The Full Moon Rises #YA #Paranormal

The Full Moon Rises: Life as a shape shifter is not as easy as it would seem, especially not for Abigail Staton.

The Full Moon: YA Paranormal

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REVIEW: The Full Moon Rises

The Full Moon Rises

Courtney Rene

978-1-62420-239-1

By Jeffrey Ross

5 stars out of 5

The Full Moon Rises: A howl In the Night Book 2 by Courtney Rene continues the dramatic life of Abby, a nearly seventeen-year-old shapeshifter who tries to balance her wolf and human “selves.”

This unique coming-of-age narrative details Abby’s struggles with her own special nature and the patriarchal wolf clan to which she belongs– and climaxes as she confronts the wolf-destroying group The Hunterz.

A successful strain of feminism persists in this second book of the Howling as strong-willed Abby exerts her emerging personality and successfully defines her relationships with humans and shapeshifters.

I only hope a third book is in the works for this gritty, naturalistic, and enticing series.

BLURB: The Full Moon Rises

Life as a shape shifter is not as easy as it would seem, especially not for Abigail Staton. Being a teenager and a shape shifter is even harder, not to mention being one of the last remaining females in the two competing wolf clans and the only girl in her new schools. Striving to find where she belongs, gets sidelined when an old threat to the wolves resurfaces. The clans are forced to come together in a semi-truce, and the already dominant males become even more controlling in trying to protect their own as well as their secret. Abby finds herself in the middle yet again, but this time, she will need both clans in order to survive.

EXCERPT: The Full Moon Rises

Fear trickled down my spine. How close were they? I needed to run. I needed to get inside. I turned my head to see how far to the house it really was. It was a long way. Could I run to it fast enough? Could I outpace the danger?

I decided to take the chance. I jumped to my feet and in the same breath, bolted for the house and the back door. I ran like I was being chased,and for all I knew,I was. I ran so hard my chest hurt. I pumped my arms as I ran. I ran so fast I hardly felt the cool grass on my bare feet. I hurled up the stairs and in the same motion threw open the door and fell inside. I slammed the big door closed and bolted it.

I dropped flat on my back on the floor and gasped for breath. My heart beat like it was trying to get out of my chest. I settled a hand on my chest and tried to slow my breathing and my heart.

I was almost back to normal when the overhead light winked on and blinded me.

“What the hell is going on? Abigail? What are you doing down here?”

My father, of course, towered over me. It had to be him, of all people. My eyes slowly adjusted to the light and I squinted up at him. I didn’t get a chance to answer as his eyes were focused on my feet. My mud and grass covered feet. Oh crap, I was in trouble. My slowing heart picked up speed again.

“You were not just outside, were you?” he asked. It was not a question. It was a statement said with deadly calm. He already knew the answer. He just needed to say it out loud.

Since I was happy to have made it back inside alive, I wasn’t all that afraid. Well,maybeI wasa little because who wouldn’t be? He was a big man with a bit of an animal temper. I answered him, “Yes.”

He bent over me, grabbed my shoulders and hauled me up to my feet in a single motion. He didn’t let go of me,though, oh,no. Instead,he pulled me up off the floor so my feet were no longer touching it and I was level with his face. He asked with that same calm, which was completely contradictory to his actions at the time, “Why were you outside, Abigail?”

I swear I about peed myself. I half wanted to run back outside. At least the danger out there would have probably killed me quickly. “I…I wanted to run in the forest. I couldn’t sleep. I thought the run would wear me out.”

It was the truth, the whole truth,and yet, I doubted he believed me. There was something in his eyes that told me he didn’t.

With extreme gentleness he set me back down on my feet. He turned away from me and said, “Go to bed. I don’t want to look at you right now.”

“I’m not lying to you,” I said.

“We will discuss it in the morning,” was his only reply.

“Fine, don’t believe me,” I said. I held my head up and proudly left the room. Yes, maybe going out in the middle of the night hadn’t been all that smart, but it wasn’t for any bad reason. I wasn’t sneaking to meet anyone.

I snorted at that thought. Heck, if I wanted a guy right then, all I had to do was crook my little finger in his direction and he would come running to me. I didn’t have to do any running, not with the way I smelled. Thethought made me crinkle my nose. Smell, such a simple thing, but it grossed me out. I wanted to smell good in a conventional way, not a hormonal way.

I didn’t really want a guy anyway. Did I? Derek’s face flashed in my mind. No, no. I didn’t want him. He was a controlling ass and,heck,he didn’t even believe in love. I didn’t want him. Even telling myself that, though, I knew I was lying. Maybe what I needed to remind myself was that I didn’t want to want him.

I flopped back into my bed, dirty feet and all. I didn’t care. I’d get the sheets changed in the morning. Part of the reason I didn’t want Derek was that my parents wanted me to. It was a stupid reason, but that was a big one. I was the keeper of my own destiny. No, he was not suitable. Just no.

Stupid Derek and his stupid gorgeous face were my last thoughts before I finally allowed sleep to claim me.

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