Stalking the Others (H&W Investigations, #4)

Jun 26, 2012 All Things Urban Fantasy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-by-abigail, july-2012-hotp

Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy

STALKING THE OTHERS is the most action packed, adrenalin fueled book in the H&W Investigations series. It opens with a chase scene through the New York subways, rushes into a life or death brawl with a werewolf, and on and on until a different kind of action intensive ending….the one we’ve been waiting for since the first book.

Part of what I love so much about this series is the way Haines injects a subtle humor in her writing that keeps even the mo...more

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Oct 07, 2011 Katie(babs) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Stalking the Others, book #4 in Jess Haines’ H&W Investigations is one book I’m recommending as a must read for the summer. I should disclose I’m friends with Jess and I was one of her beta readers for this book. I really didn’t know what to expect with this latest because Jess has taken her main protagonist on quite a journey that I liken to Alice in Wonderland. When this series began, Shiarra West was a NYC private investigator who had a pretty stable life with a good job, very supporting...more Stalking the Others, book #4 in Jess Haines’ H&W Investigations is one book I’m recommending as a must read for the summer. I should disclose I’m friends with Jess and I was one of her beta readers for this book. I really didn’t know what to expect with this latest because Jess has taken her main protagonist on quite a journey that I liken to Alice in Wonderland. When this series began, Shiarra West was a NYC private investigator who had a pretty stable life with a good job, very supporting family and friends and a hunky and loving boyfriend. But that all changed when Shiarra was forced into a very difficult and deadly situation, and because of that, her entire world has turned upside down, much like Alice’s has.

The events leading up to Stalking the Others has put Shiarra in a very bad place. She found out the man she loved, her boyfriend, Chaz, is not only a werewolf, but a man whore cheating douche who hasn’t been faithful to her. Chaz the Douche has his reason for doing so, which is a pretty lame one and would make any woman grab a knife and do a Lorena Bobbitt on him. Because of Chaz’s deceit, Shiarra through no fault of her own, may or may not have contracted the lycan virus and may turn into a werewolf during the next full moon. Shiarra is no longer the calm and collected woman we have read over the course of the last three books. She’s a vault of anger and fear and has become very hot headed, thanks in part to her magical belt who pushes her to channel her rage and get her revenge, which when all is said and done could kill her.

Stalking the Others is all about revenge, but also turning to those you least expect, who will have your back. Shiarra seems to be flying solo, but she always has someone around as her backup. This time around it’s Jack, the head of The White Hats who hates everything “other” (anything supernatural such as werewolves and vampires). He and Shia have bonded big time in this book. He makes a big impression here, and those fans of his will be very pleased by his role.

More than half way through is where things have that explosive, on the edge of the seat action. Shia’s anger spirals out of control, much like Buffy the Vampire’s Willow when her lover Tara was murdered. If you watched that episode of Buffy, you have a good idea what’s going on with Shia. To some readers, Shia’s actions and thoughts may not make much sense and may make you go, WTF? But then it all comes together and there’s that big AHA moment. Could someone or something be manipulating Shiarra?

Then there’s Alec Royce, that sexy, Roarke (hero from JD Robb's In Death series) type vampire master of Manhattan who has a more cameo in this book until the very end. When Royce confronts Shia, it’s full of awesome and had me cheering because of what occurs between these two. This interaction changes their relationship forever, and it’s exactly what I was hoping for. To go into further detail would ruin the surprise. This is a surprise I want to have babies with.

I had one big complaint about this book. There’s no Devon! I adore Devon with every sense of my being. Devon has become an important character to me like Nalini Singh’s Kaleb, Meljean Brook’s Michael, and J.R. Ward’s Qhuay. I want more of Devon and I want it now! I think Devon needs his own book. I’m a total Devon fan girl. I won’t rest until Devon get his own novella or full length novel.

Even with the absence of Devon here, it didn’t take away my enjoyment in reading. Stalking the Others succeeds in so many ways, and I can say that this is the best book so far of this series. Thank god Kensington got it together and changed up the cover. The covers for these books have been ghastly (doesn't the chick on this cover look like Drew Barrymore, or is it just me?). There’s also a cliffhanger at the end that will surely irk readers, but the way it was written makes you yearn for the next book because there are still some unresolved issues that need to be worked out.

The H&W Investigations series is not your typical paranormal series and one I recommend fans of this genre try. I look forward to more of Shiarra and her quest to right the wrongs, not only for herself, but those innocent parties who have been targeted by evil.(less)

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Dec 09, 2012 Liliana rated it 5 of 5 stars

"Stalking The Others" by Jess Haines is the fourth book in the "H&W Investigations" Series and follows straight on from "Deceived By The Others" with the betrayal of the ex-boyfriend, Chaz, and his werewolf pack. In this book you see, Shia fighting to find Chaz and take revenge on him for what he did to her and also on one of his pack, Dillon, who has possibly turned her into a were. So, with the help of her belt (we learn more about the history of it and his name is Isaac) and of the White...more

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Sep 25, 2012 Amy Jacobs rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own

Action? Check.
Kick Ass Heroine? Check.
Suspense? Check.
Another winner of a book? CHECKMATE.

