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Tempest Rising (Jane True #1)

by Nicole Peeler (Goodreads Author)

3.72 of 5 stars 3.72 · rating details · 4,593 ratings · 566 reviews

Living in small town Rockabill, Maine, Jane True always knew she didn't quite fit in with so-called normal society. During her nightly, clandestine swim in the freezing winter ocean, a grisly find leads Jane to startling revelations about her heritage: she is only half-human.

Now, Jane must enter a world filled with supernatural creatures alternatively terrifying, beautifu...more

Paperback, 359 pages

Published November 1st 2009 by Orbit Books (first published October 27th 2009)

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Best ADULT Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance

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Best Paranormal Romance Series

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Apr 21, 2011 Vinaya rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: bleh, could-have-been-better, fluff-fluffy-fluffest, mixed-vibes, pnr, urban-fantasy

This book is a classic case of trying too hard. It's that stupid boy in every class who makes gross fart jokes and thinks he's cool. When I first read the opening line of Mariel's review, where she says, "Nicole Peeler has a tin ear" I had NO idea what she meant. But now that I've finished the book, I know exactly what that means.

Tempest Rising is an urban fantasy written by someone who has no idea what urban fantasy ought to be. It's a humorous novel written by someone who thinks she's funny w...more

52 likes · like · see review

Feb 17, 2010 faeriemyst rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal, brain-candy, own

Horror, Romance, Mystery, Urban Fantasy? None of those really, though it falls under the UF genre.

I'm not quite sure why TEMPEST RISING is categorized as horror (fantasy - yes, horror - no), as there is nothing horrific at all about the book, except maybe a little bit of violence. The book was slow to start and, sadly, it never really got very far, and ended up more boring than not. The world building was good, and learning about the different species was interesting, but most of it was, at best...more Horror, Romance, Mystery, Urban Fantasy? None of those really, though it falls under the UF genre.

I'm not quite sure why TEMPEST RISING is categorized as horror (fantasy - yes, horror - no), as there is nothing horrific at all about the book, except maybe a little bit of violence. The book was slow to start and, sadly, it never really got very far, and ended up more boring than not. The world building was good, and learning about the different species was interesting, but most of it was, at best, just okay.

The character development was next to nil. Jane starts off decent enough, could be fairly witty, but as the book progressed she became less likeable and her inner monologue started to grate on my nerves. Even though she's had some tough experiences, overall she came across as rather juvenile and I wasn't very impressed with her. And how many 'duh' moments could one person possibly have? Yes, she's new to the 'supe' world, yes, she doesn't know all there is to it, but c'mon, use some smarts girl, it's not that hard to put two and two together. So now it comes to Ryu. Oh, Ryu, ye of no personality. You may be hot, but that's all you have going for you. Talk about a flat character, he was pretty darn boring, which was unfortunate because he took up a big part of the book, and I just plain didn't like him. I got pretty sick of Jane and Ryu going at it like rabbits all the time, which would have been better used by giving him some much needed personality. Along with that, maybe an explanation of how Ryu's Japanese (I'm guessing because of his first name and almond eyes) and who also just happens to be a baobhan sith, which is a type of female vampire, from Scotland at that. The most interesting characters were Anyan, and the town pariah's (that's Jane) many friends, both human and non. How a social outcast has so many friends is beyond me, but you know Jane is despised by her woe-is-me attitude and the two people who hate her. Despite what she thinks, I highly doubt the town revolves around her.

Some of the author's descriptions are confusing and I had to reread them to 'get' it. How can something be both squat and tall (pg. 216), pray tell? I'm still pondering that one. Also, the descriptions and analogies could be really odd, and not in a good way, more in a 'where in the world did that come from?' and 'what the heck?' sorta ways. Like what was up with Ryu's laugh? Barking like a seal, giggling like a choking Pomeranian, and whatever other weird ways he laughed. I'm sorry, but that's not very attractive, but I guess it was supposed to be funny and endearing. Editing problems arose when I couldn't figure out if a certain creature was a goblin or gremlin (there is a difference). I finally figured it out when goblin edged out gremlin for the lead. A mistake dealing with the Porsche's trunk was another minor detail that I picked up on, but most people would probably miss it. I only noticed because I've wanted a Porsche since I was ten. :P

The end does show some promise that Jane might actually get some grit, being a half-selkie is a nice change from the supernatural usual after all, and Ryu just might not be featured as much. So, even with all the problems I had with the book, which did unfortunately top what I did like about the book, I probably will check out the next book in the series.(less)

7 likes · like · see review

Aug 21, 2011 Amy or "Ames" rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: vampires, paranormal, 1st-in-series, read-in-2011, weres-shifters, i-heart-the-cover-art, series-abandoned, did-not-finish, to-donate

Pages read: 110/359. Conclusion: Life is too damn short.

I knew early on that I was never going to finish this book. The death knell went off every few pages.

It failed to suck me in. It was not funny even though it tried to be. There was a stereotypical lesbian couple (the butch one and the pretty one). Odd behaviour concerning a corpse -not necrophilia, though that would've been 1000x more interesting. The strange supernatural reveal and Jane's reaction to her mother's secret. I didn't feel any...more

5 likes · like · see review

Jan 26, 2011 Shera (Book Whispers) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy, amazon-lists, fairies-and-faye, mermaids-sirens-seacreatures, ebook-second

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Thoughts:

Tempest Rising has to be one of the strongest debuts of a series I’ve read in a long while. From the cover it brings to mind a light and fluffy story, with a flavor of humor. Instead what the reader gets is a book with the same flavor of the Sookie Stackhouse series, while it clearly stands alone and shares nothing but flavor with the Sookie books. It’s dark at times, but manages to crack a joke quite often without making Peeler look like she’s trying too hard.

