Tempest Rising by Nicole Peeler

Title: Tempest Rising

Author: Nicole Peeler

Series: #1Pages: 344
Publisher: Orbit
Reading Level: Adult

Publish Date: November 01, 2009.

Rating: .3

Cover Rating: 

Living in small town Rockabill, Maine, Jane True always knew she didn't quite fit in with so-called normal society. During her nightly, clandestine swim in the freezing winter ocean, a grisly find leads Jane to startling revelations about her heritage: she is only half-human. 

Now, Jane must enter a world filled with supernatural creatures alternatively terrifying, beautiful, and deadly- all of which perfectly describe her new "friend," Ryu, a gorgeous and powerful vampire. 

It is a world where nothing can be taken for granted: a dog can heal with a lick; spirits bag your groceries; and whatever you do, never-ever-rub the genie's lamp. 

Taschima's POV:

Tempest Rising was average. At first. By the end I started understanding all the buzz that this series has received, and all the potential it has on store.

Jane True is a weird girl who likes to swim on occasion. Nothing wrong with that. Did I mention she really likes to swim when temperatures are freezing? Now your getting it, she is weird. Freak, bitch, murderer, this are only some of the things people around town call her. And they don't even know about her swimming. But a terrible accident has scarred Jane for life in the eyes of the town, and to her own eyes. Broken + being a freak is more like it. All is going well until one night she discovers a body on her favorite swimming place. Desperate to not being linked to this murder, she leaves the body on a trail for somebody else to find. She thought her problems would end there, but little did she know. Suddenly old friends aren't what they seem, new people are competing with her on the freak scale, and her libido has woken up with a vengeance when she meets a certain investigator by the name of Ryu who is gorgeous, mysterious, and deadly.

I will be completely honest (as always), at first the book was going a bit dull for me. Though Jane captured my attention from page 1, so I kept on reading. The pace picks up pretty fast though, and a lot of stuff start to happen. Plus Ryu comes into the scene, which I still don't know if it's a plus or a minus with me.

As I already say I liked Jane. She is a normal woman with freaky issues, but she is so funny. I could have kept reading the book eve if nothing else happened just to see what she would do next. I agree that this book will be particularly enjoyed by Sookie Stackhouse fans, it has the elements while still being original. Now Ryu... I think this is the first time I haven't fell in love with the main lover at first sight. He is just so cocky!  And he is a vampire! Generally when they are vampires that is just a done deal with me, but no. Though as the book kept going, and his defenses kept falling, I started to rather care for him, and may like him a bit. BUT! There is a side character which has totally caught my attention...

I loved the side characters also, the book wouldn't have been so awesome without them. I also liked how real the story progressed. Jane didn't become super wise all of the sudden, she grows into it. 

Anyways, it's a great beginning to the series. I would recommend it (I'm already reading Tracking the Tempest, imagine that!).

PS; I love the cover, why do people hate it? I don't get it. It's so original, and the drawing is good.