Kept (Coveted, #2)

Jan 27, 2013 Ren marked it as own-but-not-read-yet

Shelves: paul-marron-cover, own-paperback

Ekkkkk, what with their pose that remind me of New Moon's poster?
Same yellow background color, the moon, the pose too.
The possibility of love triangle? I'm not impressed :(
And don't put Paul Marron at the back! He need to put in the front! => THIS

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Dec 29, 2012 Tracey rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley

What a different book from book one, so much more engaging.

This is book 2 of a series centred around natalya a russian descendant and a werewolf i would recommend reading book 1 first even though I didn't rate it that highly, but it gives you back story.

We still have the whole cast of paranormal people in this book, yes fairy, mermaids, werewolves, wizards, warlocks, imps etc etc..... But as you know them more from book one it didn't seem so silly.

Onto the story, Natalya is still trying to deal...more

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Nov 26, 2012 Carmel (Rabid Reads) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: werewolves

Reviewed by: Rabid Reads

I was impressed my Shawntelle Madison’s ability to bounce back after a, in my opinion, sub-par first installment. I’m not going to lie; I expected the worst when I first started reading Kept but the blurb sounded promising and I’m not one to give-up on a series after only one book, especially when werewolves are involved! It quickly became obvious after the first couple of chapters that Madison took her reader feedback to heart and made huge steps towards rectifying the s...more Reviewed by: Rabid Reads

I was impressed my Shawntelle Madison’s ability to bounce back after a, in my opinion, sub-par first installment. I’m not going to lie; I expected the worst when I first started reading Kept but the blurb sounded promising and I’m not one to give-up on a series after only one book, especially when werewolves are involved! It quickly became obvious after the first couple of chapters that Madison took her reader feedback to heart and made huge steps towards rectifying the shortcomings of the first novel. There’s nothing that I admire more than a debut author who actually listens to her fans. The pacing was excellent, the story entertaining and the characters showed amazing growth and maturity. Shawntelle has completely redeemed herself with this second installment!

I began this book absolutely hating Nat because of the way she acted in Coveted. Originally I’d found her condescending, immature, weak and incredibly scattered-brained. However, it didn’t take me long to realize that that was the old Stravinsky. This new version is taking steps to deal with her illness, facing adversity head-on and no longer seems to suffer from a superiority complex. I like the Nat in Kept; she’s actually someone who I’m interested in learning more about! By the end of this novel she’d done a complete 180 from her original character and I was overjoyed with her transformation.

Thorn is another character that evolved into a much better version of himself. In book one I found him underdeveloped, unappealing as a love interest and just plain bland. It’s extremely hard for me to become interested in an alpha male when he’s not overly hunk-y. Thorn really brought his A-game in this installment and by the end I was no longer adamantly opposed to him being a potential mate for Nat. I still prefer Nick over the werewolf but seeing how I gave this series a second chance I think that Thorn deserves one as well. Plus, there were some interesting twists thrown into this love triangle that lead me to believe that even though a choice was made at the end of Kept, nothing’s final.

The overall story was 100 times better than the one in the first novel; this book actually felt like it had a purpose instead of the previous one’s questionable attempt at a relevant plot line. I was engaged to the point of being eager to find out what was going to happen next. There’s a few storylines in this novel and I enjoyed the way that Shawntelle transitioned from one to the other. It was smooth, logical and ensured that there was never a dull moment to be had. The ending was surprising and I’ll definitely be picking up the third book when it’s released.

Kept is a fantastic read that can easily stand on its own; in fact, I’d probably recommend you start with this one. The quality of the writing, story and characters is remarkably better than those seen in the book one. Had this been the first installment I wouldn’t have been so hesitant to continue reading this series. I’m happy that I gave Shawntelle Madison a second chance and if you also struggled with Coveted, you should too.

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Oct 29, 2012 Laurie Gold rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy-rom

Though Kept is the second in Shawntelle Madison's Coveted series, it's the first I've read, leaving me at somewhat of a disadvantage given that urban fantasy novels are notoriously tough to dive into unless you start at the beginning. But the notion of a werewolf heroine with OCD was something I couldn't pass up, so I downloaded the book via Netgalley. Then I sat down and didn't get up again until hours later when I'd finished reading.

Natalya Stravinsky lives in Jersey. She comes from a large...more Though Kept is the second in Shawntelle Madison's Coveted series, it's the first I've read, leaving me at somewhat of a disadvantage given that urban fantasy novels are notoriously tough to dive into unless you start at the beginning. But the notion of a werewolf heroine with OCD was something I couldn't pass up, so I downloaded the book via Netgalley. Then I sat down and didn't get up again until hours later when I'd finished reading.

