Housewife Blues and Chihuahua Stories

Book Info
ebook, 267 pages
Expected publication: December 17th 2013 by Ink Monster, LLC
original title Becoming Alpha (Alpha Girl)
ISBN 139780989405010
edition language English
series Alpha Girl #1
other editions (1)
Source:Netgalley EARC


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BOOK SYNOPSIS

Tessa McCaide has a unique talent for getting into trouble. Then again, it isn’t easy for a girl with visions to ignore what she sees. Luckily Tessa and her family are leaving California and moving halfway across the country, giving her the perfect opportunity to leave her reputation as “Freaky Tessa” behind.

But Tessa doesn’t realize that kissing the wrong guy in her new Texas town could land her in far more trouble than she ever imagined. Like being forced to attend St. Ailbe’s Academy, a secret boarding school for werewolves.

Even if the wrong guy did accidentally turn her into one of “them” and doom her to attending the weirdest high school ever, Tessa can’t help her growing attraction to the mysterious Dastien Laurent.

When vampires attack St. Alibe’s and her visions pinpoint an enemy in their midst, Tessa realizes that boy drama and her newfound canine tendencies might just be the least of her problems.

My Thoughts

When we think of werewolves we usually think of a human who has been bitten who turns into a ravenous bloodthirsty flesh eating beast when they change for the first time. While this is true in many series this time the author has chosen to mix things up by showcasing “born Weres” as well as “turned Weres” who just so happen to live outside the Texas town that Tessa and her family move to from California.

Tessa McCaide has lived her whole life feeling like she has to be apart from others thanks to her “visions”, after all it is hard to hug someone or even shake their hand if you know that you will be privy to that persons memories and of course kissing is totally off the table so now as a teenager her social life has really hit rock bottom.

The night before leaving for their new home an hour outside Austin, where her older brother Axel will be going to college, Tessa’s parents throw a party for former clients of her Dad as well as neighbors and friends. Having found Tessa alone in her room her brother cons her into coming downstairs just to make a quick appearance and scope out a young male actor that she has a secret crush on. Doing so against her better judgement ends up proving to Tessa once more that mingling in a crowd was not the wisest choice much to her dismay.

Once the trip is over and the McCaide family make it to their new home they are met by Michael Dawson the head of St. Ailbe’s Academy and Tessa’s fathers new boss. Along with Mr. Dawson is a former student who has graduated, Dastien Laurent, who is strikingly good looking and immediately intriguing to Tessa although she does not wish to explain to anyone why.

As a werewolf fan from way back this was a very nice beginning to what I hope continues to be a strong character driven series, the way that the plot unfolds was enjoyable as well as just different enough to stand out in the genre and the fact this is geared toward younger readers makes it exceptionally fun when we are introduced to the rest of the attendees of St. Ailbe’s Academy.

While the relationship between Tessa and Dastien followed the tried and true formula of many paranormal romances it still had its own unique presentation and for me it was awesome to watch unfold as was the way in which the author allowed Tessa to come to grips with her change in circumstances.

The vampires were creepy and not at all the seductive creatures that they are usually portrayed as, rather they are more true to form as the villain who has come to the Academy in one aim which is to eradicate the Werewolves.

This is an easy read, well paced with lots of internal angst as well as dialogue between the characters that allows the reader to follow for themselves exactly what is going on at any given moment without giving away what will happen next.

As an author that is new to me Aileen Erin has penned a very satisfactory urban fantasy whose world and characters will be very happy to revisit in book 2 [b:Avoiding Alpha|18708409|Avoiding Alpha (Alpha Girl, #2)|Aileen Erin|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1382409559s/18708409.jpg|26564597]!

[EArc from Netgalley in exchange for honest review]