Jane...more

8 likes · like · see review

Jan 30, 2012 Ferdy rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: boring-crap-hero, whiny-annoying-blah-heroine

Jane True's life is turned upside down when she finds out she is only half human. Jane is introduced to a new world of vampires, shapeshifters, gnomes and succubi. I had high hopes for this book and was largely disapponited..it just wasn't entertaining.
Things I didn't like:
-There were a lot of similarities to the 1st Sookie book..it read like a cheap rip off.
-Jane's inner monologues were boring, unnecessary and far too long.
-Jane's ridiculous conversations with her libido and virtue were annoyi...more

7 likes · like · see review

Jan 18, 2012 Jen (Red Hot Books) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Jen by: Cat Russell (Addicted2Heroines)

Shelves: jane-true, urban-fantasy

I truly, thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was original and unique. It was sexy and funny. It was unpredictable and smart.

The story centers on Jane True, a 20-something misfit living in a small Maine tourist town. She works at a small bookstore, takes care of her sick father, and has an abiding love for the sea. Jane has been an outcast in the town her whole life. Her mother made big waves, first when she appeared out of nowhere, then disappeared in much the same way when Jane was a child. But t...more

5 likes · like · see review

Feb 07, 2011 oliviasbooks rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fans of chicklitty romantasy

Shelves: urban-fantasy-paranormal, mermaids-selkies, unfinished-2011, gods-demons-angels-immortals, chick-lit, adult-fiction

I spontaneously give up after letting the already read 54 pages simmer for a while in my head. I truely cannot say that this first installment of the Jane-True-series is unrecommendable or badly written, so don't be put off by this not very deep and serious effort to review. Maybe the mist of boringness would have lifted after ten more pages - who knows? Right where I stopped a supernatural investigator with hot Asian features stepped into the scene and grabbed the perplexed heroine to hug her t...more I spontaneously give up after letting the already read 54 pages simmer for a while in my head. I truely cannot say that this first installment of the Jane-True-series is unrecommendable or badly written, so don't be put off by this not very deep and serious effort to review. Maybe the mist of boringness would have lifted after ten more pages - who knows? Right where I stopped a supernatural investigator with hot Asian features stepped into the scene and grabbed the perplexed heroine to hug her to his hard and muscle-covered shell. Well. Too, late, Ms Peeler, I had already subconsciously pressed the button to get off this train at the next stop. Can't annoy the conductor, you know?

Besides being bored there are some vague things that might have added to my decision to let the book go:

- Mermaids are my favorite paranormal creatures. (view spoiler)
- The stressing of the completely stereotype homesexuality of the couple owning the "Read it and Weep" Bookstore (o.k., nice name), Grizelda and Tracy, got quickly on my nerves. Yes, Tracy is big and guyish and Grizelda is a girlish former porn star with a booming voice and the stage name Dusty Nethers, who likes to present everybody with sex toys, be it at a christening or at a funeral. After some lines I got the drift and was okay with it, but the author had to chew on that bone like a dog without teeth.
- The absolute stupid behavior of the heroine when she discovers a corpse in the water. She apologizes, but that wasn't sufficient.
- The unspectacular und unbelievable discussion when Jane is told the truth about herself and her mum.
- The awkward way in which the authour tries to keep the mystery by feeding us pieces of Jane's fallout with the tourist town's regulars in irregular and illogical bites.
- The funny parts didn't get me. At all. Don't know why.
- And finally the blurb by the publisher on the backcover: "If you love Sookie Stackhouse, then you'll want to dive into Nicole Peeler's enchanting debut novel." Excuse me, Orbit. Do not tell me what I want. You think Jane True compares to Sookie only because some smalltown inhabitants shun/fear her for some obscure thing she did? You think Jane and Sookie are alike because they both lack a boyfriend in the beginning? Ha! Think again. Creating a likable heroine with spunk and flaws is NOT easy-peasy.

Oh. This turned into a rant. I am sorry. Reading 54 pages does not really qualify me for that priviledge. I know.
(less)

8 likes · like · see review

Sep 23, 2012 Emily rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, audio-books, urban-fantasy

2.5 stars. I liked the setting and the cast of characters, and it got my interest enough that I'll listen to the next one to see where the story goes.

The writing was kind of cutesy: laugh-out-loud funny at times, and hard to take at others(all the different parts of her body and mind being personified got tiresome). It will take another book for me to figure out if I like the protagonist or not. Part of the ambivalence I feel could be due to the audio book reader, who is probably perkier than I...more

1 like · like · see review

Mar 26, 2013 Cher rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book. The story revolves around a 26 year old Jane True from a small town.Her past holds horrible events that she and the town can't put behind them. One night Jane is confronted with creatures that shed some light onto her life but also raises more questions. From that day forth, Jane's whole world is turned upside down and she starts to learn who and what she is. I won't say anymore about the plot.The book jacket does this sooo much better then anything I could add. I was...more

1 like · like · see review

Jul 04, 2011 Debora rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fisicamente_posseduto, read_2011, preferiti, ebook

La Principessa delle Tempeste è il primo romanzo della nuova serie urban fantasy (con decisi tocchi romance) per adulti di Nicole Peeler. Nonostante una copertina decisamente troppo "young", perfino bruttina se proprio vogliamo essere onesti, il romanzo regala al lettore esattamente ciò che promette: qualche ora di intrighi, passione e divertimento.

Lo stile dell'autrice ricorda un po' quello di L.K.Hamilton con il suo continuo "ironizzare" e, soprattutto, l'onnipresente autoironia (con tanto di...more La Principessa delle Tempeste è il primo romanzo della nuova serie urban fantasy (con decisi tocchi romance) per adulti di Nicole Peeler. Nonostante una copertina decisamente troppo "young", perfino bruttina se proprio vogliamo essere onesti, il romanzo regala al lettore esattamente ciò che promette: qualche ora di intrighi, passione e divertimento.