Natalya Stravinsky lives in Jersey. She comes from a large Russian immigrant family. They love her--well, except for her horrendous alpha great aunt, who has my vote for Bitch of the Year. Nat suffers from OCD and a lack of control when stressed out, something which led to her being tossed out of her pack. But she's got great friends from her paranormal therapy group, in particular, a wizard, a mermaid, and a muse. When her father goes missing, they assist her as she tries to find and free him from a paranormal mobster in Atlantic City. Turns out her dad owes a blood debt, and Nat swears she'll pay it. To fulfill the debt, though, she must fight an ever-more and ever-growing number of dangerous paranormals.

As far as her personal life, well, it's a mess. Nick, whom she met in therapy, wants to be more than a friend. But he's a wizard, and werewolves and wizards don't mix. Even worse, she still has feelings for her ex-boyfriend Thorn, the alpha heir of her pack, now set to marry another werewolf. Okay...let me revise. That other werewolf is actually Bitch of the Year. Nat's great aunt is just Bitch of the Family.

And then there are the trials, a set of physical labors she will need to endure if she is to rejoin her pack. Her brother arranges to train her for them, but it's really a trick to re-involve Thorn in her life. While this works in terms of the story, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Why would her brother put Thorn and Nat together knowing they cannot have each other? As a plot device, therefore, it's both a strong and weak one.

Her re-involvement with Thorn extends beyond their training sessions when Nat goes to free her dad. Along the way she learns scary and sad things about both men who love her regarding their paranormal skills and futures. But she also learns what her heart wants, and what she's willing to do get her man.

It's pretty hard to categorize this series in that it rarely requires more than one book to unite a couple in a romance. Then too, a great deal of Kept is straight urban fantasy, including the descriptions of intimate moments (which means they aren't as well written as those in a romance), although I will say that there is no indiscriminate sex. In the end I'd put this one in the romance camp because as the story shifts to home and the trials she must endure, Nat's love life becomes a major focus. She shows herself to be pretty spectacular, as does the man she loves.

Look for Kept in late November in both print and digitally. My digital copy came from Netgalley.(less)

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Nov 20, 2012 Christal rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: weres-and-shifters, urban-fantasy, arcs, fae, female-lead, magic, mermaids, lesser-known-creatures, witches-warlocks-and-mages, goblins-trolls-gnomes

See this review and others like it at BadassBookReviews.com!

Kept is the follow-up to Shawntelle Madison’s debut novel, Coveted. It was a strong entry into the series and featured an interesting plot filled with double-crosses, insecurities, challenges, failures, and triumphs. Natalya continues to be a strong voice in the over-crowded UF genre, but the supporting characters are what makes this novel unique and gives the world a depth I think would be missing if the series focused solely on the we...more See this review and others like it at BadassBookReviews.com!

Kept is the follow-up to Shawntelle Madison’s debut novel, Coveted. It was a strong entry into the series and featured an interesting plot filled with double-crosses, insecurities, challenges, failures, and triumphs. Natalya continues to be a strong voice in the over-crowded UF genre, but the supporting characters are what makes this novel unique and gives the world a depth I think would be missing if the series focused solely on the werewolves. I really enjoyed this novel, but I did have two issues with it that had me waffling between 3 and 4 stars. I finally settled on 4 stars because the many positives outweighed my gripes.

The characters in this series are fabulous. I love that Natalya’s OCD isn’t magically cured overnight and that it is a constant struggle for her. We can see that she has made progress in this novel, but the urges are still there. Nat’s internal battles help to ground her as a character and make her flawed and believable. Even though Nat refers to herself as a submissive wolf, I think she has an inner dominant streak. If she can just believe in herself more consistently, I think we will be seeing a much more “alpha” Natalya Stravinsky. Nat’s family is back in this novel and I like them much better here. They have finally accepted her and treat her the way she should be treated. I still love her grandmother and am eager to see if the Old Magic comes into the story more in the next book. Of course Nat’s therapy group makes an appearance! I love them all; they are quirky and funny, but truly supportive and Nat connects to them in a way she doesn’t seem to connect with anyone else.

The first 60% of this novel deals with Natalya and her father’s moon debt. He has gotten himself into some trouble and it is up to Nat to get him out. She showed a lot of backbone and self-confidence here. I was really proud of her for standing up for her family and doing the right thing. The “road trip” with Nat, Abby the Muse, Holly the mermaid, and Nick the white wizard was hilarious and thrilling all at once. I love the way these characters interact and the support that they give one another. I hope that we see more of Abby and Holly in the next book, as they are off on their own adventures by the end of this one. The moon debt is wrapped up around the 200 page mark, with Natalya returning to her family and finally getting the recognition from them that she deserves.

