The Crescent (Black Rose Writing, 2010)
Review by G.L. Giles
Author: Jordan Deen
I was immediately drawn into Deen’s paranormal world of werewolves. Written in a hip, colloquial style, it’s both easy and a treat to read. Life can be trying enough for frequently hormonally-challenged teens, but add to that the trials and tribulations of being caught up in the drama and bloodshed of feuding werewolf families? Well, it’s certainly enough to have seventeen-year old Lacey Marie questioning her sanity, as she was never told by her adopted parents that she was actually born into a werewolf family. Not to mention the fact that her very life is in danger as being around certain werewolves makes her very sick! Caught up in a love triangle between her soul mate, Brandon, and another love interest, Alex, Lacey must decide between the two handsome young male werewolves. There’s really an underlying theme of fate versus free will at work in the storyline as Lacey struggles to either immediately bond with Brandon, who she barely knows, because he shares the same crescent mark on his palm as she has on hers, amongst other things, or stick with her loyal boyfriend Alex who is very attractive but just doesn’t smell right to her. As is explained on p. 133, the crescent (hence the title) “` marks appear instantly, binding [them] to [their] other half for the rest of [their] lives’.” However, most werewolves in Deen’s mythology have their mate nearby throughout their lives while growing up, and that’s not the case with Lacey and Brandon. So, in a sense, Lacey has more of a choice of whom she’ll ultimately love and mate with and therefore be bonded to forever. Deen leaves you wanting more, and especially for a debut novel, it’s an exceptional read. However, I was a bit disappointed that it wasn’t a bit longer at just 187 pages. And, there were lots of loose ends left, but that will hopefully make for a wonderful sequel! Highly recommended…I give it a 9 out of 10.