Lo stile dell'autrice ricorda un po' quello di L.K.Hamilton con il suo continuo "ironizzare" e, soprattutto, l'onnipresente autoironia (con tanto di monologhi interiori assolutamente esilaranti!) della protagonista che, goffa e un po' assurda, sconfina spesso nell'autoflagellazione. Povera Jane, dopotutto non deve essere stato semplice essere metà umana e metà foca, visto che stiamo parlando della figlia mezzosangue di una selkie (esseri marini in grado di mutare in uomini le foche).

La protagonista, è veramente divertente e con una mente molto assurda. Spesso ci chiediamo se sia semplicemente pazza o qualcosa di diverso... Molto probabilmente è qualcosa di "diverso", troppo presto però per giudicare. Le sue reazioni di fronte alle creature soprannaturali che, scoprirà, la circondano non sono abbastanza "assurde e prive di controllo", come molti lettori hanno notato. Probabilmente è vero, Jane True non si fa prendere dal panico e di fronte ad un bel vampiro perde l'ormon...ehm, la bussola. La ragazza non si lascia andare a pianti isterici, interminabili crisi di nervi o fughe nella notte in preda al panico, semplicemente assimila le informazioni che le vengono poste e piano piano si rende conto di essere sempre stata troppo strana e di aver provato sempre cose troppo diverse rispetto agli altri e incomprensibili per permettersi il lusso di dubitare; dopotutto era una ragazza che in inverno, ogni mattina, si faceva una nuotata vicino ad un gorgo che aveva ucciso decine di persone e non ha mai avuto neanche un raffreddore, no?

Vista in questa ottica il comportamento le reazioni, apparentemente incomprensibili, di Jane assumono tutta un'altra sfumatura e riusciamo ad accettarlo.

Quello che non accettiamo pienamente è il comportamente del co-protagonista Ryu, vampiro investigatore di professione e sexy-gigolò nel tempo libero; ovviamente quando le due cose non si sovrappongono.

Ryu non viene tratteggiato abbastanza bene, o meglio, non viene tratteggiato affatto. Sappiamo che è un investigatore, sappiamo che ha 260 anni o giu di lì e che come vede Jane ha già praticamente deciso che se la sarebbe portata a letto. Fine. Profondità emotiva pari, se non inferiore, alle battutacce a sfondo sessuali che propina a Jane e fanno nuovamente dubitare della sanità mentale della donna: perchè non replicare con un bello schiaffo? Magari sono gli 8 anni di astinenza della ragazza a placare la sua stizza.

Quindi, riassumendo, abbiamo un bellissimo background su cui si muovono due protagonisti, uno interessante e un po' svampito e uno talmente piatto da lasciar basiti. Nuovamente però, di fronte alla consapevolezza che stiamo leggendo il primo di un'ennesima saga, ci fermiamo e decidiamo di dare fiducia a questo fantomatico Ryu.

Un altro personaggio intrigante e molto equivoco è Anyan, uomo o cane a seconda delle esigenze, ci chiediamo con una certa ansia se in futuro dovremo sorbirci un'ennessimo triangolo amoroso alla Twilight. Personalmente mi auguro di cuore - e di fegato - di no, sinceramente potrei avere il tanto atteso tracollo nervoso che molti lettori si aspettavano da Jane di fronte ai mutaformi, gnomi e goblin.

Un paranormal thriller che brilla in quanto orginalità, confezionato in una versione economica "Newton Pocket" un po' ingannevole, ma molto conveniente, che sicuramente ci permette di essere "curiosi" e di dare una seconda opportunità a questa serie. Cosa sono, dopotutto, 6€ quando, in cambio, potremmo scovare, finalmente, qualcosa di divertente e nuovo?(less)

1 like · like · see review

Jul 19, 2011 Lisa O. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, uf-or-pnr, ya-lit

I think it is important to approach this book with the right expectations.
If you think you will read some kick-ass Urban Fantasy with a strong heroine à la Kate Daniels, forget about it and go pick up something else with a lot of steel and leather on the cover because, really, what did you expect from a book with THIS cover?
On the contrary, if you like rather grotesque stories with a twisted sense of humor and the OPPOSITE of a kick-ass heroine, this might be just right up your alley.

Jane is f...more I think it is important to approach this book with the right expectations.
If you think you will read some kick-ass Urban Fantasy with a strong heroine à la Kate Daniels, forget about it and go pick up something else with a lot of steel and leather on the cover because, really, what did you expect from a book with THIS cover?
On the contrary, if you like rather grotesque stories with a twisted sense of humor and the OPPOSITE of a kick-ass heroine, this might be just right up your alley.

Jane is from Rockabill, Maine. She works in a bookshop, lives with her father and is a swimmer. She is well-known in town because she is the daughter of a woman who suddenly disappeared 20 years earlier, abandoning her and her father, and also for being involved in the death of her boyfriend Jason, in a weird suicide-rescue attempt case.
But when, during a swim, she finds the (murdered) body of a villager she knew, she becomes unwillingly involved in a mystery which will lead to the truth about her (supernatural) origins and which will make her fear for her life.