The last 100 or so pages of this novel focus on Nat’s challenge to rejoin the pack. She must complete a ten-mile run, make it through an obstacle course, and win a fight against another initiate. She is determined to rejoin the pack and regain her honor, but of course stinky Erica has a plan to deteriorate Nat’s chances of completing the challenges. Nat has infinite amounts of intestinal fortitude, but she’s not the most physically powerful werewolf around. The way the challenge day finished was a shock to me; I didn’t see that coming at all. It’s a game changer for this series and I’m eager to see how it affects Nat (and Thorn) going forward. I still really dislike the pack and its dynamics. I’m hoping that the events of this book will have an effect on the pack leadership and change the way the pack members are treated.

This is where my first gripe comes into play… I didn’t feel like the two stories were connected enough. It was almost like we had two books in one because each wrapped up separately and didn’t really intertwine. They were like vignettes of Nat’s life that didn’t come together to form a cohesive story. They each had a conflict, separate characters involved, and a resolution. It seemed as if they could have been separated into two different books. Good thing I enjoyed both of the stories though. Anyways…

During her time back with her family, Nat also begins to examine her feelings for ex-boyfriend Thorn and possible new flame Nick. Thorn is still engaged to Erica but both he and Nat cannot deny their continued attraction to one another. Nick and Nat share so many things in common and are definitely starting to spark, but an action Nick takes to save Nat’s life during the moon debt story sets their relationship back and has Nat questioning the extent of Nick’s magic. I appreciated that Ms. Madison didn’t keep dragging this triangle out; Nat makes her decision between the two men by the end of the book. I’m not going to tell you who she chooses, but my second gripe was that I didn’t buy Thorn’s feelings for Nat. I truly feel her longing for him and I am completely invested in Nick’s feelings towards Nat, but Thorn always came off kind of flat to me. I’m not sure why, but I never connected to him and his love for Nat. We’ll see how the feelings both men have for Nat are dealt with in the coming novels; even though Nat made her choice, you can be sure that there are still complicated feelings running throughout the trio.

All in all, this was a solid read and I recommend this series to anyone looking for a new take on the werewolf story. While Natalya isn’t as physically kick butt as some UF heroines, she is smart and feisty and can hold her own in a confrontation. The world itself is unique and the characters are very enjoyable. I am looking forward to the next novel in Ms. Madison’s world.

Thank you to Edelweiss and Ballantine Books for providing an ARC copy of this book!(less)

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Oct 14, 2012 Paris rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, favorite-fictional-females, humor, kick-ass-heroine, kindle, must-read-series, netgalley, must-read-author, rereadable, urban-fantasy

Like the first book in the series, Kept is filled with awesomeness. It’s funny and heartbreaking and heartwarming and action-packed. The characters are well developed and interesting even down to the clichéd mean girl. Shawntelle Madison has quickly jumped on to my must read author list. I’m actually bummed that there are only two books of hers to read so far, but I can’t wait to purchase them for my collection. This is most definitely a series I can read over and over.

Natalya is exactly what I...more

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Dec 05, 2012 Talk Supe Blogspot rated it 5 of 5 stars

Full review at Talk Supe

Oh, Nat! Thank God you finally found your way. For a second there I thought you're just going to roll over like the good pup that you are.

KEPT is leaps and bounds beyond its predecessor, if you've read Coveted and had doubts about the series and SMadison's storytelling throw that out the window because KEPT will blow you away! SMadison was just warming up and went full throttle with this one, I can't wait to read what's next for Natalya Stravinsky now that she's got the...more

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Mar 03, 2013 Minie rated it 3 of 5 stars

The first half of the book was more of Natalya's short comings and whining. Definitely a lot of whining, and it got a bit annoying after a while. I don't like to not like my protagonist. Lol.. Duh?!? I understand she's a weakling and is developing her skills/character in the book.. But it got to be too much.. Show me some other good sides too. Something to keep me interested. I put the book down several times and had to force myself back.. I'm glad I kept at it.. Because it got better at the end...more

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Feb 12, 2013 CoffeeTimeRomance andMore rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-romance

Little by little Natalya Stravinsky is slowly being allowed access to family gatherings, yet it pains her that the Pack still sees her as weak and inferior. Group therapy is helping with the anxiety and OCD, although Nat will really have to buck up if she is going to pass the trials to get accepted into the Pack.

Adhering to the Code and putting the Pack first is why Thorn is in this predicament. It tears him up to see the pain in Nat’s eyes, knowing he put it there and is continuing to do so.

