Frozen in Amber by Phyllis Ames – a Review
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Description:
Amber Treganis constantly reinvents herself. New clothes, new hairstyle, new car—anything she can do to exert a level of control over her life. What she can’t control is her shape-shifting other self: the WerCougar that sinks its claws into her brain during the three nights surrounding the full moon.
Though she is a natural-born shifter from a prominent WerCougar family, Amber has been unwilling to change into her cat form ever since a terrible tragedy cost her the man she loved. And she has little patience with Wers of any species who embrace their otherness more than their humanity. She focuses on her life as a defense attorney in Mt. Hood, and stays out of Wer politics.
But after a blurry night of hunting, Amber begins to notice changes in her transformation. When she hears rumors of research to discover a treatment for shifting, she suspects she may have been unknowingly given the experimental therapy.
With the help of Adler, a WerEagle active in community politics, Amber tries to hunt down the truth about this cure, while staying off the radar of the FBI, which tracks and manages Wer communities in secret.
But Amber doesn’t realize how much she depends on her Wer sense until, one by one, they begin to fade. And Amber is left increasingly ill—and increasingly human. Can shifter who is losing her abilities survive for long in either human or Wer society?
Review:
Amber Treganis is a reluctant shifter, she does everything in her power to keep her OTHER self contained. She lives alone and rarely runs or hunts with other shifters. She is a very successful lawyer in her grandfather’s firm, and she loves her life and job.
After waking up from a previous shift and hunt, Amber begins to notice changes in her appearance and abilities. There is also an unremembered mark on her body. (She thinks she may have been attacked, but isn’t 100% sure). After getting over a cold,(she wouldn’t shift to get rid of it), Amber returns to work. Her latest client is an interesting case and character.
Jonathan Bergman becomes Ambers client when he is accused of murdering his wife. His wealth is immense,and the gene therapy he claims to be inventing will cure the shifters. He claims they can have a normal life with his cure. He is a very strong and arrogant character, does he have an ulterior motive in “helping” the shifters become “normal”? And how did he find out about the secret society of shifters?
The setting for the book was well researched, and in parts I almost felt i was in a court room. In this story if your bitten your loyalty is to your maker.
I loved how she called her grandfather “grumpy”. They have a special bond. We find out that he raised her from the age of 12, after her mother died. He also wants her to earn her place in the law firm, not just because she is his granddaughter.
I also enjoyed Amber’s background, as we find out about her first hunt, and we also learn why she hates to hunt, and give herself over to the cougar.
Alder is our hero, he is a WerEagle. He is a bike courier, and Amber finds his tall good looks, and nice strong thighs pleasing. He has a wicked sense of humour, and he is interested in Amber, but she doesn’t “do” other shifters, if she wants some action, then she stays with other cougars.
Once Alder and Amber begin to investigate the truth about the miracle drug, the pace moves at a good pace.
We wonder about the FBI, and what is their game plan? They know about the “Wer’s” do they want the entire population to know about the “others” or do have they a more sinister agenda ?
The interaction between Alder and Amber wasn’t scorching, and to be honest I didn’t really miss it, the story was holding it’s own. Frozen in Amber was a stand alone novel, and if Phyllis Ames writes more books, I would definitely read them.
Reviewed by Julie B.
Copy provided by Publisher