This is a book in which the Main Character is fundamental. If you don't like her persona, her continuous internal monologue or her sense of humor, you will not like this book. I liked her very much. She is very different from all heroines I've encountered so far, but in a good way for me. She is a goofy character who talks about herself in a very self-deprecating way and she makes the lamest jokes. To which I laughed, of course. To me she is a very enjoyable character to whom I could relate. Thinking about the most absurd, superfluous and just downright stupid details during either highly dramatic or romantic moments? Story of my life. So I totally got her in all her goofy moments. This is also why, during the first sex scene, one of the most "off-turning" (am I making up words here?) I have ever read, I was laughing my ass off at the mention of "chesticles" and "undercarriage". I felt like I was watching The Naked Gun.Totally comic.

On the other hand, I didn't care much for Ryu. Something felt off about him and I didn't like his veiled condescending attitude towards Jane, treating her like a rare specimen of some exotic plant that he needed for his collection. But then again, it is pretty obvious Ryu is not going to stay so the author is clearly trying not to make us sympathize too much with him. I'm curious to see how she develops that.

What I liked less about this book and which led me to the 4 star rating has to do with the plot which can be summed up in two words for you: Sookie Stackhouse.
While, in my opinion, the two heroines bear close to no resemblance to each other, Jane's role in the plot, the plot itself and all that political-intrigue-at-court mumbo jumbo strongly reminded me of the Southern Vampires Mysteries.
In the second part of the book, BECAUSE of the mumbo jumbo, the narration lost a bit of its verve, and I realized that my eyes got the tendency to glaze over occasionally. Fortunately the finale, although quite predictable, opens up new territory which I will be glad to explore in the next books of the series - which I have been guaranteed that get better and better.

All in all, a good first installment to what I hope will be a fresh, filled-with-humour, supernatural-with-a-twist series for people who, just sometimes, don't like to take themselves - and what they read - too seriously.(less)

11 likes · like · see review

Mar 20, 2010 JG (The Introverted Reader) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: author_american, chick_lit, covers_i_like, fantasy, fiction, just_plain_fun, mystery, read_in_2010, reviewed, setting_us, paranormal, titles_i_like, 3_stars

Jane True is practically an outcast in her small town of Rockabill, Maine. She finds solace in swimming in the ocean, dangerously close to the whirlpool known as The Old Sow. When she finds a body in the water, her world changes beyond all recognition.

I have gone back and forth, alternating between clicking 3 stars and 4 stars countless times. Hurry up with the half stars already, GoodReads! You're killing me here! (Said as nicely as possible)

The big draw for me was the cover. I love it! It does...more Jane True is practically an outcast in her small town of Rockabill, Maine. She finds solace in swimming in the ocean, dangerously close to the whirlpool known as The Old Sow. When she finds a body in the water, her world changes beyond all recognition.

I have gone back and forth, alternating between clicking 3 stars and 4 stars countless times. Hurry up with the half stars already, GoodReads! You're killing me here! (Said as nicely as possible)

The big draw for me was the cover. I love it! It does make the book like it might be YA though, and it is not YA. Sex. Lots of sex. Need I say more?

This was a lot of fun, and I really liked Jane, her problems and her world. There's such a wealth of supernatural beings to choose from out there, it's nice to see an author taking advantage of that rather than dwelling on the vamps and weres.

I don't know if I just had to get used to Peeler's style or if the beginning really was an info dump, but I was a little disappointed when I first started. I've been looking forward to reading this for a while, and I did not expect to be less-than-thrilled at the beginning.

Jane's Libido killed me. It was practically a character, hence the capitalization I gave it. It's pretty clear what part of Jane is thinking, "This guy's super-hot!" without being told that it's her Libido. Or her Lady Bits. Or whatever. There should be a supernatural rock band called "Jane's Libido" worked somewhere into the series! Hee hee! I obviously think I'm funny. ;-)

Jane is pretty funny. I laughed out loud pretty consistently throughout the book. Her descriptions of some of the "supes" she meets are hilarious, and I could appreciate her self-deprecating sense of humor. When she meets Trill the kelpie, my husband finally gave up and asked me what I was laughing at. Mostly he tries to ignore me when I go into gales of laughter for no obvious reason. (Now you're wondering how often that happens, aren't you?)

Mostly though, I just had fun reading this and checking out this world. Ryu is just hawt and I really, really, really want to find out more about Anyan. I knew what was going on there pretty early on, but I still want to know more. I'm definitely going to continue on with the series. I do recommend this. Just be prepared for Jane's Libido.(less)

2 likes · like · see review

Dec 25, 2012 Book Chick City rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy, book-list-2010

Tempest Rising is the first book in the 'Jane True' series and Nicole Peeler's debut. It's a light read with fun characters and magical creatures.

The story begins with Jane who's trying to deal with a lot of painful history. Her mother left her and her father when Jane was only six, and the death of her boyfriend who she had known practically her entire life. The only thing in her life that Jane can totally rely on is the ocean and her nightly swims, until one night Jane pulls a dead body from t...more

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Feb 19, 2011 Ghadeer A rated it 4 of 5 stars

i really enjoyed this book . although it has some similarities with Sookie stackhouse series it did not bother me . i also loved the fact that Jane is a selkie its so original.
i know we are sick and tired of love triangles but in this book it was not so obvious that it makes you frustrated it was subtle wich i appreciate . and the humer was good and at times crude wich i like :)

the only reason i did not rate it 5 because it was kinda predictable i mean there were hardly any surprises .but overal...more

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Mar 31, 2013 Nicole Gozdek rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary-fantasy

Ich habe eine Weile überlegt, ob ich dem Roman 3 oder 4 Sterne gebe. Gut gefallen hat mir nicht nur die Ich-Erzählerin und Hauptfigur Jane und die Tatsache, dass es ein Contemporary Fantasy-Roman mit mal etwas anderen magischen, übernatürlichen Wesen ist wie Kelpies, Selkies, etc. Daneben gibt es natürlich auch die allseits bekannten Zwerge, Kobolde, Vampire und Elben.