I...more

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Feb 02, 2013 Morwa Pal rated it 4 of 5 stars

In the second of her werewolf saga, Kept, Shawntelle Madison continues to weave the exciting tale of obsessive-compulsive werewolf, Natalya Stravinsky, who will do anything to protect her family. Banned from the pack, Natalya’s therapy sessions do little to help her hoarding ways or cope with the fact that the love of her life, Thorn Grantham, is engaged to a higher ranking female, Erica Holden. When a moon debt threatens to tear her family apart, Natalya must risk her life to save her father. W...more

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Dec 31, 2012 drey rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-reads, urban-fantasy

Natalya Stravinsky is not your everyday werewolf. After all, there aren’t very many werewolves who’re a little neurotic, and a lot OCD. If I could’ve read the first book in the series, Coveted, before Kept, I’m guessing I would’ve learned a lot more about Nat. Not that it’s necessary – Shawntelle Madison does a really nice job telling us exactly what we need to know.

The plot’s a bit complicated, with Russian mobs, vengeful fairies, family debts, honor, and dysfunctional relationships. Oh, and le...more

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Dec 30, 2012 Aira rated it 3 of 5 stars

Kept picks up almost right after Coveted giving our poor heroine Nat, no time to recover (view spoiler) I strongly recommend reading the first book before picking this one up since it gives you a better understanding of the characters and their personalities

Kept was a hell lot better than Coveted, where that one was an okay not very memorable 2 starred book with the main character driving me bat shit...more

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Dec 30, 2012 CD Keith rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: alpha-male, magic, netgalley, paranormal, paranormal-romance, possesive-male, read-to-review, shapeshifters, shifters, urban-fantasy, witches, werewolves

Kept picks up where Coveted left off. Natalya is a werewolf with OCD , anxiety disorder, and an obsession with collection Christmas ornaments. Due to all of her issues she was thrown out of her pack. She was just recently accepted back into her family. One thing positive in her life is her best friend Aggie. She goes to therapy with other supernaturals who are trying to deal with disorders. In therapy she has met Nick the wizard and she spends the entire book struggling with her attraction to hi...more

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Dec 18, 2012 Beth rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley, paranormal-romance, paranormal, werewolf, fairy, mermaids, muse, witches, warlocks

Natalya Stravinsky struggles with OCD every day. She definitely has some interesting neuroses. Did I mention that Natalya is also a werewolf? She was recently an outcast but after valiantly defending her pack/family from another pack attack, Natalya has a chance to redeem her position.

Although she wants to regain her life in the South Toms River pack, every time she turns around she is tormented by her ex-boyfriend, Thorn. His father has decided as pack leader, that Thorn will marry Erica.

Nata...more

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Nov 25, 2012 Sharon Tyler rated it 4 of 5 stars

Kept by Shawntelle Madison is the follow up to young adult novel Coveted, and will be released on November 27 2012. The characters of Kept continue the urban fantasy story surrounding Natalya Stravinsky, a werewolf with a compulsive disorder. Her ex boyfriend is slated to be the alpha and engaged to snooty Erica. Nick and the other friends from Nat's therapy group make their appearances along with Nat's best friends and family. Love, war, and friendship collide just when Nat needs a little down...more Kept by Shawntelle Madison is the follow up to young adult novel Coveted, and will be released on November 27 2012. The characters of Kept continue the urban fantasy story surrounding Natalya Stravinsky, a werewolf with a compulsive disorder. Her ex boyfriend is slated to be the alpha and engaged to snooty Erica. Nick and the other friends from Nat's therapy group make their appearances along with Nat's best friends and family. Love, war, and friendship collide just when Nat needs a little down time. Her father's past has caught up with him and the possibility of a serious love triangle blooms. Could saving her father and trying to rejoin the pack be the end of Nat, or will the danger help her rise above the challenges she faces. Resolution on all fronts is offered.

I really enjoyed Coveted, and so admit to moving Kept up in my book queue, simply to see what would happen next. I still love Natalya, Nick, Thorn, and the variety of quirky characters in the story. I think the suspense and action in the story were wonderfully handled. Nat's father and the deal made around that leads to a broader storyline, which I loved. I enjoyed just about every bit of conflict here, and the solid resolutions the book offers. My only complaint is that I expected more. Not more from this book, but more openings for Nat's story to continue. I felt like either her story could have either fit into one larger book with other characters getting their own books in the future, or that more could have stood in Nat's way so that the series could have continued on. I still enjoyed the read, and am glad I read it, but felt a little let down when I read the last line. I do not think I am ready to say goodbye to these quirky characters.

I recommend Kept to everyone that has read and loved Coveted. If you have not read it yet, then go read it and follow it up quickly with Kept to finish Natalya's story. I hope that Madison continues writing novels set in the world she has created here. I would love to see where the stories of other members in Nat's family and therapy group go post Kept. In fact, I just visited Amazon to get Collected, the prequel to Coveted, which I plan on reading as soon as possible.(less)

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Nov 21, 2012 JenniferJ rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: setting-new-jersey, urban-fantasy, kindle, zzz2012, absolute-favorite-books

Kept pretty much picks up where Coveted leaves off with Natalya still struggling and in therapy with her OCD and trying to regain her place inside the pack again but as if that's not enough on her plate her father goes missing and Nat is basically the only one who can make things right but she wont be able to get any help from another werewolf. Instead as in Coveted she will have to rely on her therapy group of misceallaneous friends for help and support.

I really am enjoying this series because...more

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Nov 12, 2012 Shauni rated it 3 of 5 stars

Allow me to introduce you to the world of Shawntelle Madison.. Let me tell you just from reading this book I know I seriously want to meet this woman. I mean seriously, who would even think to create a story about a werewolf with OCD? and who goes to group therapy? Just the concept cracks my up.. and Ms Madison follows through.

Kept is actually the second book in this series the first being coveted that I have not read yet. I know all my OCD buttons have been seriously pushed lately. All these ar...more

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Nov 08, 2012 Fangs for the Fantasy rated it 4 of 5 stars

At the end of Coveted, Natalya Stravinsky had battled alongside her friends and fellow pack members to protect their hunting land from invasion. Through therapy, she was working through her issues with OCD and hoarding. When a flood had wrecked most of her precious Christmas ornaments, her family came together and for the first time since having a serious panic attack at a clan event, the Stravinsky family embraced Natalya. All in all, things were looking up. Though Coveted ended in a happy plac...more At the end of Coveted, Natalya Stravinsky had battled alongside her friends and fellow pack members to protect their hunting land from invasion. Through therapy, she was working through her issues with OCD and hoarding. When a flood had wrecked most of her precious Christmas ornaments, her family came together and for the first time since having a serious panic attack at a clan event, the Stravinsky family embraced Natalya. All in all, things were looking up. Though Coveted ended in a happy place, it was clear that Natalya still had a lot of issues to deal with.

At the beginning of Kept, we see that the family bond between Natalya and the other Stravinskys has only grown stronger. The question is, has she grown strong enough to deal with the trials awaiting her? Natalya is determined to get back into the pack, though all of the werewolves still see her as strange. When she takes on her father's blood debt, the task assigned is much more difficult than she could have imagined. Being banned from taking any aid from another werewolf, Natalya is once again forced to rely on her friends from her therapy group, thus bringing herself closer to Nick the wizard. Something sparks between them, but she is not sure if she can let go of her feelings for Throne, the alpha apparent of the pack. If nothing else, the completion of this task will ensure that the Stravinsky clan will be able to remain in the pack with honour. As Natalya tries to work out her feelings for the two men that she loves, Thornes betrothed is not the least bit pleased that such a low ranking wolf still occupies his heart.

Having an ass kicking protagonist is not new in urban fantasy. In fact, it happens so often that it's almost a cliche. Natalya has a touch of the spunky agent in her, in that she rushes off without thinking things through clearly. Her motivations are good and she is most certainly honourable, but rushing into action without any plans whatsoever is ridiculous. It puts her in a position to call for help because she is overwhelmed and not because she has wisely decided that she needs it.

One of the things that I loved about this series from the very beginning, is the myriad of disabled characters. I said it in the last review but it bears repeating, this is something rare for urban fantasy and I absolutely love it. Madison could have taken the opportunity in this book to show growth of Natalya's character by erasing her disability. We have too often seen disability cast aside in the media, when it become inconvenient because it is time to see a character grow and change. While Natalya does not spend as much time caressing and loving her ornaments in this book, it's clear that her OCD is in full swing, even as she battles the bad guys and takes on difficult challenges. Natalya just doesn't play "super crip" and rise above, she still performs acts like obsessive hand washing and wiping everything down with antibacterial wipes, as she fights for her family and her place.

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Oct 10, 2012 Stephanie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Original Post on Fangs, Wands and Fairy Dust 10/10/2012
KEPT by Shawntelle Madison
Love Versus Duty, Which is Right?

KEPT: A Coveted Novel
Shawntelle Madison

Ballantine/Random House November 27, 2012
Mass Market Paperback and e-book formats: 320 pages
E-Galley Loaned by Random House via Edelweiss. No remuneration was exchanged and unless noted otherwise, all opinions herein are my own.

