Tuesday 15 November 2016

REVIEW - ALPHA - MACKENZIE GREY SERIES BY KARINA ESPINOSA

Title: Alpha
Series: Mackenzie Grey
Author: Karina Espinosa
Publisher: Black Quill Press
Genre: Paranormal,Werewolves, Vampires, Witch's, Roomance
Release Date: 15th November 2016

BLURB from Goodreads
It’s hard being a Princess.

Mackenzie Grey never felt as vulnerable as she does now—but that won’t stop her from getting what she wants: revenge. Kenz and her friends journey to a new land where everyone has a motive and everyone is a suspect.
The Lunas find their voices after the massacre but question still stands—who is the real enemy? If Mackenzie wants to free herself, she will need to free them all; and it won’t be easy. As she approaches her 24th birthday—in the middle of a web of lies, deception, and murder—Kenz has to weave her way to the truth before she’s next on the chopping block.

With her companions, Mackenzie will make her final stand and change the course of the Lycan world forever…
 


PURCHASE LINKS


REVIEW

Having totally adored the previous books in this series, I was truly looking forward to this book, and had high expectations for it too. I was eager to know if Mackenzie would ever make the choice between her two potential mates, or would someone else arrive on the scene and sweep her off her feet. Another thing I am eager to catch up with is has anything changed for the better for the Luna’s now they have Mackenzie to help their cause?

THOUGHTS WHILST READING
4% Oh wow! King Alexander is finding out his daughter is not a typical meek and mild Luna. Mackenzie has a mind of her own and isn't afraid to say what she is thinking or feeling! Mackenzie is back and is as kick butt as ever!
19% Totally loving this book already and hate having to put it down to do other things. I really want to finish it to find out all the answers but at the same time I seriously want to and intend to savour every word!"
51% Just loving this book! Who is the guilty party inside the castle household? My guess? Andrew Duncan maybe"
77% Oh wow I love a kick butt female, and Mackenzie Grey knows how to kick butt!! And as to who ordered the Luna's to be killed? Well....it couldn't be....? Could it?"

