Title: Bitterroot
Series: Bitterroot Pt3
Authors: Heather Hildenbrand & S.M. Reine
Genre: Paranormal, Fantasy, Shifter
Publisher: Elephantine Publishing
Release Date: 16th November 2015
BLURB from Goodreads
Regan and Charlie are forced to compete for the position of werewolf pack alpha. The winner gets Owen Rossi's hand in marriage. But only one sister already has his heart. Will the vampires and werewolves finally forge peace--or will sibling rivalry prove fatal for them all?
Goodreads Link
BLURB from Goodreads
Regan and Charlie are forced to compete for the position of werewolf pack alpha. The winner gets Owen Rossi's hand in marriage. But only one sister already has his heart. Will the vampires and werewolves finally forge peace--or will sibling rivalry prove fatal for them all?
Goodreads Link
PURCHASE LINKS
INITIAL THOUGHTS
I was looking forward to reading this part of Bitterroot, and expecting to have most if not all my questions answered about both the werewolf pack and the vampire coven.
MY REVIEW
As with parts 1 & 2, I received part 3 free from the author Heather Hildenbrand, as I am part of her Heather's Hotshots Street Team in exchange for my honest opinion/review.
The cover is the same cover as for parts 1 and 2 so here's what I said about the cover when I first saw it as the part 1 cover. . . .The cover is a rich evening blue colour, and features a moonlit background. In front of the moon are two females, both wearing white dresses, whose joined hands are holding a beautiful bouquet of deep red roses. The female on the left (as you look at the book) is blonde, and her dress has straps on it. The female on the right is dark haired and her white dress is strapless. The title of the book is in a cursive font, that catches by eye.
The cover is the same cover as for parts 1 and 2 so here's what I said about the cover when I first saw it as the part 1 cover. . . .The cover is a rich evening blue colour, and features a moonlit background. In front of the moon are two females, both wearing white dresses, whose joined hands are holding a beautiful bouquet of deep red roses. The female on the left (as you look at the book) is blonde, and her dress has straps on it. The female on the right is dark haired and her white dress is strapless. The title of the book is in a cursive font, that catches by eye.
After reading the book I'd say that the two females on the front cover are very good likenesses of the females described in the book, in fact the cover image could be an actual scene from the book, and fits really well within the plot of the book.
So would this cover make me pick it up from a book store shelf? Hmm that's difficult as the cover doesn't scream "this is a shifter book" but being a "nosey reader" I'd want to know who the two females were, and whether their characters are as "chalk & cheese" as their looks appear to be. So I think I can say yes, the cover would interest me enough to pick it up and read the blurb. I would like to add that personally I would have preferred different covers for the novella's but, maybe the reason there is just one cover is that the novella's are going to be combined into one so only need one cover. I guess only time will tell.
I'm not sure if I have actually mentioned this before but I should probably point out that Bitterroot is told to the reader by the two main female characters in the book, Regan and Charlie The individual points of view and the character traits of each sister come through well in their individual chapters. Part 3 begins with a chapter from Regan where she is dreaming about being in her wolf form running freely with her mother Myra (who is alive once again in the dream)with no pack rules, no pack politics or problems just her and her mother. Regan then moves and falls out of her bed waking to find a vampire sitting on her window ledge. The mysterious vampire is the one who has been stalking her and her new found sister Charlie. The vampire enlightens Regan to the fact she needs to look within her friends and her pack for the people that wish to cause harm. He goes on to reveal that he was a close friend of her mother's which Regan naturally doubts but the strange vampire continues with his revelations claiming the Myra was not killed by a vampire then he leaves her with the new information.
The next chapter is from Charlie's point of view who is also just stirring from her sleep already feeling a strong sense of dread for what the day holds.
The contest ends up consisting of three parts (great play on the number three! as in three tests and three novella's, not sure if this was intentional or not). I won't elaborate on what actually occurs within the individual tests, or divulge who win's which test either. The individual trials are 1, The Test Of Strength, 2,The Test of Knowledge and 3, The Test Of Endurance.
So the first test is the "Test of Strength" first up is Regan Vuk, daughter of Myra, she has the support of the majority of the pack, so she draws encouragement from the crowd. Whereas Charlie (Charlotte) Vuk, daughter of Anita pulls support from Owen Rossi, Vampire Prince.
There is an awful incident and the Vuk sisters, their father and elders of the pack end up moving to the Rossi household and carrying out The Knowledge Test there.
