COVETED (Coveted #1) by Shawntelle Madison

COVETED is the first storyline (April 2012 release) in Shawntelle Madison’s paranormal Coveted series focusing on female werewolf Natalya Stravinsky and her fight to stay alive. Estranged from her pack and without their support, Natalya becomes open prey for a neighboring pack of wolves hell-bent on taking her out. With an impending turf war between the packs, Natalya’s ex-boyfriend is called back to town, and her heart is unprepared for the sight and sounds of Thorn Grantham. But an attack against her by the Long Island Pack puts everything into perspective when the current alpha refuses to help and her family is unwilling to acknowledge her existence. Nat has a few secrets and one in particular has brought the wrath of the Long Island wolves to her door. Now that her best friend and fellow wolf Aggie has moved in to help, Natalya is hoping she will be able to eek out some kind of normal life-whatever normal is.

Natalya is a strange young woman with an affinity for holiday decorations that could land her a spot on the TV show Hoarders. To complicate matters, her ever-present copious quantities of OCDs interfere with her ability to socialize and make friends- an OCD that started approximately 5 years earlier. And the only man she has ever loved, is sending mixed messages about his intent. Five years ago Thorn left Natalya for bigger and better things with the promise to return, but now he was in line for Alpha and promised to another. He never made good on his promise to return and Natalya’s life spiraled out of control.

Without the support of the pack, Natalya is at risk. She is not a fighter and is a weak link to both her family and her former pack. Constantly on the look out for another attack, the family will discover that one of their own is missing and Natalya is demanded for his return. As the threats against her life increase, so too, does the family support but the local pack alpha needs to know what has happened now that Natalya has been targeted. Natalya was told to leave town or she would be marked for execution by her own pack for putting everyone at risk.

Shawntelle adds an assortment of supernatural beings to her storyline ensemble: wizards, necromancers, witches, pregnant nymphs, fairies, werewolves, mermaids, dwarves, muses and zombies. We meet many of these creatures as Natalya attempts a version of supernatural counseling. It is amazing what an author can do with a few psychological dysfunctions and anxiety disorders: a mermaid afraid of the water: a succubus who is unable to find a date: a warlock who casts spells every time he sneezes and a muse who can only inspire the supernatural authors. As Nat is partnered with a wizard, she will soon discover she has the support of the supernatural community, even it she doesn’t have the support from her own. A battle between packs would prove who was the most powerful after all.

COVETED is an interesting tale of one woman’s struggle with emotional disorders in a supernatural world. Natalya is slowly learning to deal with the problems that developed out of a need for comfort when rejection by the very people she has loved pushed her too far. Shawntelle Madison writes a heartfelt story that had me drying a tear or two, and although there is still a need for some major therapy, Natalya Stravinsky is on her way to healing a broken heart and a broken mind.

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Copy supplied by Netgalley/Author

Reviewed by Sandy