Since I am not a regular reader of urban fantasy, the books in this category better blow me away for me to keep reading them. What author Jess Haines brings to this reader is excitement and holy amazing! I loved the writing and the characters in this book.

I love how the author changed the character of Shia in this book. Instead of the usual, we get a Kick-Them-In-the-Jewels Shia that is one seriously bad g...more

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Sep 04, 2012 Liz rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fans of paranormal and paranormal romance

Recommended to Liz by: Jess Haines

“Hours had passed since I’d fled Alec Royce’s apartment building with nothing but murder on my mind.”

The fourth installment in the H & W Investigations novels by Jess Haines, titled Stalking the Others, has quite a dark flavor to it compared to the first three stories. When we left our heroine, Shiarra Waynest, four hours earlier, she had been scratched and possibly contaminated by a werewolf, rejected by her parents and cheated on by her boyfriend, whom she was just about to hand over her l...more “Hours had passed since I’d fled Alec Royce’s apartment building with nothing but murder on my mind.”

The fourth installment in the H & W Investigations novels by Jess Haines, titled Stalking the Others, has quite a dark flavor to it compared to the first three stories. When we left our heroine, Shiarra Waynest, four hours earlier, she had been scratched and possibly contaminated by a werewolf, rejected by her parents and cheated on by her boyfriend, whom she was just about to hand over her life to. Shia is pissed, to say the least. Did I mention that she was also on the run from police and media? Things can’t get any worse for Ms. Waynest and I really couldn’t blame her for wanting to kill something.

In Stalking the Others Shia is on the hunt for the wolf who infected her as well as her cheating BF, Chaz, who I loathe, hate and abominate. I couldn’t wait until she caught up with him and gave him the pounding he deserved, aided by her enchanted belt which houses the spirit of a very strong Other.

This belt was given to her back in Hunted By The Others and every time Shiarra puts it on she has heightened abilities that last throughout the night until daybreak. In this book we learn a lot more about the belt and you will be surprised at its history.

In Stalking the Others Shiarra is counting down the days until the full moon, when she will finally discover if her contamination will turn her into a werewolf. She’ll use her time to hunt down the wolf who scratched her and basically changed her life forever. Whether or not Shia turns werewolf (I’m not telling!), in her fury and hurt she will leave a lot of mistakes in her wake that she may or may not come to regret.

This book goes even darker than its predecessors. Since we are inside Shia’s head the entire time, we are privy to her every thought and emotion. There’s disturbing news about Jack, the leader of the White Hat faction living in the area, Chaz’s girlfriend (ugh!) gives problems as she tries to hide the location of the coward (can you tell how I feel about him yet?), and Shiarra’s own concerns for her closest friend and business partner, Sara.

Once again, I couldn’t put this book down once I started it. It never lags and flows so smoothly that when you come to the last page, you can’t believe it finished already. Actually, when you come to the last page of this particular book, you may sit as I did: in a fog, dazed and breathless, and oh so very happy.

Stalking the Others hits book stores July 3, and if you haven’t yet read the first three books I encourage you to do so now. Jess Haines encourages you to patronize your local bookstores and keep them in business.

You can read more about Jess at her official website, jesshaines.com, follow her on Twitter (@Jess_Haines) and Facebook, and look forward to two more books in this series.(less)

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Aug 24, 2012 Tynga rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shia is now facing her worst nightmare after being possibly contaminated by a werewolf. She has until the next full moon to discover if she’ll turn furry and she won’t waste a minute. Uniting with the questionable White Hats, she will hunt down Chaz and his pack, looking for revenge.

Before I get on with my review, I just want to disclose that I am a cameo character in this novel, Cindy Bacon, a werewolf. It doesn’t influence my opinion as I have been a fan of the series since the first book, but...more Shia is now facing her worst nightmare after being possibly contaminated by a werewolf. She has until the next full moon to discover if she’ll turn furry and she won’t waste a minute. Uniting with the questionable White Hats, she will hunt down Chaz and his pack, looking for revenge.

Before I get on with my review, I just want to disclose that I am a cameo character in this novel, Cindy Bacon, a werewolf. It doesn’t influence my opinion as I have been a fan of the series since the first book, but I thought it only fair to mention it.

Now let’s get down to business! Stalking The Others was as entertaining and as action-packed as the previous books of the H&W Investigations novels, but I found that Shia was really lonely. The White Hats are backing her on her quest, but I felt like she was all on her own, with only Isaac (her magic belt) to keep her company. It wasn’t an issue really, but I missed Arnold and Royce. On the other hand, her loneliness allowed her some growth, which is always appreciated.

