Roaring Up the Wrong Tree by Celia Kyle
Series: Grayslake #3
Published by Indie
Published on: August 10, 2014
Genres: Paranormal Romance
Pages: 322
Format: eBook
Source: Purchased
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What should Trista you do when faced with a hunky werebear who can’t decide if he wants to kill her or screw her?
Half-hyena, Trista has spent years rotating between Grayslake, Redby, and Boyne Falls. When the Grayslake Itan—the local clan’s werebear leader—orders a purge of all hyenas, she finds herself fighting to hold onto the hand-to-mouth life she’s created. Her carefully built existence is threatened further when a gorgeous werebear strides into her life and demands not just her heart, but her very soul. She’ll think about it, but not until her shift ends at seven.
Keen seems like a happy-go-lucky, sex-and-sin werebear, but that’s nowhere near the truth. In reality, his inner-animal wants to go on a bloody rampage and kill half of Grayslake—just because it can. After that, it wants to claim the seductive, curvaceous half-hyena female Keen can’t get out of his head. The animal doesn’t care that most bears wouldn’t mind a little hyena tartare for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Nope, it peers at her through Keen’s human eyes and has one thought: mate.
When push comes to shove, Keen has to decide if he would rather have the family he was born with, or Trista-the woman who makes him realize that true happiness comes in a lush, hyena-shaped package.
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This author has been tackling tough subjects with this series. The previous book talked about domestic abuse of a secondary character. This book is no different. The heroine is half hyena. In previous books in the series the bear and wolf pack have had very bad run-ins with hyenas. They decided to run all hyenas out of their territory in a move called a “purge”.
Trista is half hyena. She has lived a tough life trying to follow rules in a world that she really doesn’t fit in. Even the hyena pack treated her poorly. Once her father died, she had the little bit of protection she had, stripped from her. Her half-brother is now in charge of the hyenas and he doesn’t like her.
Keen is seen as a happy youngest brother of the Abrams brothers. Looks can be deceiving though. Keen had a rough childhood. He did something that he now has to live with. His punishment was stiff and probably only made things worse. Now his bear just wants to kill everyone. Add to the fact that everyone keeps treating his fated mate like she is the scourge of the earth. Even his family is treating her badly.
This story was interesting. Normally this series has been mostly a fun-loving series. This story didn’t have the giggle moments that I’m used to in the previous books. There were a few here and there. Mostly this book touched on some tough subjects. It was interesting to see characters that I’ve come to enjoy, act like bigots towards a new character because of the way the pack of her species had acted, not because of her actions. Now I read this book before what happened in Paris and the book was written long before this all started. But, the story does hit very close to home.
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I’m Melanie and I live in Ohio. I have two horses and a dog. I’m an animal lover, avid book reader and audiobook listener. I like to live vicariously through fictional characters. I enjoy reading and listening to mostly fictional books in the paranormal genre, including Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance and Horror. My favorite paranormal creatures are shifters, doesn’t matter the flavor.
I can almost feel as bad for the character as you do. It sucks when a character is bullied and hated just cause – makes for a difficult read for sure.
Joy // Joyousreads recently posted…[589]: The Gap of Time by Jeanette Winterson
It was great to see the hero stand up for her, though it was though watching how tough it was for him too.
Melanie recently posted…Review: Tempted by a Vampire by Susan Griscom (@Mollykatie112, @SusanGriscom)
This sounds like it was a bit emotional and had some bad things to it but overall it looks like the good outweighed the bad.
kindlemom1 recently posted…Blog Tour Review: Not Enough by Mia Hoddell
It is a good story that added to the series, but does tackle the tough subject of “racism” in a way.
Melanie recently posted…Review: Tempted by a Vampire by Susan Griscom (@Mollykatie112, @SusanGriscom)
I read one of her books the other day and really liked it. I’ll have to look into more of them because I do like werebears.
Mary Kirkland recently posted…Walking The Dog
I’ve really enjoyed this series. I do plan to try other series from her once I finish this series.
Melanie recently posted…Review: Tempted by a Vampire by Susan Griscom (@Mollykatie112, @SusanGriscom)
I don’t think I have read this author yet. But I have been wanting to and I love BEARS!!! I love it when authors tackle tough issues. Defintiely going to have to read this one soon.
I’m a big fan of bear too. That was drove me to this series in the first place. I like it when authors tackle tough issues too. I love how she tackled the issue of racism in this book, though it is really a species thing, but same difference really. It gets you thinking that is for sure.
