Eye of the Tempest by Nicole Peeler

SPOILERS FOR PREVIOUS BOOKS IN THE SERIES

Synopsis

Nothing says "home" like being attacked by humans with very large guns, as Jane and Anyan discover when they arrive in Rockabill. These are professionals, brought into kill, and they bring Anyan down before either Jane or the barghest can react. Seeing Anyan fall awakens a terrible power within Jane, and she nearly destroys herself taking out their attackers.

Jane wakes, weeks later, to discover that she's not the only thing that's been stirring. Something underneath Rockabill is coming to life: something ancient, something powerful, and something that just might destroy the world.

Jane and her friends must act, striking out on a quest that only Jane can finish. For whatever lurks beneath the Old Sow must be stopped...and Jane's just the halfling for the job.

I love Jane True. The Tempest series is the only adult paranormal that I keep up with apart from Sookie Stackhouse and they both have a similar appeal for me; home loving girls who are swept up into a fantasy world without losing their down-to-earth roots. This book read a little like the start of a new trilogy to me as now Jane is fully aware of her powers, has been training and is less likely to roll over and let someone get the better of her. I'm also loving the fact that Ryu is well and truly off the scene in this book which means more Anyan - yay!

Back in Rockabill, Jane is hoping for a little time to recharge her batteries after the dramatic events of Tempest's Legacy. Unfortunately, Jane doesn't get her wish and it becomes obvious that something is a bit … off in the small town. I was happy to see her reunited with her home crowd and the places where we first met her. The mysterious, tattooed being that has been tracing Jane's steps comes to the fore in this book and I found her an interesting addition to the series. Jane's more street wise and confident now and I love this side of her. She knows her own mind and what she wants although she hasn't forgotten the experiences that formed her. This is a powerful combination and her development as a character is wonderfully done. There's a whole tonne of myth and world building in Eye of the Tempest which was fascinating.

As ever in the Tempest books there's plenty of drama, sex and humour. I think it's this combination which makes the series a winner for me. Jane has given me a new favourite swearword (you'll just have to check out the series to find out what that is) and amused me. Each book is tightly plotted, fast-moving and full of drama too - I really couldn't ask for much more from an adult paranormal series. Tracking the Tempest lived up to my expectations. I'm more than ready for the next in the series!

Tempest's Legacy by Nicole Peeler

SPOILERS FOR THE PREVIOUS BOOKS IN THE SERIES

Synopsis

After a peaceful hiatus at home in Rockabill, Jane True thinks that her worst problem is that she throws like a girl – at least while throwing fireballs.

Her peace of mind ends, however, when Anyan arrives one night with terrible news . . . news that will rock Jane’s world to its very core.

After demanding to help investigate a series of gruesome attacks on females – supernatural, halfling and human – Jane quickly finds herself forced to confront her darkest nightmares as well as her deepest desires.

And she’s not sure which she finds more frightening.

The first two books in this series have introduced us to Jane True. She's always felt like an outsider and has suffered terrible losses in her life, struggled with depression and spent time in a mental institution. Soon after our initial meeting she is told that her mother is a selkie and that she's not altogether human. Fast forward two books and this series still fascinates me. She's come to terms with her new status and is trying hard to become offensively strong with her magic. However, she receives some devastating news which throws her straight back into the action again.

Each book has it's own story but running through the series is another, larger arc which follows the actions of the King's closest advisor Jarl. Jarl is responsible for a great many atrocities and Jane True and the gang are determined that he should be found guilty. However, proving that he's responsible for a number of suspect hospitals (for hospital read medieval houses of torture) is difficult as he makes sure that nothing can be traced back to him. Alongside all of this action Jane is juggling some very different problems. At the end of Tracking the Tempest it became apparent that Jane and Ryu were having a few problems. In Legacy we find that Jane is feeling a bit awkward around Anyan. She's used to him being a friend but suddenly she sees him as something more. I have to say that I love Anyan. He's the perfect combination of brawn and brains, both protective and caring. I'm all for them getting together but I'm not saying if they do!

One thing about the Jane True series is that they read like a dream. Jane has such a perfect voice. She's self-deprecating, loves her friends, has determination and drive but more than that she's outright funny and wild too. She guides the reader through the light-hearted bits and safely through the horror too. There's more world building in this book too. We meet a mysterious blond who is baffling everyone who comes across her, a whole new set of characters who are all half human and live together rather than with the "pureblood" supernaturals at the compound so that they can enjoy a more free life. I was excited too to see that there seems to be much more to Jane than we originally thought. She's of interest to many as her powers begin to properly manifest himself.

Another great episode in the series and the fourth book, Eye of the Tempest, is out in October so thankfully not long to wait.