The novel takes place within a one month’s period of time but it really felt like time flew by. Between Shia’s worries, insecurities, violent episodes and her different quests, she kept really busy and we didn’t have time to get bored.

The crescendo leading to the end was simply amazing. It was highly dramatic yet hilarious in a way. It’s like madness right before the inevitable and I truly enjoyed it. Shia’s final encounter with Royce was extremely surprising and oh-so-satisfying!

We get to know in this novel if Shia turns or not, but I have this tingly feeling that things aren’t as simple as they seem. I’m sure Jess Haines still has a trick or two up her sleeve and I wouldn’t be surprised if the whole thing hit us like a brick wall in the next instalment.

On a side note, I wasn’t a fan of the first covers in this series (I actually disliked them), but I like Stalking The Others’ and I can’t wait to see the next one.

Forsaken by the Others is due next year I think, and I can’t wait to read it!
(less)

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Jul 15, 2012 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars

Short: Adrenaline-packed, revenge book filled with moral conundrums and a dash of "who's the bad guy now?" with a little help from an artifact with it's own agenda.

While I enjoyed the book overall, I'll admit there are things about Shia as a character (or perhaps as she's written as a character) which continue to bother me almost enough to make her throw in the towel.

Admittedly, it is a nice change to have the human(ish) character who fears for their immortal soul *not* jump into bed with a sup...more

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Jul 12, 2012 Paranormal Haven rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviews-by-beth-guest-reviewer

3.5 stars

Shiarra is determined to hunt down her ex-boyfriend and his pack, the Sunstrikers. One of them may have infected her, and she has reason to believe they are murders. She allies with the anti-Others group, the White Hats to bring the Sunstrikers down. She also uses an enchanted belt that gives her more strength and speed, but it might also be affecting her in a different way.

Stalking the Others is number four in the H and W Investigations series. Despite the name of the series, there is...more 3.5 stars

Shiarra is determined to hunt down her ex-boyfriend and his pack, the Sunstrikers. One of them may have infected her, and she has reason to believe they are murders. She allies with the anti-Others group, the White Hats to bring the Sunstrikers down. She also uses an enchanted belt that gives her more strength and speed, but it might also be affecting her in a different way.

Stalking the Others is number four in the H and W Investigations series. Despite the name of the series, there is not much investigating going on here. It is pure urban fantasy. This is a series you are going to have to start from the first book, Hunted by the Others. Without some of the back story I am unsure if first time readers will understand a lot of what is going on.

Shiarra believes that the only reason the Others (vampires, werewolves and mages) get involved with her is because they want something. She steps up and becomes a killer of the Others very quickly. I have to admit that this threw me for a loop, she has resources, friends, and other means to get information, yet she chooses strange paths. Once I understood I was a little irritated she hadn’t fought with herself a little more. I have to tread this lightly, because it is hard to not give something away. I do like the fact that Shiarra doesn’t come off as dense, but she has a resistance to let friends help her. Instead she would rather people help her that want something from her, which boggles my mind. It is fascinating that in a strange way the antagonist in this story is in part Shiarra herself.

I have had a love/hate relationship with these novels since the start. The fourth installment was a little bit of both. The end of the novel made up for a lot of my cliff hanger frustration set up by the third book. It doesn’t leave off on a cliff hanger, and it doesn’t seem to only be made for the next book. Instead it has a nice ending. It didn’t live up to the hype that book three had set up for it. I was expecting a lot more. That is not to say that there isn’t a lot of action. There is a great deal of action, and it doesn’t start slow. The story moves at a pace that will have the reader finished before they know it.

I did go ahead and read the expert for book five that was at the end of the novel. I am looking forward to it. There are some major relationship changes presented in Stalking the Others. I am excited to see what these relationship changes do to the characters, and how they change and grow. It is safe to say I am without a doubt sticking to this series. I would also recommend it for those who enjoy urban fantasy.
- Beth (less)

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Jul 08, 2012 Nikki-ann rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: received-for-review

Shiarra Waynest returns in this, the fourth book in the H&W Investigations series, and this time she’s done with being pushed around. She’s not going down without a fight and if she does go down then she is taking her enemies with her!

(If you haven’t read the previous books in the series, then I recommend checking out my reviews for them: Hunted By The Others, Taken By The Others and Deceived By The Others).

Stalking The Others follows straight on from Deceived By The Others. With the betraya...more Shiarra Waynest returns in this, the fourth book in the H&W Investigations series, and this time she’s done with being pushed around. She’s not going down without a fight and if she does go down then she is taking her enemies with her!

(If you haven’t read the previous books in the series, then I recommend checking out my reviews for them: Hunted By The Others, Taken By The Others and Deceived By The Others).

Stalking The Others follows straight on from Deceived By The Others. With the betrayal of her ex-boyfriend and his werewolf pack, Shia’s life has been wrecked by the Others. She could be on the verge of turning were on the next full moon, but she may not even live that far to find out. With the police and a number of Others on the hunt for Shia, she decides to come out of hiding and do her own hunting, enlisting the help of her enchanted hunter’s belt.

