17) Alpha Instinct by Katie Reus

The Blurb :

Fear has a scent. So does desire…

Ana Cordona has been a strong leader for the lupine shifters who survived after all the males and most of the females in her pack were mysteriously poisoned. As tough as she is, with no Alpha male, the pack is vulnerable to the devious shifter Taggart, who wants to claim both their ranch and Ana as his own. When Connor Armstrong comes back into her life, promising protection, it’s almost enough to make Ana forget how he walked out on her before—and reluctantly accept his offer to mate.

The minute Connor sees Ana again, it reawakens a raw hunger. He must have her for his bondmate—his wolf cries out for it. But his human side knows he must proceed with caution because of their complicated past. If he is to truly have her body and soul, he must go beyond his burning desire and win back her heart. Whatever it takes, he is determined not to leave her side again.

But Taggart and his rival pack are not their only enemies. A human element in town is targeting shifters. Their plan not only threatens Ana and Connor’s future, but the lives of the entire pack.

My Review :

Alpha Instinct is the debut book from author Katie Reus. With so many already established authors in the Paranormal Urban Fantasy genre it is nice to see a new name and a slightly new concept creeping into the fold. I for one need some new blood now and again but sometimes it is hard to make the leap when there are already so many good books out there waiting for me. However this book called to me and I decided to give it a go. I am very glad that I tried it.

At the beginning I was worried that I wasn't going to like Alpha Instinct. It looked like to was going to be too lovely dovey for my liking but as things progressed I was pleasantly surprised to find that things were very Alpha. I really liked Ana and her pack as well as the new additions that come along during the story. It was a nice storyline and it kept me intrigued.

The plot was good and well developed. I was kept guessing till the end with only a few suspicions about who was behind everything. There were some good action scenes and some equally hot moments. I have been missing Keri Arthur's Riley Jenson and eagerly awaiting a new Kitty Norville book from Carrie Vaughn. Alpha Instinct however has taken the edge off my cravings with it's similar yet unique werewolf antics.

It seems obvious to me that this is a series where each book will center on a new character from the pack. Where as I feel this is getting a little old, I think it is the best way to go with this series if the writer wants to keep things interesting. The background story to keep the series going is already spread out in this book and I hope that plays out as well as planned. However the author also mentioned vampires so I hope that will be expanded on in future books.

Katie Reus is a new author on the scene and her debut Alpha Instinct has guaranteed her a place in the genre. How long she stays here is up to her but she has caught my attention. I will definitely be checking out the next book in the series and I am eager to see what the author does to keep things going. She has laid down the groundwork and just has to keep building a stable, interesting and exciting story and she could be a big hit.

Alpha Instinct releases this week! Definitely worth checking out!