Melanie recently posted…Review: Tempted by a Vampire by Susan Griscom (@Mollykatie112, @SusanGriscom)
Bears are scary
blodeuedd recently posted…Joint Discussion: Shadows of Asphodel – Karen Kincy
I wouldn’t want to run into a wild one while on a walk. Most will run away from you though. 🙂 I think they are so cute.
Melanie recently posted…Review: Tempted by a Vampire by Susan Griscom (@Mollykatie112, @SusanGriscom)
Does this take place in Africa? I just googled and we don’t them in North America.It sounds emotional and I hate anything that features bigotry in any form. But anyway, now you have me wondering what a half hyena looks like when it changes, cause the pictures I just saw are pretty ugly. Great review and you are right, very timely.
Lorna recently posted…Review: Tempted by a Vampire by Susan Griscom (@Mollykatie112, @SusanGriscom)
Hyenas are naturally from Africa, but this takes place in the US. Google pictures of hyena babies. They’re cute. We had a pair of them at our zoo and I just loved them. They were a handful for the keepers. They were hand raised.
I’m not a fan of bigots either, but it was interesting to see how this author tackled it. Makes you think about things that is for sure.
Melanie recently posted…Review: Tempted by a Vampire by Susan Griscom (@Mollykatie112, @SusanGriscom)
Sometimes books come along and mirror the current real life situation to a certain extent and it’s just luck in the timing. But I can see why this connection struck deep. Glad the series continues to be engaging.
Sophia Rose recently posted…Putting the Jingle Back in My Jangle With Holiday Reads
I’ve really enjoyed it so far. I’m reading another one right now that is even closer to current events. I was really amazed when I started the book at how close to current events it was. That review won’t probably come until after Thanksgiving.
Melanie recently posted…Review: Tempted by a Vampire by Susan Griscom (@Mollykatie112, @SusanGriscom)
It’s good to have a different book in the series, a little more seriousness can be a good thing. Great review Melanie!
Thanks, Naomi. I thought it was a great addition to the series. With two more books, I’m now interested to see if she goes back to humor or stays with these tougher topics. Either way, it should be interesting.
Melanie recently posted…Review: Blood of the Lost by Shannon Mayer (@TheShannonMayer, @HiJinksInk)
I think the only bears I’ve read have been Sherrilyn Kenyon’s. I think this would be a very interesting pair.
Tanya recently posted…Waiting On Wednesday ~ Fire Touched by Patricia Briggs
I’ve really enjoyed this series. I love bear. Eve Langlais has some good ones too in her Kodiak Point series. Shelly Laurenston has great bears too. Both of those series are a mix of bears and lots of other animals. This is mostly bears with a few others mixed in.
Melanie recently posted…Review: Blood of the Lost by Shannon Mayer (@TheShannonMayer, @HiJinksInk)
While this one appears to be more serious than previous installments it does sound like a series I would enjoy.
kimbacaffeinate recently posted…These Shallow Graves by Jennifer Donnelly
It is an interesting series. I’ve enjoyed it so far. Two left. She has another shifter series I want to try too.
Melanie recently posted…Review: Blood of the Lost by Shannon Mayer (@TheShannonMayer, @HiJinksInk)
I like it when the paranormal genre tackles “real” problems. Usually gives us a better insight to the problem since it is presented in such a unusual way. That really makes me curious and want to read it. Brilly review!
Melissa (Books and Things) recently posted…The Lost Soul of Lord Badewyn by Mia Marlowe
I don’t think people take it as personally when fictional species have issues like this. If you were to write a book like this about something more like what you see in the real world you would have more people calling it out as a hate book or a preachy book. Here it is just a good story that make people think.
Melanie recently posted…Review: Blood of the Lost by Shannon Mayer (@TheShannonMayer, @HiJinksInk)
I sometimes like a story with a good underlying social message, Melanie. It is interesting that Kyle has gone from more lighthearted stories to these but she seems to have done it well. The series is on my tbr. Great review! 🙂
Bookworm Brandee recently posted…New Release Review ~ Eighteen (18) ~ JA Huss
I hope you enjoy it when you get around to it.
Melanie recently posted…Review: Blood of the Lost by Shannon Mayer (@TheShannonMayer, @HiJinksInk)
I think it’s great when PNR tackle real problems, Melanie, and the way these characters judged Trista based on what she seemed to be based on the fact that she was half hyena, rather than who she really was is definitely something that is a struggle in real life sometimes.
I’m going to add this series to my TBR just for that!
Great review.
Lexxie recently posted…Review: The Art of Sinning – Sabrina Jeffries
It has been a great series tackling some tough topics. I hope you enjoy them.
Melanie recently posted…Review: Soul Walker by Robyn Jones (@Mollykatie112, @robgirlbooks)