Stalking The Others is one of those books that grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go. This adrenaline-fueled book will have readers’ hearts thumping from the get-go. It’s action-packed from the start and it gets a little hot too!

I really felt for Shia in this one. Despite having some help, she’s unable to trust anyone around her. Those she can trust, she can’t reach. We get to see a brutal, unrelenting side to Shia and a more emotional side.

This time around we get to know the enchanted belt a lot better, its history and its motives. We also learn more about Jack and the other White Hats. Shia learns a lot more than she bargained for…….

We don’t get to see the sexy but dangerous vampire Royce much in this book, which could be seen as disappointing to some readers. However, Jess doesn’t disappoint, for when Royce does put in an appearance or two, it’s well worth the wait!

At the end of the book, we’re treated to a sneak peak of the next book in the series, Forsaken By The Others. It follows on directly from Stalking The Others and I think we’re in for a treat!

As I’m sure you’ve realised by now, I thoroughly enjoyed Stalking The Others and think it’s a great addition to the H&W Investigations series. Jess will forgive me for saying that my favourite urban fantasy series is The Dresden Files (because she’s a big fan too), but I definitely think H&W Investigations is not far behind it.

A must for urban fantasy fans!(less)

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Jul 03, 2012 Star (The Bibliophilic Book Blog) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed

Shiarra Waynest and her business partner Sara had run a normal P.I. agency, dealing only with human cases until Shia gets dragged in kicking and screaming into the world of the Others. Vampires, weres, mages, and much more were awaiting Shia. Now Shia's done being messed with by the Others and has given into her need for revenge. With help from her P.I. training, the White Hats, and the enchanted hunter's belt, she will give her all to bringing down those responsible for bringing pain into her l...more

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Jun 29, 2012 Dark Faerie Tales rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-by-sheila

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: An angry and out of control PI hunts down a pack of werewolves she thinks is responsible for her own werewolf infection. Dark and stormy, this book has lots of anger and bitterness in the driver’s seat.

Opening Sentence: My fingertips pressed against the cool stone of the ledge, helping me balance as I crouched on the balls of my feet.

Excerpt: Yes

The Review:

Stalking the Others, the fourth installment of H & W Investigations series, has ta...more

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Jun 25, 2012 Felicia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-read, 4-50-wine-glasses

Read for Review!
Overall Rating: 4.50
Story Rating: 4.25
Character Rating: 4.75

First thought when finished: I think I may be blushing just a wee little bit!

What I Loved: After feeling a bit frustrated last book with the whole "Chaz" situation I was glad to see that our girl Shi was handling it in her own way. By that, I mean she was kicking major *ss! It is hard to review this without giving away the good parts so here is what I will say: This was the best of the 4 books. It had parts that will mak...more

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Jun 23, 2012 Tori [Book Faery] rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: beta-read, read-in-2011

What more can I say about the H&W series, aside from the fact that it is the shit and that Shia's character transformation from chicken wuss to this-bitch-is-kicking-ass-and-not-taking-names is astounding?

I disliked Shia initially in the series; however, despite my dislike of her character for the most part, I still wanted to give her a chance--especially since I enjoyed all of the other characters. Because the other characters were so well written, I figured it would be unfair of me to wri...more

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May 20, 2012 Anna rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: review-books

Shiarra Waynest is a part of the Others’ world, as much as she does not want to be. She is fighting now to find her ex lover Chaz and take revenge on him for what he did to her. He has cheated on her and one of his pack has possibly turned her into a were. She uses the help of her belt, that is really a man named Isaac that is out to kill the vampires. But she also must enlist the help of one of the people that she turned her back on Jack. Together with his team they hunt the Others and start a...more

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Jun 30, 2012 Kristin (MyBookishWays Reviews) rated it 4 of 5 stars

You may also read my review here: http://www.mybookishways.com/2012/06/...

The Sunstrikers must be taken down before the next full moon, and Shiarra Waynest is determined to do just that. Still unsure if she herself will go furry, she’s on a desperate hunt for the werewolves (and the ex-boyfriend, Chaz), that have quite possibly ruined her life, and those they turned without consent. Unfortunately, Shia has to ask for help from the most unlikely of allies, the White Hats, and hope she’s not makin...more You may also read my review here: http://www.mybookishways.com/2012/06/...

The Sunstrikers must be taken down before the next full moon, and Shiarra Waynest is determined to do just that. Still unsure if she herself will go furry, she’s on a desperate hunt for the werewolves (and the ex-boyfriend, Chaz), that have quite possibly ruined her life, and those they turned without consent. Unfortunately, Shia has to ask for help from the most unlikely of allies, the White Hats, and hope she’s not making a terrible decision.

