2011 Shifter Challenge Wrap Up Post

This year I signed up to participate in the 2011 Shifter Reading Challenge by reading 20 books featuring a shifter as a main character. Let's see if I was up to the challenge...

2011 Shifter Challenge Titles:
Blameless by Gail Carriger
The Curse of the Wendigo by Rick Yancey
Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton
Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning
Unearthly by Cynthia Hand
The Inside Story by Michael Buckley
Sweetly by Jackson Pearce
A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz
Black Wings by Christina Henry
City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare
Luminous by Dawn Metcalf
Hard Bitten by Chloe Neill
Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins
The Abused Werewolf Rescue Group by Catherine Jinks
Fins are Forever by Tera Lynn Childs
Hit List by Laurell K. Hamilton
A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies
Black Night by Christina Henry
Once in a Full Moon by Ellen Schreiber
The Last Werewolf by Glen Duncan
The Ghoul Next Door by Lisi Harrison
Blessed by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Tempest Rising by Tracy Deebs
Invincible by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Where There's a Wolf, There's a Way by Lisi Harrison
Fateful by Claudia Gray
Vanish by Sophie Jordan
Drink Deep by Chloe Neill

28 titles, Nice! This includes not only werewolf shifters, but angels, mermaids, and any other type of main character that shifted from one form to another...

Blessed

Blessed
by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Tantalize, book three

Quincie P. Morris, teen restaurateuse and neophyte vampire, is in the fight of her life -- or undeath. Even as she adjusts to her new appetites, she must clear her best friend and true love, the hybrid werewolf Kieren, of murder charges; thwart the apocalyptic ambitions of Bradley Sanguini, the seductive vampire-chef who "blessed" her; and keep her dead parents’ restaurant up and running. She hires a more homespun chef and adds the preternaturally beautiful Zachary to her wait staff. But with hundreds of new vampires on the rise and Bradley off assuming the powers of Dracula Prime, Zachary soon reveals his true nature -- and a flaming sword -- and they hit the road to staunch the bloodshed before it’s too late. Even if they save the world, will there be time left to salvage Quincie’s soul? (description from Amazon.com)

I thought this was a great wrap-up to the Tantalize storyline. It brought the characters from both Tantalize and Eternal together in a very well done way. I had actually forgotten how much I enjoyed Quincie as a character. She's tough, tough enough that you almost forget how young she is...until she does something that only a teenager would do. It usually ends up working out in her favor, though!

Her relationship with Kieren, muddled by what they each are, is heartwarming. They are beyond devoted to one another. Even when Quincie is presented with a very yummy Guardian Angel, she is never tempted to stray. Speaking of Zachary...his goodness is just so believable. He's not perfect, but he's determined to do the best he can, for himself and everyone around him.

I loved how Smith combined their two destinies. It was really well done. Without getting too spoilery, all I can really say is that they both had their faiths tested and each taught each other quite a bit about life...and death. Their sacrifices were thoughtful and never over the top.

I also just want to mention that it had never occurred to me that in a world of shape-shifters that there would be such a creature as a WerePossum, but apparently there can be...and he was hilarious. Poor guy steps out of his nature to be one brave little Possum and his heroism was truly inspiring!

Full disclosure: ARC received from publisher, audio book received to review for SLJ
2011 Shifter Reading Challenge title

Angelfire

Angelfire
by Courtney Allison Moulton

First there are nightmares.

Every night Ellie is haunted by terrifying dreams of monstrous creatures that are hunting her, killing her.

Then come the memories.

When Ellie meets Will, she feels on the verge of remembering something just beyond her grasp. His attention is intense and romantic, and Ellie feels like her soul has known him for centuries. On her seventeenth birthday, on a dark street at midnight, Will awakens Ellie's power, and she knows that she can fight the creatures that stalk her in the grim darkness. Only Will holds the key to Ellie's memories, whole lifetimes of them, and when she looks at him, she can no longer pretend anything was just a dream.

Now she must hunt.

Ellie has power that no one can match, and her role is to hunt and kill the reapers that prey on human souls. But in order to survive the dangerous and ancient battle of the angels and the Fallen, she must also hunt for the secrets of her past lives and truths that may be too frightening to remember. (description taken from Amazon.com)

Once I started reading Ellie's story I had a hard time putting it down. Courtney Allison Moulton is a debut author to watch. She's done an excellent job with the world building...seemlessly blending reality and a world of angels and demons. A world of shadows...

Ellie has to learn to blend her life as a teenager - school, friends, boys...Parents!...and her life as the Preliator...the hunter of demonic reapers. Though you would think that this would sound unrealistic, Ellie's voice is so authentic that you can't question who she is, what her purpose is...she's very much Buffy-esque. A total bad*ss...and totally intriguing.

As Ellie delves deeper into her memories trying to figure out who she really is, I was right there with her, desperate to know and unable to guess for sure. As Will defends her, stands by her side, comforts her, I was right there with her, rooting him on in his quest to love her through devotion and protection.

The final scene left me wanting more. Just as with a good episode of Buffy or Veronica Mars, the final sassy quip has me on the edge of my seat, saying "What do you mean I have to wait for the next one? I want it now!"
There are many more questions to be answered, butts to kick, and kisses to explore!! More, please....and soon?!

Full disclosure: eARC from Netgalley
2011 Debut Author Challenge title
2011 Shape Shifter Challenge title