Was mir nicht so gut gefiel, war Janes in meinen Augen überstürzte Affäre mit Ryu, dem attraktiven Ermittler und Vampir. Sie stür...more

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Feb 19, 2013 Francielle rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own, parcerias

Jane True viveu em Rockabill toda a sua vida, mas Rockabill está longe de ser um lar para ela. Sua vida envolta em polêmicas, desde sua mãe, que deixou a família quando Jane tinha 6 anos, até a estranha morte de seu namorado Jason, fez com que Jane sempre fosse julgada. As pessoas cochichavam sobre ela, a apontavam na rua, e ela não era bem vinda em vários lugares da cidade. Seus olhos avermelhados, sua tolerância ao frio e seu hábito de nadar em águas frias e agitadas são apenas mais algumas de...more

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Feb 13, 2013 OpenBookSociety.com rated it 3 of 5 stars

*Beware of possible Spoilers*

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Verushka

Recently, I’ve found myself reading more novels in which humor plays a bigger part than the books I usually read. Urban Fantasy and humor to me have never mixed, but authors like Laura Resnick and now Nicole Peeler have given me heroines that are witty and laugh-out-loud funny, and that enhance the appeal of their heroines in general. In Tempest Rising, the first book in Peeler’s Jane True series, I was thoroughly enraptured by...more *Beware of possible Spoilers*

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Verushka

Recently, I’ve found myself reading more novels in which humor plays a bigger part than the books I usually read. Urban Fantasy and humor to me have never mixed, but authors like Laura Resnick and now Nicole Peeler have given me heroines that are witty and laugh-out-loud funny, and that enhance the appeal of their heroines in general. In Tempest Rising, the first book in Peeler’s Jane True series, I was thoroughly enraptured by Jane, by her very normal, relatable troubles as much as the overall Urban Fantasy part of the novel.

Jane lives in a small town, where she works at a bookshop, and lives with her ailing father, who she takes care of. She is the town’s crazy person, the one who has the sordid past involving the death of Jason, her high-school love. People still gossip about her, and she tries to take it in stride, despite how much it hurts her, and how much she loved and missed Jason. A big part of his death does have to do with her, and her family secret of swimming. It’s innocuous at first, but Jane is a Halfling, half human and half selkie, and when a murder occurs in her town, she finds herself being introduced to the selkie part of her heritage, and the supernatural creatures, living as part of everyday society in her town. Jane has always known something was different about her, but until the murder and the revelations about her mother’s part, she had no idea what that was.

Information comes from Ryu, a vampire, more a GQ vampire who feeds off lust and anger more than blood. Brought to Rockabill to investigate the murder of another Halfling, the body Jane finds and which begins her introduction to a new world, he and Jane quickly become lovers. It seems too trashy to be plausible, but I was surprised at myself for enjoying this romance part of the novel as much as possible, possibly because Jane, mired in her past, finally allows herself to enjoy something she normally never would have. Ryu is the perfect way to draw her out of her shell, and he is a compelling, witty character who lets her have fun. There are other supernaturals that Jane meets, including Anyan, who is of more importance towards the end of the book, despite being a shape-shifting dog, and the Alfar, the elves who are the rulers of this supernatural world. Ryu and Jane’s investigations culminate in a battle deep within the main Alfar compound, where they realize that they are actually working on a series of murders of Halflings, and Jane was next on the list. This is skilfully tied to the supernatural world at large in the book, and it serves to solidify Jane’s place in that particular world, even as she is only just learning about it.

This was a book that was a genuine surprise. First, don’t let the cover fool you – as cute as this cover is, it is a bad reflection of the quality of writing and the audience this book is aimed at. This is an adult Urban Fantasy, where the author is comfortable making pop-culture references that include Warren G and his Regulators, among movie and TV-show shout-outs This is what makes Jane so relatable – what she grew up with, what she refers to, I could identify with. Peeler manages to give her past weight, without dragging Jane down into angst-filled ruminations – in fact; this book is more about Jane learning to move forward, without losing the power and impact of her past with Jason, and maybe learning to accept it. It is no easy task to write this of a character, but Peeler does it with such flair and ease, that it makes Jane all the more lovable and understandable.

The cast of characters that round out this book are a mix of supernatural and human ones, each unique and well written, despite being present, in some case for only a short time. All their stories tie back to Jane so well, to her learning curve in this new world of hers, which makes the book all the more compelling.

All in all, aside from the obvious supernatural part of this book, Jane and who she is at her core, with all her insecurities and hang-ups, could be anyone – could be you, or me or your best friend and or the guy/girl next do. She is a lovely character and I can’t wait to read more of her.

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Jan 23, 2013 Lois Bujold rated it 4 of 5 stars

I would give this a four for the general page-turn-ability, but a three for the unsatisfactory mush of an ending, leaving none of the main emotional or plot issues resolved and instead, all too obviously, saving them for the sequel. Book Ones should not be squandered like that, drattit. (See Rivers of London for a Book One that works as a both book in its own right and a series starter; but then it was using Coming-of-Age and not Romance for its mode, which may have fought its material less.)

Tem...more I would give this a four for the general page-turn-ability, but a three for the unsatisfactory mush of an ending, leaving none of the main emotional or plot issues resolved and instead, all too obviously, saving them for the sequel. Book Ones should not be squandered like that, drattit. (See Rivers of London for a Book One that works as a both book in its own right and a series starter; but then it was using Coming-of-Age and not Romance for its mode, which may have fought its material less.)