The cover of this book, once again features Mackenzie Grey, a more mature, Mackenzie Grey? Only time will tell. The same sort of shade of blue is also carried through this series, maybe a subtle reference to Mackenzie's royal heritage? The fonts of the titles, and author names also match well as does their placement on the book covers. The cover fits very well with Shift and Caged. I’d love to see them all side by side on my book shelf!
The genres this book falls into for me are paranormal/supernatural, with a little romance added. The supernatural races featured in the book which I totally love are shifter's, vampires, and witches. Though I would normally shy away from and usually dislike fae and pixies, I do enjoy their parts in this book a great deal.
So this book jumps right back into the action picking up at at a hearing to decide what further action should be taken against the trio of Mackenzie, Sebastian and Jonah. The King is disgusted to hear what Logan did to Mackenzie, and the fact that Malcolm, father of Logan and Alpha condoned it, they are immediately cast out of their pack. The King also promises to find out who really ordered his guards to carry out the attack on the Brooklyn Pack.
Mackenzie, Sebastian and Jonah are given two weeks to bury their dead, and take care of anything that needs to be sorted out as they have been summoned to appear before a tribunal in Scotland at the Kings Castle! I loved the comparison that Karina made saying the King’s castle in Scotland is like the wolf Vatican city! The castle is miles away from humans. The King will be the head of the tribunal as he says “he is the law” but to ensure fairness and justice is done the European Summit members will also form part of the “jury”.
During her two weeks Mackenzie ensures that Emma is safely away from any danger under the care and protection of the vampire, Roman. It’s whilst hugging Roman that Mackenzie admits to herself that Logan has broken something within her that will take a very long time to heal, if it ever does. She visits her family, enjoying time with her adoptive parents and brother Oliver. Then Mackenzie attempts to attend the Luna funerals. Amy, being human is not allowed to attend and initially Sebastian, Jonah etc try to discourage Mackenzie from attending too, but she still goes. Sadly she has a run in with Charles Cadwell, and Mohammed a pack member, but an additionally surprising interaction with a couple of the young surviving Luna’s. One of the last things Mackenzie “takes care of” is explaining, or should I say revealing more of herself to Detective Garrett Michaels. Does he believe what she reveals? I think he has no other choice but to do so. How does he react? Well that would be slipping into spoiler territory.
This book is really super packed, with lots happening from the aftermath of Caged to be dealt with. Then the mixture of the whole tribunal and what that entails, along with Mackenzie having to deal with getting to know her birth father King Alexander, step mother Queen Ivana and her sneaky, smarmy, rather creepy step brother Prince Andrew Duncan.
A character I thoroughly enjoyed disliking! Then Mackenzie has the added complication of having to learn to be a Princess and a meek, obedient Luna thrust upon her. Which let's face it, this is not going to be an easy task for the independent, unconstrained, fierce, outspoken, opinionated, kick butt individual that is Mackenzie Grey. Though the very traits that make her stand out as not the typical Luna or Princess are the ones Mackenzie will need to rely on when she is faced by the fight of her life. Mackenzie certainly never takes the easy route, when asked to choose someone to fight for her between Sebastian and Jonah she determindely refuses to choose. Preferring to break all traditions, and previous customs and insisting on taking her fate into her own hands.
We learn along with Mackenzie about her mother Adaline, and what happened to her. Though Mackenzie feels alone and isolated at first in Scotland she learns she has many more allies than she could have ever of thought. Mackenzie certainly uses her investigative skills, unearthing facts that are being hidden, some old secrets, as well as old and new betrayals along with a few rather unlikely loyalties too.
I enjoyed learning some of the meanings behind certain Gaelic names, including Mackenzie’s. I also found the reasons behind certain aspects of the pack funerals to be both fascinating and endearing. I loved the sentiment and the reasons pack funerals are carried out the way they are.
I honestly felt real affection for Mackenzie in this book, the losses she has to come to terms with, that she ends up having to grieve for alone. Another character I fell in love with earlier in the series was the Luna called Blu, there is a really emotional scene in this book between her and Mackenzie, it made me teary when I read it. The interaction also has the intended affect on Mackenzie that Blu wanted it to have.
We also meet some new potential beloved characters, such as, King Alexander, Helena, and Scarlett Slade. The King, I took a little while to warm up to whereas the characters of Helena and Scarlett I immediately adored. Helena is an older Luna who serves the Royal family. Helena treats Mackenzie with kindness and love from the moment they meet, and even risks the Kings ire to help her when she needs it. Scarlett instantly reminded me of Amy. Speaking of Amy there’s no way I cannot mention favourite characters without mentioning my favourite “couple” Amy and Jackson (“book boyfriend” material), though there are some rather unexpected issues raised in this book that will have major repercussions that will have to be dealt with in the future. The relationship between Mackenzie and Lucian also takes an unforseen rocky path towards the end of this book. Hopefully Mackenzie will be able to regain the full trust, understanding and love of her "not so happy" friends once again.
Then there’s the other two, “book boyfriend” material characters of Jonah and Sebastian. I love them both in different ways, probably as Mackenzie does, which will she choose? With everything going on in this book will she have the chance to choose? I know which I would choose personally . . .I admit it, I have a weakness for the gorgeous sounding, somewhat hot tempered, fiercely protective, intensely loyal Sebastian! Though I can understand how Mackenzie is attracted to both the Alpha Sebastian of the Brooklyn pack and the Beta Jonah in different ways.
This book was amazing! In fact I think the Mackenzie Grey Series is amazing and think there is a huge amount of future further potential for these characters, and certainly hope to read much, much more! I'd love to see this book made into a TV Series! I mean it's been done for Kelley Armstrong's, Women Of The Otherworld Series - known as Bitten. If kept as in the book, this could be a hit TV Series too! I'd love to know who Karina would envision playing all the different roles.
Again I find myself thinking I could talk endlessly about this book and in fact the whole Mackenzie Grey series! Once I read the first few words I was captured by the book and hated having to put it down at all! I wanted to read on quickly to obtain the answers to the questions this book and the previous books in the series had made me ask. Yet at the same time I desperately wanted to read this book slower and almost savour every word.

FINAL THOUGHTS
To sum up what words can I use to describe this book? Emotional, revealing, endearing, and action packed! This book reminds me how much and why I love shifter's. Thank you for another fantastic read Karina!

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