Book review: Eye Of The Tempest, by Nicole Peeler

Title: Eye Of The Tempest

Author: Nicole Peeler

Publisher: Orbit (UK), Little, Brown (US)

Pub date: October '11

Source: Christmas present

Notes: Book 4 in the 'Jane True/Tempest' series - review may contain spoilers for earlier books.

Description: There's something lurking in the depths...

Supernatural halfling Jane True was hoping for a nice welcome home to small-town Rockabill - but instead an ambush awaits her and her new love interest. Coming under attack awakens a terrible new power within Jane, and she almost destroys herself when she unleashes it.

When Jane wakes, weeks later, she discovers that she's not the only thing stirring. Something underneath Rockabill is coming to life - something ancient and powerful, something that just might destroy the world. Whatever is rising from the waters must be stopped - and Jane has a feeling she's just the hlafling for the job.

My thoughts: If you're at all interested in publishing, or maybe even if you aren't, you'll have heard people talk about author "voice" before. Like many people, I didn't quite get it, but Nicole Peeler has it, in spades. I started following her on twitter a couple of months before I got the first book (Tempest Rising), and as soon as I started the book, I could see it - the writing is so totally Nicole. The way she talks on twitter is the way she writes in the books, and I love it. I haven't reviewed any of the others before (which I have as audiobooks - this is my first time reading a paper copy), so I get to gush about it ;-)

The book starts with Jane waking up on Anyan's sofa, them having just returned from the Alfar compound, where Ryu, Jane's ex, has been elected leader. Jane and Anyan have finally revealed some of their feelings for each other, and I was looking forward with this book to finally seeing them get past the awkwardness and just get together already! Unfortunately they're attacked before anything fun can happen, and by the end of chapter two, Jane wakes to find herself in hospital, next to a father who suddenly knows about all the supernatural creatures living in Rockabill. Although I'm glad he finally knows about everything that's going on, and what his daughter is, I did think it was a bit sudden for Mr True to know about everything. We miss the actual reveal, and I almost feel like that was taking the easy way out.

This wasn't my favourite book in the series so far as plot goes, it just wasn't as interesting as I felt like the others were, and I think the end result was pretty predictable once you see what's going on. I did still really enjoy it, and you can see how much Jane has changed since we first met her in Tempest Rising. I also really love the steamy scenes we get between Jane & Anyan in this book - talk about leaving the reader on edge! Haha.

I can't wait for the next book, mostly to see how the Jane/Anyan relationship continues to turn out, but also to see how Jane deals with this new challenge. I love these books for just how much fun they are - Jane narrates in a voice much closer to my inner monologue than a lot of tough fantasy heroines. Nicole Peeler writes in such a way that I find myself laughing out loud as I read. I highly recommend this book and the series, especially to people who want a little more light hearted urban fantasy, without losing the plot or romance elements that make grittier stuff good.

I give this book 7 out of 10.

~Ailsa

(P.S. - have you entered the birthday giveaway yet? Just leave a comment there, then each additional comment gives you 3 extra entries!)