Tempest Rising had a nice set-up -- urban-romantic-fantasy tropes set instead in a coastal Maine village; our spunky heroine turns out to be, as she first discovers in Chapter Two, a half-selkie. Which could have gone in all sorts of interesting directions -- the swimming scenes and the local stuff were great -- but kept veering off into chick-lit banalities instead. The sex scenes, shopping/clothing scenes, pop-culture references, and ventures into upper-class living scenes seemed inserted by rote from some misguided editorial template that drifted in from one of the more rigid Romance houses. I resented the time and space they stole from potentially more interesting explorations of the hidden fae world being built, which was underdeveloped.

The village in coastal Maine was far more engaging than the Seelie Court in its compound in rural Quebec, actually. (And both were more interesting than the luxury-hotel interlude, Cinderella-like as it seemed to be intended.) I can't tell by what is here if that is on some ironic purpose or not. Too many kinds of story crammed into too few pages, starving each other for space?

I might give this one more volume, to see where the author goes with the grab-bag of stuff she has in hand by the end of this one, and all the loose ends and trailing mysteries. But the second volume will have some redeeming to do.

This was the first e-book I tried to download from my local library onto my Kindle. I hit a few snags, but eventually worked them out myself without help from the ~~on-site tech support~~ younger generation, which was heartening.

Ta, L.(less)

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Jan 14, 2013 Silverfang rated it 1 of 5 stars

I'll make it quick. From the time that our main protagonist cried on a date because some guy thats apparently always mean to her was mean to her to well, the end. I was not a fan of Jane True or this book. At the beginning i found that the book tried too hard to be "sexy" and then after we were told many many times that no one likes Jane True and that she is the biggest outcast in town we get introduced to a whole range of characters that have alway been nice and polite to her. When we were intr...more

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Aug 12, 2012 Thenia rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, paranormal, series, shifters, vampires

For a big part of the book I didn't really care for Jane. Sure, she's had it tough, and although I did feel a little sad for her, abandoned by her mother and losing her childhood best friend and first love, I couldn't seem to actually care about any of it.

The book has a lot of amusing lines in it, a complex world and a couple interesting characters, but once again I found myself liking the "other guy" more than our heroine's romantic interest. Not that there's a love triangle or anything, or th...more

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Jul 15, 2012 Dark Faerie Tales rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-by-sheila

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: A hilarious tale of a half-human’s introduction into the supernatural community, fraught with sex, danger, and one-liners.

Opening Sentence: I eyeballed the freezer, trying to decide what to cook for dinner that night.

The Review:

Book series based upon mythological stories are a favorite of mine. That is why I was excited to start the Jane True series. Jane is a half-selkie that has been living as a human her whole life. After she discovers a...more

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Jul 10, 2012 Jayne rated it 4 of 5 stars

(From my book blog)

First up, PAY NO ATTENTION TO THE LISA FRANK FUNERAL ON THE COVER. THE BOOK IS WAY BETTER THAN YOU PROBABLY THINK.

I just finished Tempest Rising and I’m seriously pissed that it took me so long to get around to it. A while ago somebody asked me if I’d read the Jane True series and I was all “it didn’t look that special” and I was full of shit because this book? Was awesome.

Jane True is a girl with a ~*~mysteriously tragic past~*~, which makes her an outcast in her small-town...more (From my book blog)

First up, PAY NO ATTENTION TO THE LISA FRANK FUNERAL ON THE COVER. THE BOOK IS WAY BETTER THAN YOU PROBABLY THINK.

I just finished Tempest Rising and I’m seriously pissed that it took me so long to get around to it. A while ago somebody asked me if I’d read the Jane True series and I was all “it didn’t look that special” and I was full of shit because this book? Was awesome.

Jane True is a girl with a ~*~mysteriously tragic past~*~, which makes her an outcast in her small-town er, town of Rockabill, Maine. She has a ~*~secret~*~ obsession with swimming in the freezing-cold ocean in the dead of night, and during one of her night swims she finds … A BODY!!!!1

The body begins a chain of events that end up with Jane finding out that she’s ~*~not who she though she was~*~. In fact, there’s a whole world of ~*~supernatural~*~ beings, and she is one of them. Sort of. And then a ~*~sexy~*~ ~*~supernatural~*~ investigator, Ryu, shows up in a Porsche (~*~*~*~) and he is totally hot and I have no idea how I ended up talking about the plot for this long because that’s not what interested me the most about Tempest Rising.

Tempest Rising is written in first-person limited perspective by Jane herself, and in order for this to not be really fucking annoyng, Jane has to be completely awesome. Guess what? SHE TOTALLY IS. Jane is warm, relatable, and completely and totally hilarious. I lol’ed about every other page in this book, because Jane’s inner monologue is just one riff after another. There is a scene with Jane, Sexy Investigator Ryu, and a succubus who owns a dress shop that had me dying.

Anyway, I know you’re just around for the sex (pervs) and I will say that there is a good bit of it and while it’s never over-the-top explicit, it was still pretty good. I don’t always have to be able to do a police sketch of the hero’s tumescent member, and there are so many flowery euphemisms for “clitoris” that I can read in one book (it’s not a bud, it’s not a blossom, it’s not a rosy seed of pleasure, etc etc etc). Also, Jane is very much in control of herself and her desires, which is refreshing, and she never sobs into Ryu’s chest as he buries himself to the hilt in her Cave of Wonders. In other words, it’s not super ~*~intense~*~, but it’s FUN.

ALSO I ALMOST FORGOT. Jane insists that Ryu wear a condom. He’s all “baby I’m sterile and disease-free” and she is like, “Great, wear a condom.” It was a really nice touch. SAFE SEX, Y’ALL.

If I have a complaint, its that there are a LOT of pop-culture references, which sometimes fall flat. But when they work, it’s GLORIOUS. However, to be fair, any book that references Bram Stoker’s Dracula in any context gets bumped up by about a letter grade for me.