After the first two trials have been carried out the girls are tied having won one test each.
There's a lot happening in this book as there are the trials/tests, there's the awful incident that occurs immediately after the Test of Strength, as well as the sisters attempting to find out the identity of the mystery vampire who seems to be following them.
When the second trial/test is organised to take place at the Rossi household Regan takes the opportunity to continue her investigation into who may have murdered her mother too. She begins the snooping with just Carter as back up but circumstances change her plans and Charlie and Owen end up helping too.
The different setting visited in this book in Rossi territory gives Charlie more opportunities to be with Owen and they have some fairly serious deep conversations like the one about Owen's mother. Owen's mother hates the fact that she has been given eternal life, and that her greatest, dearest wish is to have grandchildren.
I could seriously go on and on about this novella, but I really do not want slip and say anything "spoilerish", questions are answered throughout the book and the enjoyment would be ruined if I tell you too much.
This book is faster paced than the other two novella's, at times I felt I wanted to slow things down a little and parts could perhaps have been better with a little more detailed explanations. Bitterroot pt 3 is certainly action packed, and has the pack loyalty, one of the things I love about the shifter genre and the various mysteries and questions from the other novella's are slowly revealed and answered. Betrayal also features heavily in this novella, with a pack member not "giving there all" to help Charlie during one of the trials. Betrayal is also at the very basic bottom of Myra's murder as well as being a strong reason behind the "incident" that occurs after the first trial too.
To sum up I did really enjoy the novella, but I thought it could also have been so much more. I think that certain parts needed more time spent on them, they could have been fleshed out a little, such as the whole action of Myra's murder. I also wanted more detail about the incident after the first trial and how it had taken place. I was disappointed when the culprit was revealed, I felt I hadn't known the character enough to believe they were capable of the incident. I suppose what I am trying to say is that for me certain sections of this novella felt rushed. I felt a little cheated with the whole wedding preparations and it scene within the book too.
So did I enjoy the novella? I read this novella with a passion! I quite literally inhaled it! I'm so greedy I wanted more. I wanted novella three to last longer than it did. Would I recommend the novella? Yes, of course if you have read pt1 & pt2 then this novella is unmissable! Would I recommend the three novella's as a whole? As I have said I was totally addicted and adored Bitterroot from beginning to end. I would have spread novella 3 out more maybe over two novella's rather than just the one. Would I want to read more in this series? I am still curious enough that I'd like more from these characters, so yes. I didn't have the sense of completion at the end of this novella. I would also wish to re-visit the characters, the werewolf pack and the vampire coven, maybe have them united against a threat against both races. I'd also enjoy reading a catch up on the romances within the novella's too. Would I read more by Heather Hildenbrand? I already have begun reading more by Heather. I have read Imitation which is Bk1 in her Clone Chronicles Series. I have also recently purchased her Dirty Blood Series Box Set too.
Would I read more by S.M. Reine? I am yet to read other titles by S.M. Reine, I do have some on my To Read List and have some on my kindle to read as soon as I get the time!
Is there anything else I'd like to add? I would be interested in learning more about the creative process of two authors writing the one novella series etc. Maybe when they have time I can ask Heather Hildenbrand and S.M. Reine to take part in one of my Book Specific Author Interviews. . .
FINAL THOUGHTS
So the events around the wedding were not what I expected at all. I wanted even more from the epilogue. Maybe we could revisit the Vuk\Rossi families a few years down the line?
I think there is a lot more potential remaining in these characters and the setting of this book. There are so many more possibilities to be had from the werewolf pack and vampire coven, and we haven't even meet any humans as yet! All the history, heritage, the possibilities could be endless!
I'm not sure if I have actually mentioned this before but I should probably point out that Bitterroot is told to the reader by the two main female characters in the book, Regan and Charlie The individual points of view and the character traits of each sister come through well in their individual chapters. Part 3 begins with a chapter from Regan where she is dreaming about being in her wolf form running freely with her mother Myra (who is alive once again in the dream)with no pack rules, no pack politics or problems just her and her mother. Regan then moves and falls out of her bed waking to find a vampire sitting on her window ledge. The mysterious vampire is the one who has been stalking her and her new found sister Charlie. The vampire enlightens Regan to the fact she needs to look within her friends and her pack for the people that wish to cause harm. He goes on to reveal that he was a close friend of her mother's which Regan naturally doubts but the strange vampire continues with his revelations claiming the Myra was not killed by a vampire then he leaves her with the new information.
