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Secret McQueen #0.5
The Secret Guide to Dating Monsters
Are blind dates supposed to be this bloody?
They say it's impossible to find a man in New York City. Secret McQueen needs to find two in one night. Of course, it’ll mean pulling off the impossible—find and kill a displaced rogue vampire without disrupting the first promising date she’s had in ages. As a werewolf hybrid used to walking a fine line of survival in the vampire world, though, Secret eats impossible for breakfast.
Somewhere between hello and the first round of drinks, Secret makes her move. Her target, Hollywood’s biggest star, shouldn’t be hard to spot. Just look for swarms of fans. Except every time her vampire liaison, Holden, helps keep her mission on track, her date runs further off the rails.
Either Holden has a hidden agenda, or he knows more than he’s letting on about her quarry. One way or another, Secret is determined to get her man, and meet Mr. Right. Or die trying.
This book contains a sword-wielding assassin whose barbs are sharper than her blade, a vampire with serious brooding issues but a skilled tongue, and an A-lister with a bad habit of eating his fans. This novella takes place approximately one year prior to the events of Something Secret This Way Comes.
47 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 19, 2011
13 people are currently reading
595 people want to read
About the author
Sierra Dean
53 books619 followersSierra Dean is a reformed historian. She was born and raised in the Canadian prairies and is allowed annual exit visas in order to continue her quest of steadily conquering the world one city at a time. Making the best of the cold Canadian winters, Sierra indulges in her less global interests: drinking too much tea and writing urban fantasy.
Ever since she was a young girl she has loved the idea of the supernatural coexisting with the mundane. As an adult, however, the idea evolved from the notion of fairies in flower beds, to imagining that the rugged-looking guy at the garage might secretly be a werewolf. She has used her overactive imagination to create her own version of the world, where vampire, werewolves, fairies, gods and monsters all walk among us, and she’ll continue to travel as much as possible until she finds it for real.
She’s also a book lover (of course!), obsessive collector of OPI nailpolish and the owner of way too many pairs of shoes.
Ever since she was a young girl she has loved the idea of the supernatural coexisting with the mundane. As an adult, however, the idea evolved from the notion of fairies in flower beds, to imagining that the rugged-looking guy at the garage might secretly be a werewolf. She has used her overactive imagination to create her own version of the world, where vampire, werewolves, fairies, gods and monsters all walk among us, and she’ll continue to travel as much as possible until she finds it for real.
She’s also a book lover (of course!), obsessive collector of OPI nailpolish and the owner of way too many pairs of shoes.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews
October 18, 2014
A lot of action, some romantic possibilities and a lot of openings for future books.
I picked this one up because of the review I've read by a friend on my list (Carmel Rabid Reads), her point of view on these books had/has me curious and I'm glad because this was a great first read... So although Carmel hasn't directly recommended me this book, her review is the reason I picked it up.
I really enjoyed this prequel to Secret's world and it's a world I will definitely be visiting!!! I'm already wanting to know what is going to happen with Secret and Holden!
Definitely books I will venture into.
I picked this one up because of the review I've read by a friend on my list (Carmel Rabid Reads), her point of view on these books had/has me curious and I'm glad because this was a great first read... So although Carmel hasn't directly recommended me this book, her review is the reason I picked it up.
I really enjoyed this prequel to Secret's world and it's a world I will definitely be visiting!!! I'm already wanting to know what is going to happen with Secret and Holden!
Definitely books I will venture into.
September 1, 2016
Prequels are a good way of testing any unknown series. If done right, you continue reading.
The Secret Guide to Dating Monsters does its job pretty well. The protagonist, a glimpse of vampire politics, hints to various other beings like the fae and a promise of romance are all as entertaining as you can get in a shorter story. There is a threat of a love triangle, but I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.
Don't expect too much from this story. It has just enough to make you want to see this world through Secret McQueen's eyes.
I'm interested.
The Secret Guide to Dating Monsters does its job pretty well. The protagonist, a glimpse of vampire politics, hints to various other beings like the fae and a promise of romance are all as entertaining as you can get in a shorter story. There is a threat of a love triangle, but I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.