And remember how I was complaining last time about how paranormal romances were all filled with BRVTAL TORTVRE? Well, I am delighted to report that this one is NOT. See all those sparkles? This is a sparkly fun wonderful read with NO torture and you should totally get on that shit ASAP.

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Jul 10, 2012 drey rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-reads, urban-fantasy

Jane lives in tiny Rockabill, Maine – and has always been that girl. The girl whose mother appeared suddenly, stark naked. The girl whose mother then disappears, never to be seen again. The girl whose best (and possibly only) friend drowns while trying to save her from the ocean – not knowing that Jane is an excellent swimmer… Yes, Jane is the girl who’s never quite fit in with the other residents of her little village.

Then one day Jane finds a body, and finds out that her world isn’t quite as i...more

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Mar 25, 2012 Bluefly rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Mi piace molto l'ironia nei romanzi, ma trovo quella di questo libro eccessiva e anche un po' infantile. Il troppo stroppia, e l'ironia va saputa dosare, a volte suggerire, tanto da stimolare il lettore e non soffocarlo. Non sono riuscita a entrare nella storia, a interessarmi alla vita della protagonista, che non fa che ripetere quanto sia sola e ostracizzata dalla comunità, ecc. ecc. Quando apprende la sua vera natura, l'esistenza di esseri non umani che popolano il suo mondo, non c'è meravigl...more

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Feb 15, 2012 Nicole Roberts rated it 4 of 5 stars

As the first book of this series, I say this is a fantastic start to what I hope is an ever continuing story. I think the main character, Jane, is about as fanstastic as possible. The book is a little more romancy than what I traditionally like in my books but with the Jane I feel like she could be one of my friends. This character seems to think alot like I do which makes her all the more attractive as a main character.
The whole story starts with Jane finding a murder victim in area where she...more

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Jan 23, 2012 Fangs for the Fantasy rated it 4 of 5 stars

When I finished reading this book, the one word that went through my mind was wow. The protagonist of this story is Jane True and she is half human and half selkie. Jane is unaware of her true parentage but knows that for some reason she feels driven to swim regardless of the weather and does not feel cold at all. She lives in Rockabill, a small town in Maine. Jane is decidedly haunted because her mother left when she was only six years old and her first love drowned in an accident that she beli...more When I finished reading this book, the one word that went through my mind was wow. The protagonist of this story is Jane True and she is half human and half selkie. Jane is unaware of her true parentage but knows that for some reason she feels driven to swim regardless of the weather and does not feel cold at all. She lives in Rockabill, a small town in Maine. Jane is decidedly haunted because her mother left when she was only six years old and her first love drowned in an accident that she believes is her own fault. Jane learns the true side of her nature when the little town of Rockabill is turned upside down by several supernatural murders.

Peelers world is so incredibly large and includes just about every single mystical creature that you can think of. Each one of these creatures however, is slightly altered from the original mythos surrounding them. Vampires for instance still need blood to survive, but they can function during the day, and genies do have something for you to rub, but it most certainly is not their lamp. Throughout Tempest Rising we learn than just about every creature that humans have ever written about is alive.

Though Jane has trepidations about the world that she is introduced to, she embraces it with vigor, in large part due to her burgeoning relationship with Ryu. Though the romance between them is a significant factor in the story, it is not the reason for the story. One of the things I love about this relationship is that Jane does not feel shame over her sexuality and engages freely. I also love the fact that Peeler made sure that Ryu and Jane engaged in safe sex. Ryu promises Jane that he cannot get her pregnant and that he does not carry disease but despite his reassurances, Jane demands that Ryu wear a condom much to his consternation each time. The explicit discussion of safe sex is something that is decidedly absent from this genre and the fact that Peeler chose to include it really spoke volumes to me. Jane always took time to think about her safety, despite her lust and this is a message that young women everywhere needs to hear.

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Jan 03, 2012 Jess Haines rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-romance

I got my copy of this book from Authors After Dark. I’ve seen Nicole’s work mentioned here and there, but I’m surprised I haven’t heard more—her work is hilarious!

Jane True is one of the most excellent urban fantasy heroines I’ve stumbled across in quite some time. Everyone in town thinks she’s nuts, and she had a stint in the loony bin to prove it. She has no idea where her mother is, and stays in town because it’s the life she knows, and she’s afraid of abandoning her father. Because of her he...more I got my copy of this book from Authors After Dark. I’ve seen Nicole’s work mentioned here and there, but I’m surprised I haven’t heard more—her work is hilarious!

Jane True is one of the most excellent urban fantasy heroines I’ve stumbled across in quite some time. Everyone in town thinks she’s nuts, and she had a stint in the loony bin to prove it. She has no idea where her mother is, and stays in town because it’s the life she knows, and she’s afraid of abandoning her father. Because of her heritage—though she doesn’t know why—she often takes a dip in the cold New England ocean to clear her head and “recharge her batteries”.

One night, while she’s out swimming, she stumbles across a murder victim in the water. Unable to leave the body there, she drags it out and leaves it on a path where someone is sure to find it the next day. This opens up the door to a whole new world of supernatural mystery for Jane, one which, once opened, can’t be closed again. She also learns that her mother was a full-blown seal shapeshifter, which explains why Jane is so drawn to the ocean—and where her mother eventually disappeared to.

She finds out that some of her friends and neighbors are also two-natured, and meets a sexy vampire investigator who is trying to get to the bottom of a string of murders related to the body she found. Ryu might not be exactly as she pictured a vampire (and I still can’t get over that his laugh is described at one point like a Pomeranian’s bark), but these two are hot-hot-hot together, and make a delicious pair.