In Stalking the Others, the 4th installment of Jess Haines’ H&W Investigations series, Shia is almost completely without a tether. Her boyfriend has betrayed her, she’s not sure if she’ll turn into a werewolf, she’s still fighting off advances from hottie vampire Royce, and she has to go to her arch nemesis, Jack of the White Hats, for help. It’s humbling for Shia, but she’s determined to help in any way she can to stop the rogue werewolves that have been turning people without their consent. Heartbroken at her family’s abandonment since finding out about her involvement with the Others, she’s also found herself becoming more bloodthirsty and aggressive lately. Are these symptoms of her impending change, the stress of all that’s happened, or something else? The spirit infused belt she’s been wearing certainly provides the super strength that’s aided her in plenty of recent scrapes, but she’s finding herself more and more at its whim. There’s quite a lot of action in this one, pretty much from the get go, and Shia has become one badass babe. A confrontation with Chaz is inevitable, and it may not be what you think. Trust me, I hated this guy in the last book and wanted to see him get a butt kicking that he wouldn’t soon forget. Our girl has grown emotionally quite a bit, and her ideas of what’s right have certainly been challenged. Ms. Haines has brought the fun (and the sexy) in this dark and action packed treat, and the series hasn’t disappointed me yet! Can’t wait for the next book!(less)

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Jul 23, 2012 Raquel rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy

3.75/5 I was so happy from the last book, that I couldn't wait to get my hands on this. It was great to see Shiarra was finally standing on her own feet, and I was anticipating the can-of-whoop-ass Chaz deserved. Everything was going great until the end. Dubya Tee Eff. I feel as though Shiarra is now back in the one spot she's been avoiding! She can be so frustrating. Not sure where this is going to lead to, but I hope Shiarra finds her way out of the mess >.<

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Jul 04, 2012 Penny rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: summer-reads-2012, favorites, goodreads-first-reads, reviewed

Initial Reaction: That woman is cruel. (After an unreasonably long slew of incoherent 'what? what? what!!'s)

'That woman' would be Jess Haines, and the cruelty would be the kind of cruelty that left me shaking like a leaf from finger to toe for so long after finishing the book. I read Stalking the Others in probably three sittings, and the last one began with such an adrenaline rush that my heart was still racing at the end. Actually, that might have been the ending itself, which will leave you s...more

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May 15, 2012 Diana rated it 5 of 5 stars

In the final pages of Deceived by the Others, we were left with an angry woman seeking revenge. Readers excited by this prospect will not be disappointed by Stalking the Others. With the help of a magic belt, Shiarra is on the warpath. Jess Haines expertly develops Shiarra's character. While readers watch her destroy those who have done her wrong, we also can see the effect it is having on her psyche, the destruction of her self.

This book is remarkably fast-paced for a novel with a good deal of...more

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Oct 15, 2012 Ferdy rated it 2 of 5 stars

Spoilers

Shia is terrified that she'll turn into an Other on the next full moon and is determined to seek revenge on those who have wronged her before she changes into a werewolf. Shia blames her ex boyfriend, Chaz, for all that's happened to her and is on a mission to hunt him and his pack down.

-The plot was slightly more interesting this time around — the first half was actually quite enjoyable when Shia got all crazy badass and finally took control of her life. I was pleased that she wanted to...more Spoilers

Shia is terrified that she'll turn into an Other on the next full moon and is determined to seek revenge on those who have wronged her before she changes into a werewolf. Shia blames her ex boyfriend, Chaz, for all that's happened to her and is on a mission to hunt him and his pack down.

-The plot was slightly more interesting this time around — the first half was actually quite enjoyable when Shia got all crazy badass and finally took control of her life. I was pleased that she wanted to kill her cheating bastard ex, Chaz, and his pack — if it wasn't for him, his wolves wouldn't have scratched Shia and possibly infected her with lycanthropy. Unfortunately her kick-ass attitude doesn't last and when she finally meets Chaz, she just lets him go..sure she kills the werewolf that scratched her but she doesn't get to exact the revenge on Chaz that he deserved.
I did somewhat enjoy Shia's interactions with Jack and the White Hats - she can actually hold her own with them whereas with the wolves and vamps she's always been played.
The ending was unexpected and disappointing. After 4 books of Shia going on and on about not wanting anything to do with Royce, she goes and sleeps with him - WTF?! I lost all my respect for Shia - she forgot all her beliefs and principles for a vampire douche..ugh.

-Shia's revenge against Chaz was rubbish — she fought him, lost and then just seemed to forget about everything he did to her. She didn't even bring up all the other women he cheated on her with and there was no real verbal showdown between the two. She even let Chaz make her feel like the bad guy in their relationship?! I was expecting Shia to finally tell him to piss off but at the end they were pretty much getting along..ugh.