Don't expect too much from this story. It has just enough to make you want to see this world through Secret McQueen's eyes.
I'm interested.
August 27, 2011
Reviewed by: Rabid Reads
I was really excited when I received this one for review. I haven't come across a werewolf-vampire hybrid heroine since Keri Arthur's Riley Jenson Guardian series. The Secret Guide to Dating Monsters is a short prequel to Something Secret This Way Comes. I haven't read the full length novel yet but after reading this one I have every intention on getting to it sooner rather than later. I really enjoyed this novella. It's action-packed, with great characters and Sierra Dean's writing style is loaded with sarcasm and wit which I adore.
The story line is pretty funny in itself. Secret is a vamp bounty hunter who's given a target that she must take out immediately while she's out on a date with an oblivious human. McQueen is trying to balance her love life with her work which is not easy! She keeps sending her date on ridiculous tasks while she slips out and attempts to line things up for her upcoming kill. I quite enjoyed her misdirection skills. Poor guy! Unfortunately for Secret, things don't go smoothly and she gets stuck in a few dicey and/or awkward situations.
McQueen is a pretty nifty protagonist. She's not bullet proof but her supernatural genes definitely give her an advantage. Especially considering her line of work! She gets her ass kicked pretty badly throughout this novella but refuses to stay down. I liked the humanness of her. When her prey is making impossible leaps off of balconies or hightailing it at vampire speed, Secret has to compensate by outsmarting her target.
The Secret Guide to Dating Monsters gives readers only a small taste of the Secret McQueen universe but it will leave you craving more. I can't wait to find out what the first full length installment of this series has to offer!
I was really excited when I received this one for review. I haven't come across a werewolf-vampire hybrid heroine since Keri Arthur's Riley Jenson Guardian series. The Secret Guide to Dating Monsters is a short prequel to Something Secret This Way Comes. I haven't read the full length novel yet but after reading this one I have every intention on getting to it sooner rather than later. I really enjoyed this novella. It's action-packed, with great characters and Sierra Dean's writing style is loaded with sarcasm and wit which I adore.
The story line is pretty funny in itself. Secret is a vamp bounty hunter who's given a target that she must take out immediately while she's out on a date with an oblivious human. McQueen is trying to balance her love life with her work which is not easy! She keeps sending her date on ridiculous tasks while she slips out and attempts to line things up for her upcoming kill. I quite enjoyed her misdirection skills. Poor guy! Unfortunately for Secret, things don't go smoothly and she gets stuck in a few dicey and/or awkward situations.
McQueen is a pretty nifty protagonist. She's not bullet proof but her supernatural genes definitely give her an advantage. Especially considering her line of work! She gets her ass kicked pretty badly throughout this novella but refuses to stay down. I liked the humanness of her. When her prey is making impossible leaps off of balconies or hightailing it at vampire speed, Secret has to compensate by outsmarting her target.
The Secret Guide to Dating Monsters gives readers only a small taste of the Secret McQueen universe but it will leave you craving more. I can't wait to find out what the first full length installment of this series has to offer!
July 15, 2011
I really enjoyed reading The Secret Guide to Dating Monsters. I actually read it before Something Secret This Way Comes, but I don’t think it matters which way you go. Sierra does an excellent job introducing us to Secret and giving us a bit of her background without it feeling like she is giving us a huge back story. And that is important in a novella because you don’t want to be spending half the book learning about a character you may have already read anyways. Holden is in this story too and I like how he is in this book. I think it feeds well from and may explain some questions that arise in book one. Maybe. We’re not sure yet because these questions are still unanswered.
The main ‘incident’ in this book is referred to a few times in book one and knowing the full story made me smile when I came across it. It was very smart to turn that story into this novella.
I don’t feel like there is a better way to go about reading this. Either read it before you dive into Something Secret… or after. Either way, you should read it. It’s a fast paced story that reads very well. And what I mean by that is it doesn’t feel like it has any missing pieces. A perfect companion to Something Secret This Way Comes.
The main ‘incident’ in this book is referred to a few times in book one and knowing the full story made me smile when I came across it. It was very smart to turn that story into this novella.
