Review: Hunting Human by Amanda E. Alvarez

Title: Hunting Human
Author: Amanda E. Alvarez
Publisher: Carina Press
Publication Date: March 28, 2011
Length: 84,100 words
My Copy: NetGalley

For two years, Beth Williams has run from the past, and the beast that dwells inside her. She is haunted by memories of being kidnapped and the savage attack that killed her best friend. Now Beth finally thinks she’s ready to move on…with Braden Edwards, a charming, irresistibly sexy man who tempts Beth to embrace the present.

But the past lurks closer than Beth realizes. Markko Bolvek, one of the werewolves who kidnapped her, has tracked her to Portland, Oregon, his pursuit fueled by a hunger for vengeance. Only Braden, a werewolf himself, senses the danger shadowing her steps. The Edwards and Bolveks have been enemies for centuries—and despite the instant connection he feels with Beth, Braden isn’t sure which side of the war she’s on.

With suspicion at odds with their attraction, Beth and Braden must learn to trust one another to stop Markko for good. Can Beth accept the wolf within—and love a man who embodies everything she fears?

A great, well-rounded werewolf book full of non-stop action with a few surprising plot twists that’ll keep you guessing. The characters are engaging and they each have their own unique traits that’ll leave you feeling like you want to be their best friend. The side-characters are equally just as lovable and the bad guy in this novel is particularly dark and warped. For me, the only thing missing was more werewolf action but I’m hard to satisfy on that front so I won’t hold it against Amanda E. Alvarez.

The beginning chapters give readers a sneak peak into Beth’s past. However, the story returns to present day before giving us a few of the key puzzle pieces. Don’t worry, you won’t have to wait until the end to find out what happened but yes, you do have to wait. I was left feeling curious, anxious and a little confused. But then we meet today’s Beth and she seems to have a lot of issues. She doesn’t trust easily and is incredibly strong-willed. It was easy to understand the reasons behind most of her actions but her stubbornness was frustrating at times.

Braden is the kind of guy that every little girl dreams of marrying when she grows up. He’s chivalrous, sympathetic and a hurricane in bed. He forgets to think before he speaks a few times which made me tone down my crush on him a few notches but overall – two thumbs up. Also, there are a couple of bed-frame-breaking encounters between Braden and Beth that add a bit of spice to the overall werewolf action.

Be prepared for Amanda E. Alvarez’s curve balls throughout this book. There are only a handful but when they strike you’ll find yourself looking around trying to figure out where in the heck they came from. There’s a bit of wolfish goodness peppered amongst the pages but most of the characters’ problems seem to be of the human variety. I wish there’d been more four-legged action but the werewolf element was relevant to the overall storyline. That made me happy. One of my pet peeves is when supernaturals are added into a story as an afterthought and are generally irrelevant to the plot.

Braden’s family was comforting and warm. I couldn’t help fantasizing about pulling up a hair at their dinner table and joining them for a meal. They’re all just so kind and loving. I took an immediate liking to them. Chase was a good addition to the mix as well. He’s part of the family but also not and one of the only ones who could understand what Beth is going through.

Hunting Human is a fast-paced read that will keep you riveted from start to finish. The action’s plentiful, the sex is hot and the plot will keep you guessing until the very end. This book ranks low on the werewolf but high on all of the others so I can’t really fault it. This novel is a great way to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon.

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