, vulnerable yet strong, meets big, burly alpha who sniffs out she's his mate and growls 'Mine' to everyone who will listen. He gives chase of little female, intimidating her to fall in love with him. Guts, gore and raunchy bedroom-art commences. Sound familiar? I seldomly read werewolf books, simply cause the premise is the same every time. You read one, you read em all.
This is not that. Not. At. All. I gave this book a shot when I found it, because the blurb sounded great, and what do you know... I loved what I found. It's fresh, different, and it has all the right ingredients a story should have. Suspense, romance, thrills, and paranormal.
What it's about:
Blurb taken from Amazon
Supernatural bodies are piling up fast. But can Parker and Daniel save those they love, before they kill each other?
As one of the top data security specialists in the US, Parker Johnson has exposed hundreds of digital villains, and their crimes. The hacker is smart, savvy and good at keeping secrets. Parker is also one of the few humans aware of the existence of werewolves, and it’s a secret she will do everything to protect.
But for how long? Weres are dying by the dozen, and it seems Wildfire—a new drug sold on the internet—is somehow involved. Parker is called in to help the investigation under the protection of Daniel Locke, the icy Alpha Commander who, three years earlier, she had the misfortune of pissing off. Big time.
Daniel has spent his life defending those he loves, but he’s never faced an enemy that’s invisible, and everywhere. No matter how much he distrusts Parker, with the future of his race on the line, his duty to his people comes first. It’s just too bad that his steely self-control fails to smother the animal attraction that flares each time he meets the curvy, brunette investigator. The fiery woman is as much of an enigma as the puzzle they are unravelling.
It is a race against the clock to track down the killers behind the lethal drug before it rages well beyond their control.
What I think about it:
This is not your typical werewolf story. The whole book has the underlying feeling of a thriller, which I loved; it kept me on the edge of my seat throughout reading. (It is a paranormal thriller, after all) Not many books do that to me nowadays.
The characters are fleshed out very well, I fell in love with Parker and Daniel and their chemistry. They don't hit it off in the beginning; well, they do, just not in a positive way. He distrusts her because she is human and she will not be bossed around by a big bad alpha. (Who is also hottness incarnate) But since they are forced to work together for the greater good, there is nothing the both of them can do about it. The scenes ensuing are hilarious (I'm looking at you, espresso machine) and their relationship grows in a comfortable way. Their journey is absolutely believable and at no time did it come across as forced.
I felt at home in the world and, after a while, part of it.
What's right with it:
This book has very few flaws. It is edited well, professional and, because of that, comfortable and easy to read. It is superbly plotted; the scenes, character-growth, and feel of the story flow fantastic. One can see and feel that this book has had much time and love invested into it. (Actually everything M. Greenhill does looks great and professional, I love it!)
There are many fields covered in this book, like police investigation, computer hacking, gene manipulation and so on... What astounded me was that I believed every part of it. The research that went into this is extensive and I tip my hat to the author for conveying what is happening with such clarity.
Which brings me to another point, the villains. There are a few of them meddling around, and while they are completely different from on another, each one is despicable. I loved hating them for different reasons, and the one or other simply creeped me out. Having read a few books by this author I know that she has the capability of writing villains with depths of evil and crazy that seem bottomless. And I love myself some good villains.
The side characters bring many things to the table as well. Be it laughter, warmth, or pain and loss. (*Shakes fist at author.*) The main characters are addictive and their growth is plausible and beautiful to watch.
All in all, this book is a streamlined, well thought out, thrilling and, on occasion, chilling read.
What's wrong with it:
Seriously? Not much. As I've said, Masked has very few flaws. More time with the two main characters would have been nice. Alone time. *winks*
There was nothing that consciously bothered me, except for the back and forth in the ending between Parker and Daniel. That was exhausting, but I get why it was there and it served it's purpose. I personally don't like phases like that in a story, but that is just me.
Who it's for:
Readers of all things paranormal; you just got served! This book keeps you on the edge of your seat. M. Greenhill does an amazing job with everything she touches. In the mood for things that go biting and howling in the dark? For knock-your-socks-off-chemistry between the protagonists? For suspense and a truly original take on the werewolf world? Then this is for you!!! It's new, it's exciting, and it's spectacularly written. Go read it.
Get it HERE
About M. Greenhill:
Taken from the Author's website
After failing miserably at world domination and surviving many years of producing technical documentation, project plans and test plans that no one bothered to open, M (pron. M) Greenhill decided to create something that might actually be read.
She enjoys creating paranormal stories that takes the reader on a journey filled with intrigue, excitement and more twists and turns than are bugs in a Microsoft update.
M lives in New Zealand with her husband, two Minecraft addicted sons and pet Schnauzer who has survived one too many bad haircuts.
Ever the optimist, she hopes that one day she will own a pair of Louboutin’s and that, for once, her husband won’t take a short-cut on a DIY project – or even finish one for that matter.
Connect with M. Greenhill here:
