Mel reviews Claws and Effect by Amanda Arista

Violet Jordan Rule #2 of being a superhero: Find reliable sidekicks

Dear Diary,

Once I took down Haverty, the Primo of the city, I thought life was going to get better. After four assassination attempts, I’m thinking not so much. Haverty’s pack needs a new leader and I’ve just about run out of reasons why I’m not right for the job. Besides, having loyal followers would definitely help me fight off whoever’s out for my blood. Especially since my boyfriend is always busy playing White Hat to every Wanderer except me.

So now I just need to figure out how to mentor new shifters, run a pack, keep my “real” job, and have some sort of personal life. I guess it’s all in a day’s work for this writer-by-day / panther-by-night.

First of all (since it’s front-and-center and I can’t not talk about it), I have to say that I lurve the frakkin name of this book and the play on words. It really is perfect. Also how gorgeous is that cover? So simple yet so striking.

Claws and Effect is the second book in Amanda Arista’s superb Diaries of an Urban Panther trilogy and is not a starting point. Now that I’ve gotten that out of the way I’ll talk about how fantabulous this book was. While I really liked the first book, Diaries of an Urban Panther, I felt that Claws and Effect was even better.

Violet is a snarky, B-movie writer with a coffee addiction that rivals mine and a love for all things geekdom which is right up my frakkin alley. Violet is doing her best to maintain her career as a screenwriter while dealing with the fallout from events that took place in Diaries of an Urban Panther. Life as a werepanther with a huge destiny isn’t easy and with an evil power that threatens to take over and people manipulating events, it looks like Violet may have met her match.  Not that I would ever give up on my girl.  She has a brain full of crazy horror movie scenarios and when it’s all said-and-done, there isn’t a single player no matter how powerful or intelligent that can outsmart her.  Violet is a bad ass with a heart of gold and I lurve her almost as much as she lurves her coffee; which is a lot believe me.

I really enjoyed the new characters that were introduced and loved the banter between Violet and Meyers. My inner fangirl squeed a couple of times at all the geeky references cause well, I’m fluent in geek.  For those that are interested, I am also fluent in sarcasm, sexual innuendo, profanity, and all things Whedonesque.  Claws and Effect was very fast paced with lots of action, a thrilling plot, and great character development. Violet has grown so much since the night she was attacked and thrown into a world she had no idea existed. She is no longer just a geeky, chubby loner. She’s way outside her comfort zone, has a huge destiny to fulfill, a pack of mutts that need her, and a smokin hot Guardian boyfriend who just happens to be a part-time underwear model.

This is only the second book and already Violet has grown by leaps-and-bounds.  Not only has she grown, but more-and-more characters have been introduced which has extended this world far beyond what I expected.  Yea for world building and character development!!  Yea for showing that bad guys have redeemable qualities and that good guys can be smarmy dickheads!  It is my personal opinion that Diaries of an Urban Panther is one of the most under appreciated series in the urban fantasy genre and I can’t for the life of me understand why more people aren’t as invested in this series as I am.

I love the direction that this series is going and can’t wait to see what’s in store for Violet and her boys next. I give Claws and Effect 4.5 stars. The only negative thing I have to say about this book is that the editing isn’t any better than the first book. Bad editing aside, Claws and Effect was a quick, entertaining read that I highly recommend to any and all who love urban fantasy, shape shifters, and/or kick ass, snarky heroines.  I couldn’t put Claws and Effect down.  I’m going to be so incredibly sad when this trilogy comes to an end.

© 2012 – 2013, xmelaniexthomasx. All rights reserved.

Smash approves of sharing because sharing is caring! ♥

• 

• Tags: Amanda Arista, Diaries of an Urban Panther, urban fantasy•