-I hated Royce, not quite as much as Chaz but he was still a fucker. He more or less raped Shia's mind by making her feel horny — and his excuse was that he just couldn't help himself around her..WTF?!
How can he claim to want Shia so much yet use her, control her mind and have sex with other women.
I refuse to believe that he cares about her when he treats her like shit. I don't believe for a second that Royce sees Shia as anything more than a pawn and a challenge, she's definitely not someone he loves, if anything happened to Shia, he would easily replace her with another woman. Shia is just a conquest to Royce, I really hope he doesn't suddenly declare his undying love for her in the next book because it just wouldn't be believable.

-Shia has sex with Royce and of course it's the bestest sex she's ever had and naturally his love making skills make her forget all her self respect, dignity and principles and she happily declares she's now his..WTF?! Seriously, all the bad things that have happened to her were down to him — does she call him out any of it or blame him for anything?? Nope, she has sex with the bastard. He ruined her life and the dumb bitch falls for him.

-Shia needs a love interest that respects her and doesn't try to manipulate and control her. I think she'd be better with Jack as long as he doesn't turn into a vampire himself.
I'm pissed that it's taken four books for Shia to finally have sex especially when both her love interests have been having sex with a load of other women — why the discrimination?? It's just hard to buy Royce and Chaz's possessiveness in regard to Shia when they both screw around with other women. Why the bloody hell can't Shia sleep around?!

Overall, this was disappointing. There were parts in the first half that were entertaining particularly when Shia finally became more proactive but then she just turned into a weak, desperate, doormat and more or less forgave Chaz and then had sex with Royce even though she's previously never wanted to be involved with vampires. I'm sure that Shia will be all over Royce in the next book and that Royce will carry on using her but Shia won't mind because she'll just be happy that she's Royce's bitch. (less)

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Dec 06, 2012 Shera (Book Whispers) rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ebook, ebook-m, vampire, werewolves, urban-fantasy

That's it! I can not in good conscious go on reading these books without stating that Shiarra is To Stupid To Live (AKA TSTL). From the first book I knew Shia was short a few brain cells, but I kept holding out. She had a lot of crazy stuff going on, and each book was a struggle. However, after having the leader of the White Hats, Royce (the vampire king of New York City), and so many other people say how clever, brave, and amazing she is I can't stand it any more. Over the course of these books...more That's it! I can not in good conscious go on reading these books without stating that Shiarra is To Stupid To Live (AKA TSTL). From the first book I knew Shia was short a few brain cells, but I kept holding out. She had a lot of crazy stuff going on, and each book was a struggle. However, after having the leader of the White Hats, Royce (the vampire king of New York City), and so many other people say how clever, brave, and amazing she is I can't stand it any more. Over the course of these books, she's gone from dumb to . . . ugh, just plain annoying.

This book was hard to swallow because for the majority of it I kept going why the hell is she killing people on a whim. She has NO solid proof that the Sunstriker pack did all the evil things she thinks. Sure one of them scratched her, but she goes from never wanting to kill, to gleefully doing it. Not only that but one of the characters that I've been absolutely obsessed with turned out to be a dud. Much like this book. It felt like stepping off the cliff of this series’ development. She's basically being brainwashed, and the time when she's not being brainwashed she barely second guesses herself. For the majority of the book she doesn't even worry about poor Sarah, her best friend!

Royce is still amazing, however I can not honestly see what he sees in Shiarra. In fact, here's a little what he has to say about her:

"True, you are neither terribly wise nor clever--but your valor is what sets you apart."

For me that valor is the one good thing about her. Also, there still isn't enough here for me to believe that a guy like Royce would fall for someone like Shiarra. He basically idolizes Shiarra since she did not take advantage of him in the first book, turning him into a mindless slave. She showed him mercy, when for others he never did. Now that felt real. The immortal creature of power finding himself with the simple act of mercy.

Even after Shiarra gives into Royce, she continually doubts him. She switches her mind too much. "No Royce I need you, but I feel so ashamed." They had this amazing moment together, and she's still convinced that Royce is going to own her. That she'll be a mindless bonded blood slave. At this point I was practically throwing the book on the ground—if it hadn't been an eBook—over the fact that Royce has proved himself many times over. (And if the preview of the next book is any indication Shiarra's going to be hot and cold.) Her prejudices and fears are justified, but a lead who's strong enough to get over them should be strong enough to stick with her guns and not feel ashamed every other word.

This book is the turning point for me, no longer can I ignore those glaring character nesciences that Shiarra has been stirring in me. The next book is either going to save face, or it's over. (Or at least I hope I'll have the power to turn away.) This series has been a confusing addiction. There's many things that I don't like about it, and Shiarra being one of them is just not good. At this point I think my main reason for going on is Royce. Haines is a good enough author to take a character I never truly liked and make him the reason this series captivates me. If that isn't talent I don't know what is.

Sexual Content: Some sexual humor, there is a sex scene!