Fresh from defending her pack in battle, Natalya Stravinsky, a whip-smart werewolf with a lovable neurotic streak, wan

...more

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Nov 23, 2012 Kathy Martin rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this quirky story. Our heroine Natalya is coping with her OCD, pining for Thorn who is her former boyfriend and now planning for an arranged marriage with Erica, and confused about her relationship with white wizard Nick. When her father doesn't return home after doing some sort of job for an old colleague in Atlantic City, Nat, her brother Alex, and Thorn go there to find out where he is.

Nat learns that her father had incurred a blood debt that was finally called in. The first...more

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Jan 01, 2013 Lisa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: earc, kindle

This is book 2 in the Coveted series by Shawntelle Madison. I have not read book 1 but i have it and am reading in reverse it seems. I think you can read this on it's own but it would be better with having read book 1 first to catch some of the back story to this book. That being said i really enjoyed this book. It's my first book by the author and i was pleasantly surprised how much i liked it. There are werewolves, Wizards, mermaids, muse's and a whole bunch of interesting characters. Natalya...more

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Nov 17, 2012 Naoms rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, netgalley-edelweis, nook, paranormal-urban-fantasy, read-in-2012, review-copy, shifters, witches-magic-users-shamans

Review originally posted on Confessions of an Opinionated Book Geek

3.5 Stars

At the start of “KEPT” Natalya Stravinsky is exactly where she left off in “COVETED,” at least mentally. Though she fought beside the pack and showed herself to be a brave wolf that will defend her family, she is still not accepted. Farley, the Pack Alpha, is finally willing to give Nat a chance to regain her place in the pack. First, she must succeed in ‘The Trials.’ The trials are a series of boot camp like tests that...more
Review originally posted on Confessions of an Opinionated Book Geek

3.5 Stars

At the start of “KEPT” Natalya Stravinsky is exactly where she left off in “COVETED,” at least mentally. Though she fought beside the pack and showed herself to be a brave wolf that will defend her family, she is still not accepted. Farley, the Pack Alpha, is finally willing to give Nat a chance to regain her place in the pack. First, she must succeed in ‘The Trials.’ The trials are a series of boot camp like tests that start with a 10 mile run and end with a fight to conquer the other wolves struggling for a place in the pack. On top of the training for the trials, which Natalya has yet to begin, Nat discovers that her father is missing.

Armed with the assistance of her colorful cast of co-stars and a bag of disinfected wipes, Nat goes on a journey that takes her throughout the North East in search of her father. Like its predecessor “KEPT,” is full action, heartbreak, triumphs and obsessive compulsive behaviors.

“KEPT” is an entertaining story that questions right from wrong and duty vs. desire. At the start of the series, we learn that despite their obstacles and past behavior Natalya and Thorn love each other. Five years prior, Thorn went to the west coast and didn’t return for five years. It was Thorn’s abandonment that led to Natalya’s breakdown and ultimately her being kicked out of the pack. Finally we learn what kept Thorn away and why they were separated in the first place, still excuses and explanations cannot solve the problem. Natalya is an outcast and Thorn is engaged to be the mate of a rich female chosen by his father. No matter how hard they try, these two cannot seem to avoid each other and sparks always fly.

Especially, when you add in Nat’s therapy partner the white wizard Nick. Things with Nick are easy. They get along well, they understand each other and Nick has proven time and again that he will come to Natalya’s aid whenever she needs him. They have a spark, but Natalya cannot seem to let Thorn go.

It’s probably obvious from my earlier review of “COVEDTED,” that I really enjoyed that book. Loved it, read it quickly and could not put it down. While entertaining I did not love “KEPT.” Perhaps it was because I went into the first book with no expectations and into its sequel full of hope and excitement, but “KEPT,” just did not stand up to my expectations.

First, I thought that Natalya made choices that weakened her character. I don’t mean due to her OCD or the actions she takes to rescue her father and win the respect of the family. No, it is her relationship with Thorn that turned me off to the book. Madison made some choices that really villainies Thorn’s fiancé Erica and even to a lesser extent, Nick. It was as if Madison wanted to give her characters reason to make choices that are not really acceptable.

There were times where I downright disliked Thorn. He’s this alpha male, who has buckled underneath his father’s demands and yet refuses to leave Natalya alone. There were moments where it felt as if Thorn was purposely baiting and making Natalya crazy with jealousy and want. He never takes a step back and always finds himself in the middle of her business as if he wants her to rely on him, even when she cannot have him. Madison tries to explain this away and make it seem that no matter what his situation, he loves her and must help her. Unfortunately, I’d made my mind up about Thorn since book 1. Also, Nick really comes through when Thorn is off being a pack wolf.

