Review: Big Bad Bite by Jessie Lane

Title: Big Bad Bite

Author: Jessie Lane

Series: Big Bad Bite, #1

 •Source: Author
 •Publisher: Smashwords (Indie Author)
 •Publication Date: March 10, 2013

Opening Line: Sweaty gym socks. That's what the inside of the Wilmington Police Department's SWAT van smells like which, in a word, is... nasty.

   

What would it be like to live in a world where you are considered abnormal to those who are above the norm?

Jenna O’ Conner has been taught her whole life to hide from everyone. Never to let anyone to close enough to know that she would prefer a shotgun for her birthday over of a bouquet of roses. She’s been smothered by her over protective family so that no one learns what she truly is. Which is not human. Nor, is she considered the norm for the supernatural Other community that is benevolent enough to share this world with the humans.

In a desperate attempt to live her own life away from the small town she was raised in, Jenna obtains her dream job as the newest member on the Wilmington Police Department’s SWAT Team. What she didn’t predict was that she would run into trouble her first day on the job, in the form of a deadly, mouthwatering man named Adam McPhee. Who is also not human, but more like a wolf walking around in human skin. He’s determined to figure out exactly what Jenna is, which unbeknownst to him, could very well put her life in danger. He’s also determined to have her all to himself.

As if that wasn’t enough for Jenna to deal with, bad news blows into town. A group of extremist Shifters who think humans are cattle and factions of Others worldwide should stay within their own species - never to intermingle. Chaos ensues. Jenna has to find a way to shut them down, but in the process of trying to do that, discovers things about herself that even she never thought was possible.

Who said the wolf was what you had to worry about?
Welcome to the real world.

      


For everyone thinking Big Bad Bite is an urban fantasy just because Jenna is on a SWAT team, I'm going to save you time and possible disappointment, it's not. The main focus of the story is Jenna and Adam's relationship, with the SWAT team and the extremist shifters as an amazing side story.

Jenna O'Conner has lived by one mantra all her life. Stay Hidden. Stay Alive. Her mother and uncles have kept Jenna hidden from the dangerous Other community. Jenna is the child of two different Other species that should not have been able to breed together. In the Others eyes, Jenna should not exist and she's been told they're more than happy to fix that little problem. In the eyes of her father's side of the family Jenna is an abomination, she's simply not good enough for her mother's side. So Jenna plays human, hiding who and what she really is, hoping that it will keep her safe.

After living such a sheltered life, Jenna's family finally trusts her to be able to keep her secret hidden on her own and allows Jenna to move to a nearby city so she can take a job with the Wilmington Police Department's SWAT team. Jenna thinks the hardest part of her new life will be that, at the age of twenty-three, she's the youngest member of the SWAT team. She was so wrong. Jeanna's world significantly changes her first day on the job. Her new partner is a demon. As if that was not bad enough, during an arrest Jenna captures the attention of the very sexy Alpha of North Carolina, Adam McPhee. To say that he finds her intriguing would be the understatement of the year. Adam knows Jenna is not a werewolf, like himself, but she's definitely something Other. He's determined to see her again and find out exactly what she is, but mostly Adam wants to claim Jenna for himself.

While the Other community consists of the usual suspects; demons, shifters, witches & vampires, their origins are very unique. I love that! It's such a small detail and is usually overlooked, but adds so much to the story. There are, of course, angels and fallen angels. However, there are two different types of demons, Hell-bound demons and earth-born demons. Hell-bound demons are evil monsters that cannot live on the earth's surface. When they escape from Hell they have twenty-four to seventy-two hours to cause outbreaks, murder and mayhem; basically ruining or destroying everything they come into contact with, before they disintegrate. Unfortunately, there are some Hell-bound demons that enjoy raping humans and/or other Others.

Earth-born demons are the result of Hell-bound demons raping humans. The child will not look like their demonic sperm donors. Everything about their physical traits will essentially be human, even a human soul, but they do get a genetic boost from the demon DNA. The earth-bound demons mental capabilities will be off the charts, so their powers come from the brain; e.g., telekinesis, telepathy, pyrokinesis, levitation, teleportation, etc. While the sperm donors are evil personified, due to their human souls, earth-born demons, like humans, have the capacity to choose good or evil.

Witches are the product of fallen angels and humans. Despite their paternal parentage, a witch is also born with a human soul. Like an earth-born demon, a witch is also given the choice between good or evil. Due to their father's DNA, witches are gifted with the ability to use magic.

Vampires are the result of Hell-bound demons raping witches. Their population is lower due to the fact that most witches are able to defend themselves against Hell-bound demon attacks. Vampires, like earth-born demons, are also telepathic, however they have the ability to do more. They can use the toxin in their fangs to cause pleasure or pain while feeding. They can also use the toxin to create other vampires, although this is very rare because it's dangerous and hard to accomplish.

Shifters are a case of genetic evolution. They started as some of the original predators on earth, as in the age of the dinosaurs. As the harsh climate continued to change, shifters DNA changed as well allowing them to adapt. When humans evolved from primates and began reproducing faster than the other mammals, the now highly intelligent shifters recognized them as a threat. Evolution pushed the shifters even further allowing them to change between their animal form and their new human form. The perfect camouflage to hide in plain sight.

As I mentioned before the primary focus of Big Bad Bite is Jenna and Adam's relationship. I really liked how the authors handled it. There was not the usual 'I'm completely in love with you even though I've only known you for three seconds' response. Adam did not fall completely in love with Jenna at first sight. However, there was the usual alpha reaction, the whole neanderthal 'I must have her, she is mine' thing, but I liked how Jenna handled herself. While she had some seriously lusty thoughts, Jenna did not want to be with Adam just because his wolf was drawn to her or because she was highly attracted to Adam. Jenna wanted something more than just a physical relationship, there had to be, at least, the possibility of love.

A word of warning, the subplot is not completely wrapped up at the end of the book. It looks as though the sub-storyline will continue into the next book with Gage and Elena's story. I hope all the main characters are carried over into Walk On The Striped Side. All the characters in Big Bad Bite have amazing personalities! I absolutely loved the sarcasm and witty banter, especially between Jenna and Kent. I could not stop laughing! It would be such a shame to lose that. It's been a long time since I have read a book packed with emotion and action, that still had me laughing my ass off throughout the entire thing.

Favorite Quotes

Sometimes life seems to be built like a cement trampoline; there's no give and wherever she lands, it's going to hurt like hell.

This is a fuck-up of epic proportions on her part.

"Despicable. Just slutty. You're a manwhore of the highest order. I hope you catch the demonic version of the clap."

"I inherited the Pack Master title because I'm the biggest, baddest motherfucker in the United States and I'm willing to kill anyone who challenges me mercilessly to prove it."

"Charming. Really. But you can give up all your attempts to get into my undies now because it's not going to happen. I see you for what you are: a card carrying member of those determined to prove it's possible for men of the supernatural species to get STD's. I'm just not sure who's President of the club, yet, you or Kent. Not to mention that I've discovered I'm basically allergic to you, and frankly, I don't feel like taking an allergy pill just so I can see this big dick you claim to carry. It's nice to meet you though. Really."

"The next person who tells me to hurry up before I finish my cup of coffee gets a bullet in the ass."

"Touch me with so much as one of those claws, you freaky, albino Garfield, and I will make sure I knock you out, files those suckers down to a flat non-lethal edge, paint them red, and then write 'Mr. Fluffy needs love, too' all over your face in permanent marker."

Can't Wait, Must Buy Now