2/5- Average/disappointing, library check-out

Orginally reviewed at Book Whispers. (less)

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Jul 04, 2012 Roxanne rated it 4 of 5 stars

I like 90% of this book and the 10% I didn't like is why I dropped a star off my book rating. There is a lot of action in this book and Shia goes a little crazy (which I totally loved) and trigger happy. Royce of course was perfect as usual. But the 10% I didn't like was anything to do with Chaz. At one point Shia kind of feels sorry for him. Ummmm no, bad Shia. He is a lying, cheating, scumbag who needs to be strung up by his balls. Then there was Shia's problem with the 'others,' now I know sh...more

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Jul 07, 2012 Vanessa rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This series has taken quite a turn. Book four takes right up where book 3, (Deceived by the Others),leaves off. Shiarra Waynest has lost nearly everything and is being hunted by vampires,werewolves, and an anti-others group. The police want to question her regarding a murder, and her family has disowned her. This novel brings her to a new low depth. Told in first person, I never feel like it's only her view point.
As with other series we have mentioned it gets better and better as the books go a...more

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Jun 03, 2012 Melliane rated it 5 of 5 stars

Mon avis en français

My English review

Since the end of the third novel, I only wanted one thing: to get into this one. Indeed, the last volume was full of turnarounds of any kinds. It was amazing, we found ourselves buffeted on all sides to finally question everything. But here it is, there are also a lot of consequences, and we can see them now in this novel.

Shia only think about one thing in this volume, her revenge against Chaz, and nothing, really nothing, could stop her in her new quest. But...more Mon avis en français

My English review

Since the end of the third novel, I only wanted one thing: to get into this one. Indeed, the last volume was full of turnarounds of any kinds. It was amazing, we found ourselves buffeted on all sides to finally question everything. But here it is, there are also a lot of consequences, and we can see them now in this novel.

Shia only think about one thing in this volume, her revenge against Chaz, and nothing, really nothing, could stop her in her new quest. But she doesn’t have a lot of allies now she ran away from Royce and there is just one person she can turn to. Plus, there is always a threat over her head as she still could turn into a werewolf for the next full moon.

I confess that the day’s countdown before the full moon at the beginning of each chapter was terrible. I really wanted to skip some to be on the BIG day and like that learn the truth. No! I was strong, I didn’t do it! I’m so proud of me… Well, Ok, I wouldn’t confess that I did it for another event. If you had read the book, you would have understood, the wait is terrible! (Well I hadn’t read a lot either, I still kept the surprise! I was mainly curious to know when she would meet with Chaz). Poor Shia, she goes though a lot of things in this book. It’s very difficult for her to question everything and therefore, she sometimes has to do some choices that aren’t very wise for her.

It’s heart breaking to see the feelings and the goals of our heroine but we can also understand why she wants that after all she’s been through. I was very impatient to assist to the confrontation between her and her ex boyfriend. From the start, we know that it will be epic. I have to say Chaz hasn’t changed at all. I think it’s a character difficult to understand, he wants everything and in the same time he sabotages what he undertakes by himself.

We only see Alec a few times in this novel, yes, it was quite sad as it’s a character I love to read about. But our heroine always has the vampire in her mind, so it allows us to have him all along the story. Indeed, I was very surprised by the end; did I say “surprised”? I think I should say “more than happy”. But what can we do with such an end? There is only one thing, to wait and throw ourselves on book 5 as soon as possible.

It’s also very pleasant to learn more about the belt that Shiarra always wore. I’m ashamed to tell that I didn’t really think about this mage or about who he was before. We can here understand better his will to kill the Others and to revenge the persons he loved. In this novel, he is, like always, determined to do what he thinks is the best for him despite the consequences, even if Shia doesn’t agree with him.

Well, I won’t relate the entire story, but it’s another really great novel. The only problem is that as soon as we get into the story we can’t put the book down until the end. A lot of answers are given but we also have many new questions and I’m impatient to know the last word. If you enjoyed the last books, you’ll surely love this one. A mix of love, conspiracies and mysteries. A new amazing book featuring all the characters we love.(less)

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Nov 21, 2012 Dotti Elrick rated it 3 of 5 stars

Stalking the Others is the fourth book of the H&W Investigation series. I loved the first three books, this one, not so much.
This book picks up exactly where the third book left off. Shia has been betrayed by her boyfriend, Chaz, the head of the Sunstrikers pack. She has been attacked by one of his packmates. Scratched by the shifted wolf. Her father has disowned her for involving herself with the Others. Her friend and business partner, Sarah is forced into hiding because of what she knows...more

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Feb 01, 2013 Yolanda Sfetsos rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy, vampire, kindle, werewolf

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This is the fourth book in the H&W Investigations urban fantasy series. And I have to say that I really like the new cover art. Shia looks kick-ass!

Shiarra's world used to be a lot easier before the Others became a fixture in her life. Now, the NY PI is on the prowl. She's stalking the Sunstrikers wolf pack, desperately trying to get her hands on her cheating ex, Chaz. Which will also lead her to the asshole who scratched her and might now cause her to turn furry during the next full moon.

