Eye of the Tempest

August 5, 2011

Eye of the Tempest (Jane True, #4)by Nicole Peeler

Nothing says "home" like being attacked by humans with very large guns, as Jane and Anyan discover when they arrive in Rockabill. These are professionals, brought into kill, and they bring Anyan down before either Jane or the barghest can react. Seeing Anyan fall awakens a terrible power within Jane, and she nearly destroys herself taking out their attackers.Jane wakes, weeks later, to discover that she's not the only thing that's been stirring. Something underneath Rockabill is coming to life: something ancient, something powerful, and something that just might destroy the world.Jane and her friends must act, striking out on a quest that only Jane can finish. For whatever lurks beneath the Old Sow must be stopped...and Jane's just the halfling for the job. (goodreads.com)

I had some trouble with the Jane True book prior to this one due to the many, many, MANY times the word "libido" was used so I was nervous about Eye of the Tempest. Luckily, though Jane's libido spoke up a few times during the story it wasn't as attention-whorey as it was in Tempest's Legacy.The only reason I had to stop reading the book for a couple of days was that I tried to read it immediately after Want to Go Private? and though the sexual connotations were COMPLELETLY different, I just couldn't shake the gross, dirty, feelings I had after WTGP and I knew I couldn't read anything that had sex in it for a few days. Jane's playful sexy-times are bountiful and her libido is irritatingly vocal (even at the most inappropriate times, what the hell is wrong with her?) but I needed a few days to recuperate after Sarah Darer Littman's novel.I am apparently in love with Anyan as Jane is. I normally don't like the rowdier moments in Urban Fantasy (hi, NunCat here), but he just makes me swoon. Rawr. I love that all of his t-shirts sport ads for various dog and cat food products. heh(slight and possible spoilers below)I am still trying to decide if I liked the way the story skipped a month and suddenly everyone was up to date on what was going on, including Jane's father. I feel like the readers were gypped out of plot that would have been interesting, however I also like that it helped get past a hurdle that could have slowed down the general story arc and we're not constantly hindered by Jane's waffling on telling her father all the details. It did help move the story forward at a decent pace, so I can't complain too much, I still would have liked that conversation between Jane and her dad.Can I just say that I am so happy that Ryu was nothing but a couple of phone conversations in this story? WOOHOO! I hate that vampire. I feel like he should be wearing multiple popped-collar polo shirts and make the Blue Steel face at all passer-bys. He's a douche, in other words.I got a little lost with the whole mystical, trapped, creature thing at the end. I understood enough to get the gist of what was going on, but I have to admit all the flashbacks and dream-scapes threw me for a loop.I love Jane, even if I think she's slightly too sex obsessed. Though I can't fault her for going all weak in the knees for Anyan, because, mmmmmm, hot.Let's take a moment here to address my slight frustration over the change in covers for the series. Now, I KNOW why they were done and I have to admit they look a little more grown-up with the red stripey things across them, but I don't like that the publisher felt the need to change them. I know it's to help sales and, in fact, I have a friend who personally stayed away from them BECAUSE of the cover art (which is what drew me to the first book originally). It's not that huge of a change that my books look out of place on the shelf, and I love that they kept the same artist for the covers, but it still makes me a little sad because I LOVED those covers!I'm not sure if the fifth book is the final Jane True book, but I won't be too upset if it is. I worry that the series will get stuck in the same rutt that many others do. I don't want Jane's adventures to seem repetitive. I like that she's still fresh and original and that the world Nicole has created with Jane and her friends is fun and entertaining and full of adventure!That last chapter ends with a bit of a bang, in both the literal and figurative sense. Holy cow. Steamy, steamy times await you in the fourth Jane True series!!Jane True series

You can read my interview with Nicole Peeler here!