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The Unleashing (Call of Crows #1)
Shelly Laurenston
Published: March 31, 2015 (Kensington)
Purchase: Book Depository or Amazon
Review source: copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review
Reviewed by: Krista
Rating (out of 5): 4.5 stars
The first thing I have to say about Shelly Laurenston’s writing, whether under her name or her pen name of G.A. Aiken, is that it’s fun. No matter what mood I am when I sit down with her books, I am instantly in a better one after a few short pages. With The Unleashing, Laurenston sets up a world and series the size and expanse of her already existing Pride series. It’s a tall order for one book, but she does it with such ease that one only sees the foundation laid in hindsight.
The book begins with the death of our heroine. Kera Watson was a buttoned-down Marine who was somewhat successfully adjusting to civilian life—only then to be killed behind the coffee shop where she worked. She is then offered a second chance at life by a Norse Goddess. Unfortunately such offers always come with a catch and this one is a doozy. As a Crow, a female warrior dedicated to Goddess Skuld, she quickly discovers that she is no longer a soldier, a peace keeper, or any other role she was familiar with. A Daughter of Skuld is a god-sanctioned killer.
Where all that may seem a little dark, Laurenston’s writing is filled with so much wit and humor that it will have you chuckling every few pages. For example, there is case of mistaken identity between Kera and our love struck hero Vig Rundstrom. She believes he is an ex-soldier suffering from a severe case of PTSD, instead he is a tongue tied Swedish Viking.
At the beginning of the book I was irritated with the majority of all Kera’s new “sisters” because Kera is. She doesn’t understand them, so neither did I, but I grew to like them. I extremely enjoyed that all the heroines were not silly teenagers or naïve twenty year olds. Instead these are women who have lived and are getting a second chance at life.
I highly recommend The Unleashing. There’s a little something for everyone in this one. Just go into it knowing it isn’t a follow up to Laurenston’s Hunting Season. So do yourself a favor and pick this book up.
Sexual content: Sex
I completely agree with being irritated at the beginning with the “sisters” but I too warmed up to them as Kera did. After that, I loved the relationships Kera forms with the other women in the house. I really ended up loving this book and can’t wait for the next one.
All the squabbling reminded me of a flock of crows fighting over something shiny…which was likely Laurenston’s intent. This book left me with a big smile on my face.
I received this one on audio for review and tried listening to it last week but I was in a listening funk and stopped it. I’ll go back to it soon. I’ve seen positive things about it and I love Laurenston.
I had a lot of fun with this book. I loved Brody. She was my favorite. I was annoyed with some of the Crows too, but I think, in time, they will grow on us. I also loved the charity that Kera is starting. My charity of choice the past few years has been one very similar to this. Pairing deathrow/homeless dogs with PTSD veterans, saving two lives. Great review.