Al...more

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Jun 28, 2012 Toni rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: kensington-arcs

I have to say that this series is new for me. When I requested Stalking the Others, I knew that this was book four and that I would have to play catch up. I’m glad I picked it and I’m really glad I had this book after finishing book three, Deceived by the Others. Get ready for a kick-ass ride!

The Sunstriker pack is on the run. Their crimes have been revealed, and everyone is looking for them. The person top on the list: Shiarra Waynest. Shiarra has a mission. Take out every one who has wronged h...more I have to say that this series is new for me. When I requested Stalking the Others, I knew that this was book four and that I would have to play catch up. I’m glad I picked it and I’m really glad I had this book after finishing book three, Deceived by the Others. Get ready for a kick-ass ride!

The Sunstriker pack is on the run. Their crimes have been revealed, and everyone is looking for them. The person top on the list: Shiarra Waynest. Shiarra has a mission. Take out every one who has wronged her. She as a month to do it and she will do anything to accomplish it. Enemies beware; this woman will take you down.

This one time good girl is now bad. Over the years, Shiarra has been forced into a world she never wanted to enter. This new world has ruined her life and broken her heart, but rather than dwell and sulk about it she runs head first into the battle. You really have to admire her for that. She may not do the smartest things and may not be the strongest one out there, but you can’t fault her determination.

Stalking the Others is a fast, action packed novel. I really can’t go more into the story, since I really don’t want to give it away. I had moments of deep emotion, elation and fist pumping “Heck, yeahs”. There are also more stories to be told. I can only hope that Ms. Haines is going to quickly crank out the next in the series.

Since I don’t want to give the plot and surprises away, I will mention a bit more about the series. H&W Investigation in my opinion is very good Urban Fantasy. I sometimes have a hard time connecting with this genre, but I did with ease with this series. Shia is not your normal heroine. Some people complain about her weakness, but I find her traits more believable than the norm. She is human, and her actions and thoughts portray that. She doesn’t instantly become a super heroine. The buildup is slow and I liked it. She makes a lot of errors and even at the end of this book she retains her believability for me.

The first two books in the series; Hunted by the Others and Taken by the Others, were not as enjoyable as the last two were for me. Ms. Haines has definitely picked it up and has improved on the series. Now with her world building done, she is fully engaged in the plot and it shows. As a whole I would recommend this series.

You want something new and exciting? Then you need to pick up H&W Instigations. This is a wonderful Urban Fantasy series with a teeny tiny touch of romance (it’s barely there). The action is amazing and the characters are engaging. When you need something a little different, I would look no farther than right here. (less)

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Jul 16, 2012 Annie the Destroyer *Leather Lust* rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: author-jess-haines, bitches-get-stitches, ebooks, read-in-2012, review-requests, werewolves, vampires, series-h-w-investigations, series-i-wont-be-finishing, deserves-to-be-recycled

Posted on Under the Covers

I’m sorry to say but this series as officially lost its appeal for me. I very much enjoyed the first two books in this series, but the third book was a DNF. I felt that Shiarra’s head was lost in the clouds while dire things were happening. She ignored several warnings that only resulted in more trouble. I don’t like it when an author creates drama or conflict at the expense of their character.

Fortunately, I was able to get through STALKING THE OTHERS but just didn’t ca...more

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Jul 05, 2012 Julie rated it 2 of 5 stars

I was so disapointed with this book, I still can't believe it. I enjoyed books 1 to 3 a lot, but this one just fell flat.
Let's resume it. Shia prepares for battle, Shia fights, Shia prepares for battle, Shia fiths. And on and on. Not only did it seem endless to me, but it also seemed pointless. In the end, she didn't kill Chaz, she doesn't really learn what's going on, she doesn't confront or beat the belt.
Maybe it's because she spent so much time whith the White Hats and I'm not interested in...more

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Jun 28, 2012 Jessica rated it 5 of 5 stars

I received this ARC from the author for review

Jess Haines' Stalking the Others was incredible!! And I have to say I love the new cover look! I think this makes a good Shiarra!

The book pretty much picks up where we left off, which is a bit fuzzy for me since I read it ages ago. Shiarra has been scratched by a Were. She is likely infected and has a month to find out. Time flies by fast too, as Shiarra is trying to track down Chaz and his pack. She wants retribution for what he did to her, Dillon t...more

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Jul 13, 2012 Marty Shaw rated it 5 of 5 stars

I’ve been on the edge of my seat since reading the last page of Deceived by the Others, and Jess keeps cranking the tension up in the latest adventure of Shia’s life.

The full moon is appraching fast and Shia, along with everyone else that knows her, expects her to go all furry when that happens. People don’t think that just because she was bitten, either. This is a brand new Shiarra meeting readers. She has a definite edge and an air of menace about her that she didn’t possess before, and she’s...more

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Stalking the Others (H&W Investigations #4)

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