I don’t feel like there is a better way to go about reading this. Either read it before you dive into Something Secret… or after. Either way, you should read it. It’s a fast paced story that reads very well. And what I mean by that is it doesn’t feel like it has any missing pieces. A perfect companion to Something Secret This Way Comes.
July 2, 2011
Guys, there's a kiss in this story that will knock your socks off. It's smoking. I think Secret walked away from it a little addled. It was just... whoa. Honestly, the story could have stopped at that kiss and I would have been happy. Yes, it was that good. Thank you, Sierra Dean. Thank you.
The good news is that the kiss isn't the be all and end all of this story. It was just the cherry on top. So to speak. I mean, Secret gets to kick some ass. And kiss a guy. And kick some more ass. And go on a date. Not in that order.
The story works. It gives you a look into the life that Secret led before she got tangled up with a couple of werewolves and had to go head to head with a very bad vampire. Did I mention that there's this kiss...
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
The good news is that the kiss isn't the be all and end all of this story. It was just the cherry on top. So to speak. I mean, Secret gets to kick some ass. And kiss a guy. And kick some more ass. And go on a date. Not in that order.
The story works. It gives you a look into the life that Secret led before she got tangled up with a couple of werewolves and had to go head to head with a very bad vampire. Did I mention that there's this kiss...
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
October 25, 2012
Seems promising, Secret is not a Mary-Sue and, even though she's a vampire/werewolf hybrid, doesn't have any out-of-this-world powers to make her special. Also, so far she's not one of those UF heroines who are always cracking stupid jokes and acting like they can't be bothered with basic social skills just so they appear "tough", she's pretty likeable and believable.
Let's hope it holds throughout the series.
Let's hope it holds throughout the series.
August 2, 2015
Interesting read. I had hoped it would be a little more romance than it was, but I did enjoy it. I'll be looking for the next book soon.
July 20, 2011
As my enthusiasm was quite exuberant, you must know how much I luurved Sierra Dean’s debut novel, the first book in the Secret McQueen series: Something Secret This Way Comes (but if you somehow managed to miss it, you can find my fan girl-like gushing review here).
So after loving Something Secret This Way Comes to pieces I have to say it wasn’t easy for Sierra Dean to floor me as my expectations were skyscraper high, but she not only met but even surpassed them!
The Secret Guide to Dating Monsters reminded me after the very first few lines why I was that ecstatic after reading the first book. Everything which made Something Secret This Way Comes the outstanding read it is was back in The Secret Guide to Dating Monsters: Secret’s acerbicly sarcastic and dry humoured narrative, Sierra Dean’s fluent writing, the fast-paced action scenes, the chuckle out loud one liners, the ping-pong verbal repartees and of course the swoonworthy man candy :-D
Secret is a fantastic and very entertaining heroine. Her fresh and sassy narrative voice guarantees the reader will have a great time - just a few examples so you see I’m telling the truth:
When introducing herself and talking about her double (werewolf-vampire) heritage:
… my human cells were attacked and infected with the vampire disease. The trauma activated the werewolf genes already dormant within me, and voila- cute, perky and totally bloodthirsty.
I may have been a twenty-one-year-old woman, single in the city, but I douldn’t wrap my head around getting into the dating scene.
It wasn’t like I was worried about eating my boyfriend or anything.
Well, most of the time. Every girl has her days.
In The Secret Guide to Dating Monsters Secret goes on a blind date, but of course her life is anything but simple, so she tries to juggle exterminating a rogue vampire and charming the cute guy; well basically just trying to keep her professional and private life separate :-)
If I timed everything right, I would leave him holding our place while I looked for a bathroom, or some other invented distraction. Then I could run off, kill him and be back before Tyler made it to the front of the line. If I didn’t get too much blood on me, there might even be a good-night kiss in my future. I was a genius.