The next chapter is from Charlie's point of view who is also just stirring from her sleep already feeling a strong sense of dread for what the day holds.
The contest ends up consisting of three parts (great play on the number three! as in three tests and three novella's, not sure if this was intentional or not). I won't elaborate on what actually occurs within the individual tests, or divulge who win's which test either. The individual trials are 1, The Test Of Strength, 2,The Test of Knowledge and 3, The Test Of Endurance.
So the first test is the "Test of Strength" first up is Regan Vuk, daughter of Myra, she has the support of the majority of the pack, so she draws encouragement from the crowd. Whereas Charlie (Charlotte) Vuk, daughter of Anita pulls support from Owen Rossi, Vampire Prince.
There is an awful incident and the Vuk sisters, their father and elders of the pack end up moving to the Rossi household and carrying out The Knowledge Test there.
After the first two trials have been carried out the girls are tied having won one test each.
There's a lot happening in this book as there are the trials/tests, there's the awful incident that occurs immediately after the Test of Strength, as well as the sisters attempting to find out the identity of the mystery vampire who seems to be following them.
When the second trial/test is organised to take place at the Rossi household Regan takes the opportunity to continue her investigation into who may have murdered her mother too. She begins the snooping with just Carter as back up but circumstances change her plans and Charlie and Owen end up helping too.
The different setting visited in this book in Rossi territory gives Charlie more opportunities to be with Owen and they have some fairly serious deep conversations like the one about Owen's mother. Owen's mother hates the fact that she has been given eternal life, and that her greatest, dearest wish is to have grandchildren.
I could seriously go on and on about this novella, but I really do not want slip and say anything "spoilerish", questions are answered throughout the book and the enjoyment would be ruined if I tell you too much.
This book is faster paced than the other two novella's, at times I felt I wanted to slow things down a little and parts could perhaps have been better with a little more detailed explanations. Bitterroot pt 3 is certainly action packed, and has the pack loyalty, one of the things I love about the shifter genre and the various mysteries and questions from the other novella's are slowly revealed and answered. Betrayal also features heavily in this novella, with a pack member not "giving there all" to help Charlie during one of the trials. Betrayal is also at the very basic bottom of Myra's murder as well as being a strong reason behind the "incident" that occurs after the first trial too.
To sum up I did really enjoy the novella, but I thought it could also have been so much more. I think that certain parts needed more time spent on them, they could have been fleshed out a little, such as the whole action of Myra's murder. I also wanted more detail about the incident after the first trial and how it had taken place. I was disappointed when the culprit was revealed, I felt I hadn't known the character enough to believe they were capable of the incident. I suppose what I am trying to say is that for me certain sections of this novella felt rushed. I felt a little cheated with the whole wedding preparations and it scene within the book too.
So did I enjoy the novella? I read this novella with a passion! I quite literally inhaled it! I'm so greedy I wanted more. I wanted novella three to last longer than it did. Would I recommend the novella? Yes, of course if you have read pt1 & pt2 then this novella is unmissable! Would I recommend the three novella's as a whole? As I have said I was totally addicted and adored Bitterroot from beginning to end. I would have spread novella 3 out more maybe over two novella's rather than just the one. Would I want to read more in this series? I am still curious enough that I'd like more from these characters, so yes. I didn't have the sense of completion at the end of this novella. I would also wish to re-visit the characters, the werewolf pack and the vampire coven, maybe have them united against a threat against both races. I'd also enjoy reading a catch up on the romances within the novella's too. Would I read more by Heather Hildenbrand? I already have begun reading more by Heather. I have read Imitation which is Bk1 in her Clone Chronicles Series. I have also recently purchased her Dirty Blood Series Box Set too.
Would I read more by S.M. Reine? I am yet to read other titles by S.M. Reine, I do have some on my To Read List and have some on my kindle to read as soon as I get the time!
Is there anything else I'd like to add? I would be interested in learning more about the creative process of two authors writing the one novella series etc. Maybe when they have time I can ask Heather Hildenbrand and S.M. Reine to take part in one of my Book Specific Author Interviews. . .
FINAL THOUGHTS
So the events around the wedding were not what I expected at all. I wanted even more from the epilogue. Maybe we could revisit the Vuk\Rossi families a few years down the line?
I think there is a lot more potential remaining in these characters and the setting of this book. There are so many more possibilities to be had from the werewolf pack and vampire coven, and we haven't even meet any humans as yet! All the history, heritage, the possibilities could be endless!
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