Human Hybrids #1
by Clare Solomon
M/M Sci-fi/Futuristic/Shifters
3.5 Stars
Heat Level: Low.
Author Website: http://claresolomon.com/
Amazon
Review Copy supplied by author
Edited to add
The author has let me know that Goodreads had an old description of the book up, which is where a lot of the confusion came in. Goodreads now has the correct version up. I'm upping my rating to 4 stars, as it was a mistake on Goodreads part, not by the author. If you read the correct blurb below, the book should make a lot more sense now :)
Revised blurb:
Scientists have genetically engineered five human hybrid races known as werewolves, vampires, dragons, sensers and wendigoes. The first four races coexist with humans in relative peace. The fifth one wants to butcher the others and they are getting stronger.
Jaspal ‘Pal’ Khatri is nearly killed and forced to leave his home with a werewolf pack in Oxford, England when the local HyCO group leads a mob of anti-hybrid rioters against them. He travels to the Highlands of Scotland for a fresh start and meets Brand, a werewolf still grieving after the murder of his lover, Kye, a year ago. He and Brand find a dead vampire and Pal is suddenly in the nightmare situation of being accused of the murder. There is a link between this death and that of Kye and Brand works for another branch of HyCO so, to prove his innocence, Pal must join the organisation he loathes and try to ignore his growing feelings for Brand as they work to solve the case
Review:
I'm really not sure what to make of this book. On the one hand it was very well written with a good plot and interesting characters.
On the other, I'm feeling a bit let down with the romance aspects and a bit confused about how the story starts. From the blurb above, I expected Kye and Brand to be main characters in the book. But (spoiler ahead) Kye is dead long before the book starts, over a year ago. The same with the Wendigo attacks, they have happened offscreen a year ago and are only mentioned. The book actually starts with the attack on Pal in Oxford, before he flees to Scotland.
I got the feeling I started reading the story somewhere in the middle. There is some good world-building with the different hybrid races etc. And I liked that these were genetically engineered hybrids, rather than paranormal creatures as such. It gave the book something different.
I loved Pal, despite being a werewolf, he was a very gentle soul and was a doctor, doing his best to help people, no matter what race.
Brand was harder to get to know. He's still grieving over his dead lover, Kye, and he pushes Pal away all the time, despite feeling that they might have some connection.
Their romance doesn't really start until near the end of the book, somewhere around 70% on my Kindle if I remember. So I would say it's more of a detective/whodunnit book with romantic elements, rather than a Romance per se. It depends on what you're looking for I suppose.
It's an interesting story and kept me reading on, despite the few flaws I found with it. If you'd like a different take on vampires, werewolves, dragons et al, give it a go.
The author has a free prequel novella on her website, I'd suggest reading that one first. Then this one will make a lot more sense.
Recommended for people who like sci-fi, shifters and detective novels.
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