My Urban Fantasies: Review: Instinct by J.A. Garland

Title: Instinct

Author: J.A. Garland

Series: The Halfling Chronicles, #1

•Source: Author
•Publisher: Burst
•Publication Date: September 3, 2012

Opening Line: Anxiety prickled Rory's chest before fanning out to raise the hairs on the back of his neck.

Lone wolf, Rory Archer, never failed a single mission. Now the hunted instead of the hunter, Rory unwinds a twisted trail leading back to Amber Arlington, a spirited Halfling tied to a world of Shadows. Bound to vows initially forged out of necessity, Rory and Amber's relationship surges into more than either of them bargained for, tangling them in a web of passion. Scrambling to identify their attacker before joining the casualty list, Rory is faced with doing the unthinkable, or watching Amber turned into a slave for his species.

Rory is a lone werewolf and a tracker for the NOA, National Otherkind Administration. (An Otherkind is someone who is non-human. Shifter. Demon. Vampire.) His job is to track down a certain Otherkind known as Dusters, small-time nuisances that go from place to place stirring up trouble. Rory tracks them down before they become something much worse, Users.

Rory is on a routine mission when something goes terribly wrong. The Duster is waiting for Rory and he knows that Rory is the one after him, something which should be impossible. It can only mean one thing. Rory was setup to die from someone inside the NOA.

I know new terminology, ahhh! I promise it's not scary or confusing as it seems. Because of the unique and amazing world J.A. Garland has created the new terms are necessary. But fear not! This is one of those books where you learn as you go how the world is set up. I love books like this! I hate getting that information dump in the beginning of a book. You know, the one where instead of jumping into an exciting new world, you're left sitting in a history class with the strong urge to take notes. So instead of hiding behind your book poking words like Dusters, Users and Trackers in complete terror, you will be landing in an action packed Otherkind of world.

My favorite part of Instinct is the action scenes. Garland wrote them with such amazing detail. I could picture every kick and punch. No cross-eyed moments trying to figure out what the Praying Mantis or Drunken Monkey stance is supposed to look like.

Instinct is an amazing action packed adventure with strong characters and a unique storyline. As a side note to all the romance haters: Romance is by no means the main focal point in Instinct. You'll love it!

Favorite Quotes

Of course, all this served to make his sexual encounters something more along the lines of a hostile takeover than a friendly merger.

"Hey, a job's a job. Although I guess I should ask what 'the club' is before I find myself serving drinks to Baroness Botox and Princess Tummy Tuck."

"Run around, attract attention, then die. You'll do perfectly."

"I seriously think I love you, Rory Archer."
"It's the low blood volume talking."
"I can't believe you did that. You finally trust me."
"That or I was taught never to argue with crazy people. I'm told they can bring an army of split personalities to the battlefield."

Rory let his legs fold, going automatically into a judo roll to save his joints. Amber didn't fare as well, emulating a bug versus the windshield pose.