Love triangles aside, the story progresses in a way that did not stun me. I thought that Natalya’s journey to help her family was interesting, but as a whole I wasn’t wowed. There are new creatures introduced in this book, but I felt I was more interested in learning more about the creature we’ve already met. I wanted to know more about nymphs, muses and mermaids. Still, we’re introduced to the fae and Madison’s vision of them is very interesting. They are terrifying, vengeful and powerful. They have powers that could keep you up at night and at moments I was happy to see their power at work.

Despite being slightly disappointed, I will continue this series. Huge events take place at the end of this story and I really want to see where Madison is going to take her characters from this point. (less)

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Jan 16, 2013 Stephanie Johnson rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley-books

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Sep 29, 2012 Sophia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: pnr-uf

Alas, I must say that I enjoyed this sequel because I was past the 'introductory' material and partly because much of what I wanted to get answered from the first one was answered though in a way that left the door wide open still.

In this installment, things don't slow down for Natalya in the slightest. There are a lot of brands in the fire for her. At the beginning, Nat is still getting used to being back into the bosom of her family with the addition of a great-aunt from up north on a long ter...more Alas, I must say that I enjoyed this sequel because I was past the 'introductory' material and partly because much of what I wanted to get answered from the first one was answered though in a way that left the door wide open still.

In this installment, things don't slow down for Natalya in the slightest. There are a lot of brands in the fire for her. At the beginning, Nat is still getting used to being back into the bosom of her family with the addition of a great-aunt from up north on a long term visit who makes her life miserable. Alex is now adjusting to marriage and pending fatherhood, but he takes the time to arrange for her to personally train for the upcoming pack entrance trials. Nat observes that something is off with her parents, but until her dad disappears she wasn't aware of how bad the issue was. Her dad owes a blood debt that has been called in full. He either achieves whatever task is set for him or forfeits his life. So when he is gone too long, off to the rescue go Nat, Alex and Thorn who Nat is still breaking her heart over. When they track down her dad, Alex has to leave them because his wife goes into labor so it is up to Nat and Thorn to complete the first task in her father's stead. The first task offers some difficulty, but then there is worse to come that results in Natalya off on a mission to fulfill the debt and she can only call upon Nick and her resourceful therapy group friends to help her see it through.

The plot was tighter in this one since there wasn't as much world building required- though there was the introduction of the fae- and it was a direct continuation of what had gone on before in the first book with the addition of her father's debt. There was excitement, danger and light amounts of romance. The exciting moments when Nick and the gang joined her were my favorite parts and I was thrilled to finally read Thorn confess what happened five years ago when with no explanation, he left Natalya. I'm not big on love triangles and so the whole Nick-Natalya-Thorn thing was not quite something I fancied. To be honest, there's not much chance for a romance because she spends so much time getting out of bad situations with the help of one or the other of the men and her friends and she has an obvious preference. I have to admit that for the most part Nat tries really hard not to use anyone and goes for honesty in her dealings with both men. I think for me its just that I have a decided preference too, but I don't want to see the other one hurt because they're both hero types. The last portion of the story gets back to the pack trial and I didn't see the result of that turning out the way it did. Nat's one of those heroines that gets through on a lot of guts and luck.

As to characters, Natalya is still struggling with her hang-ups, but there is an obvious growth as she learns to deal and show a core of strength. Nick proved himself loyal, worthy and allowed his feelings to finally surface, but in one action he does something that Nat finds difficult to get past. Thorn was still the conflicted man who knows what he wants, but duty is always there to pull him back. Aggie gets some scenes, but for me I just adore Nat's grandmother who is the fount of wisdom and some humor. And yes, Evil Erica with all her envy and jealousy is back and in rare form.

It was an entertaining read. I look forward to seeing what is going to happen next for Nat and the gang.(less)

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Nov 10, 2012 Marcia rated it 5 of 5 stars

Kept, Shawntelle Madison

Natalya Stravinsky is back and as an outcast werewolf she has to prepare for the trials, the only way she can be granted pack status. If only the trials were the only thing she had to prepare for. Her father has been kidnapped and now she has to fulfill his blood debt along with train. Nat has to work with her OCD to settle the feud and earn her way back into the pack not to mention pretend to not care about her ex-alpha boyfriend’s engagement to her nemesis Erica. Along...more

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Jul 30, 2012 Andrea Heltsley rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads-books-for-review

Oh Thorn, *sigh* you are so swoon worthy, and Nick, *awe* you are so sweet! How will Nat choose between two such men? Well I guess you will have to read Kept to find out...

The story picks up where Coveted left off and I was immediately swept away. Coveted was such a great read and I expected nothing less of Kept.