This is a delightful story. Fun, light-hearted, and with a very creative spin on the usual mythos for several supernatural creatures, the characters are all beautifully written and the humor hit just the right spot for me. There are a lot of pop culture references in this, but that mostly added to the funny for me, rather than detracted. I’m thrilled that I finally got to read this book, and can’t wait to delve into the next one in the series!(less)

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Dec 18, 2011 Melody Violine rated it 2 of 5 stars

Jane True (26 tahun) ditinggal ibunya 12 tahun lalu sementara ayahnya tidak bisa beraktivitas karena mengidap penyakit jantung. Jane tinggal di kota kecil Rockabill yang punya salah satu pusaran air terbesar di dunia sebagai atraksi wisata. Setiap malam Jane berenang di pinggir pusaran air itu seperti yang dulu selalu dilakukannya bersama ibunya. Jane dijauhi orang-orang di kotanya karena dianggap mirip ibunya yang dituduh gila (pernah telanjang di tengah kota ketika ada badai) dan karena Jane a...more Jane True (26 tahun) ditinggal ibunya 12 tahun lalu sementara ayahnya tidak bisa beraktivitas karena mengidap penyakit jantung. Jane tinggal di kota kecil Rockabill yang punya salah satu pusaran air terbesar di dunia sebagai atraksi wisata. Setiap malam Jane berenang di pinggir pusaran air itu seperti yang dulu selalu dilakukannya bersama ibunya. Jane dijauhi orang-orang di kotanya karena dianggap mirip ibunya yang dituduh gila (pernah telanjang di tengah kota ketika ada badai) dan karena Jane adalah penyebab pacarnya tewas (Jason).

Suatu hari saat hendak berenang di tempatnya yang biasa, Jane menemukan mayat lalu mengangkatnya ke daratan. Jane kabur saja karena takut orang-orang menuduhnya yang bukan-bukan. Belakangan Jane didatangi seorang gnome (kurcaci) yang memberitahunya bahwa dirinya adalah setengah supernatural. Ibu Jane adalah selkie alias anjing laut supernatural dan itu berarti Jane juga punya kekuatan supernatural. Karena mayat itu ternyata supernatural yang sedang menyamar menjadi manusia, Jane akan diwawancarai. Penyelidik yang dikirim untuk mewawancarai Jane adalah seorang vampir seksi bernama Ryu. Jane langsung tertarik kepada Ryu.

Korban berikutnya adalah goblin lalu ditemukan pula rentetan korban setengah manusia setengah makhluk supernatural. Maka Jane dan Ryu terlibat dalam misteri kematian supernatural ini yang rupanya berakar sampai Istana (Court) yang merupakan semacam pemerintah bagi makhluk-makhluk supernatural. Sepanjang penyelidikan, hubungan mereka berkembang, termasuk hubungan seksual.

Buku ini dituturkan dari sudut pandang orang pertama. Sebenarnya penuturan Jane cukup segar dan lucu, tapi sayangnya Jane mikir mesum melulu, apalagi ketika bersama Ryu. Ketika Jane tidak bicara, aksi dalam novel ini cukup cepat dan menarik.

Bagian awalnya agak membosankan karena meliputi kehidupan sehari-hari Jane, termasuk bos Jane yang lesbian. Alur ceritanya biasa saja menariknya, bahkan terlalu banyak makhluk supernatural dihadirkan.

Jane terlalu sering mengkhayalkan seks. Juga ada adegan seks pada halaman 130-an. Masalahnya, kurang ditunjukkan perkembangan tertariknya Ryu kepada Jane. Percintaan antara Jane dan Ryu kurang bisa dipercaya.(less)

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Nov 20, 2011 Anita rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy, paranormal-mystery

It took several chapters for me to warm up to this book, but I'm glad I waited for the paranormal reveal. At first I thought it was going to be subtly paranormal - not the case. There are crazy beasties a plenty, once the story gets going. I like these versions of paranormal creatures. Ms. Peeler gave them all twists that I hadn't heard before that I like. Definitely worth reading, but be patient.

Premise: Jane has grown up in a crappy little tourist town. Her mom abandoned Jane and her dad when...more

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Aug 29, 2011 Omly rated it 3 of 5 stars

Do not be fooled by the cover art, this is not for the younger crowd. At least you are given some warning of that with the discussion of sex toys in the first chapter though. Neither did I find it terribly steamy, although it did have more than a bit of sexual content and Jane's libido is a de facto character (not exaggerating).

There were absolutely parts that didn't do a lot for me story wise, but there were also parts that I really enjoyed. There were many clever turns of phrase that I immedia...more

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About Nicole Peeler

Nicole D. Peeler is off on another adventure! This time, she’s moving to Pittsburgh to teach in Seton Hill’s MFA in Popular Fiction. Yes, folks, she’ll be mentoring up and coming urban fantasists as they try to break into the publishing world. Or, as she likes to call it, “infecting them with her madness.” In the meantime, she’s still writing Urban Fantasy for Orbit Books and taking pleasure in wh...more

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“But the next noise to echo through the hall was one I was pretty sure I recognized. It was the unmistakable sound of the shit hitting the fan.” — 34 people liked it

“She liked a very particular kind of plot: the sort where the pirate kidnaps some virgin damsel, rapes her into loving him, and then dispatches lots of seamen while she polishes his cutlass. Or where the Highland clan leader kidnaps some virginal English Rose, rapes her into loving him, and then kills entire armies Sassenachs while she stuffs his haggis. Or where the Native American warrior kidnaps a virginal white settler, rapes her into loving him, and then kills a bunch of colonists while she whets his tomahawk. I hated to get Freudian on Linda, but her reading patterns suggested some interesting insight into why she is such a bitch.” — 25 people liked it

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Tempest Rising (Jane True #1)

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