Despite her flaws, Nat is such a strong and realistic character. I love her quirks and flaws. All the characters blended into a strongly woven story.

Just when I thought the book would...more

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Nov 29, 2012 Mandy Sickle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebooks, fiction, favorite-series, favorites, favorite-authors, kick-ass-heroine, love-the-cover, paranormal-mystery, paranormal-fantasy, read2review, reading-diaries-reviews, 2012, shifters, series-catch-up

I received Kept in return for an honest review from Edelweiss. Nat's back and this time she's getting ready for a test that if she passes will let her back in the pack but her father is missing. With the help of her brother they team up to find out what their mother knows, and learn that their dad has taken off to take care of his moon debt. However he's been missing and her mom is really upset, so they take off after him. Yet Nat doesn't feel right taking Alex since his baby is due to be born a...more I received Kept in return for an honest review from Edelweiss. Nat's back and this time she's getting ready for a test that if she passes will let her back in the pack but her father is missing. With the help of her brother they team up to find out what their mother knows, and learn that their dad has taken off to take care of his moon debt. However he's been missing and her mom is really upset, so they take off after him. Yet Nat doesn't feel right taking Alex since his baby is due to be born and attempts to make a dash with him to take care of it on her own.

Yet Alex and now Thorn catch up with her before she can get to Atlantic city to find her dad. Alex is one thing but having Thorn along is more than a girl can handle especially when it's hands off. After getting the information they need from the Russian werewolf Alex heads for home and the pair set off to see if they can find Nat's dad.

When Nat and Thorn show up at the goblins place they learn it was a trap to catch them and use Nat to get her father to finish the moon debt. Upon returning to the Russian werewolf they find Nat's dad and he's in bad shape refusing to kill someone he used to be friends with. Nat trying to save her father accepts the moon debt, sending her on a mission to deliver cargo in twenty four hours but on the drive she is attacked my Imps. Thankfully she calls in Nick her white wizard friend, Abby a muse, and Heidi a mermaid to help her deliver the cargo. However what should be easy isn't when they are being attacked by imps and chased by dark elves, and that's just to start. Not only does Nat have to worry about saving her family she has the added stress of the upcoming trial that will give her the chance at becoming part of the pack. Will Nat be able to save her family? Will she join the pack?

I can't say enough how much I love Nat she's a great character. Everything about her is so well created she's so likable I just love reading her stories. I feel like Nat has grown a lot as a character since the first book. This book just draws you in right from the start it's full of action, mystery, a little romance and a very special werewolf. I love the use of the different supernatural characters in the book they just add to the story-line. I really liked Nick but who can go wrong with the sexy werewolf Thorn, plus they are in love it's sweet to think about soul-mates. I find Nat a refreshing character because she has her issues but when it comes down to it she is willing to step out of her shell and do what it takes. I really hope to see another book in the series because the Coveted series is one of my favorite werewolf books because Nat is just a amazing character. (less)

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Nov 29, 2012 Jen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fv

Nat and Thorn/Nick

Interesting concept of an OCD heroine. Not sure she was quite for me though. Full review to come on Fiction Vixen Book Reviews

I am always on the look out for a good new urban fantasy series. When I saw the blurb for Kept I was excited that I might have found one.

Fresh from defending her pack in battle, Natalya Stravinsky, a whip-smart werewolf with a lovable neurotic streak, wants a little rest and relaxation. Once an outcast, she’s now eager to rejoin the ranks of her New Jers...more

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Nov 26, 2012 Heather Boustead rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: action-adventure, ebook, fantasy, romance, urban-fantasy, humour, adult

Kept
Coveted Book Two
By Shawntelle Madison

Natalya Stravincky is working to rebuild her relationship with her family and rejoin the ranks of her New Jersey pack. Suddenly her father goes missing she soon finds out that he owes a debt to the Russian werewolf mafia and she must work to repay his debt so they will free him. Along the way she gets assistance from various sources including her ex-boyfriend who is now engaged to someone else and she still loves, and a wizard who is patiently waiting for...more

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Nov 14, 2012 Trish rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-witch-warlock, paranormal-wolf, series, netgalleyarc

ARC provided by NetGalley

I swear when I picked this book, I had no clue it was the second book of a series. That said, I did not feel lost in the story that began with Coveted.

Nat Stravinsky is a snarky werewolf with a bad case of OCD. How she handles it in this book is amusing and provides some humorous dialogue. She has recently lost face in her family, but when her father has been kidnapped, she has the opportunity to finally prove herself.

She is left with the task to drive a beat-up truck a...more

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Kept (Coveted #2)

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