One of the things I loved the most about The Secret Guide to Dating Monsters was that a character who was rather a supporting character in Something Secret This Way Comes got promoted and got his time in the spotlight! And wow! I have to say with all the delicious men in Something Secret This Way Comes, I wasn’t that focused on Holden in the first book, but now I see him in a completely different light. I will not spoil anything if I tell you that he is the one whose skilled tongue you are warned about, and believe me that warning is needed! There is one scene, one very hot kissing scene which packs more heat and sparks than sex scenes do in other novels. It is a scene which will give you goosebumps and triple your heart rate. A scene which will make you pant and sigh. Yes, it is that good.
I also loved the thrilling action, the exciting fight scenes (come on: who wouldn't enjoy reading about a petite blonde girl battling 6ft tall bulky vampire body guards with a huge and mean looking katana (=Japanese sword)? Very very cool :-p ).
Verdict: What amazed me in The Secret Guide to Dating Monsters was that even though it is a novella it still managed to give an interesting plot, with the story having a beginning, middle and end part, as well as well fleshed out characters, which let’s be honest is no simple feat considering the length restrictions. I am usually left wanting and unsatisfied at the end of novellas, always feeling like 1) it was too rushed, or 2) that it wasn’t developed/detailed enough. I had none of these complaints with The Secret Guide to Dating Monsters. It was a story in its own right, and what a story!
The Secret Guide to Dating Monsters is not heavy on the past character introductions, you won’t feel suffocated by too much info-dump, and it can be read as a prequel without having any prior knowledge of the series and enjoyed by seasoned fans of Secret as well.
A must read for all urban fantasy fan!
The Secret Guide to Dating Monsters just as Book #1 deserves the 5 stars honours!
So after loving Something Secret This Way Comes to pieces I have to say it wasn’t easy for Sierra Dean to floor me as my expectations were skyscraper high, but she not only met but even surpassed them!
The Secret Guide to Dating Monsters reminded me after the very first few lines why I was that ecstatic after reading the first book. Everything which made Something Secret This Way Comes the outstanding read it is was back in The Secret Guide to Dating Monsters: Secret’s acerbicly sarcastic and dry humoured narrative, Sierra Dean’s fluent writing, the fast-paced action scenes, the chuckle out loud one liners, the ping-pong verbal repartees and of course the swoonworthy man candy :-D
Secret is a fantastic and very entertaining heroine. Her fresh and sassy narrative voice guarantees the reader will have a great time - just a few examples so you see I’m telling the truth:
When introducing herself and talking about her double (werewolf-vampire) heritage:
… my human cells were attacked and infected with the vampire disease. The trauma activated the werewolf genes already dormant within me, and voila- cute, perky and totally bloodthirsty.
I may have been a twenty-one-year-old woman, single in the city, but I douldn’t wrap my head around getting into the dating scene.
It wasn’t like I was worried about eating my boyfriend or anything.
Well, most of the time. Every girl has her days.
In The Secret Guide to Dating Monsters Secret goes on a blind date, but of course her life is anything but simple, so she tries to juggle exterminating a rogue vampire and charming the cute guy; well basically just trying to keep her professional and private life separate :-)
If I timed everything right, I would leave him holding our place while I looked for a bathroom, or some other invented distraction. Then I could run off, kill him and be back before Tyler made it to the front of the line. If I didn’t get too much blood on me, there might even be a good-night kiss in my future. I was a genius.
One of the things I loved the most about The Secret Guide to Dating Monsters was that a character who was rather a supporting character in Something Secret This Way Comes got promoted and got his time in the spotlight! And wow! I have to say with all the delicious men in Something Secret This Way Comes, I wasn’t that focused on Holden in the first book, but now I see him in a completely different light. I will not spoil anything if I tell you that he is the one whose skilled tongue you are warned about, and believe me that warning is needed! There is one scene, one very hot kissing scene which packs more heat and sparks than sex scenes do in other novels. It is a scene which will give you goosebumps and triple your heart rate. A scene which will make you pant and sigh. Yes, it is that good.
I also loved the thrilling action, the exciting fight scenes (come on: who wouldn't enjoy reading about a petite blonde girl battling 6ft tall bulky vampire body guards with a huge and mean looking katana (=Japanese sword)? Very very cool :-p ).
Verdict: What amazed me in The Secret Guide to Dating Monsters was that even though it is a novella it still managed to give an interesting plot, with the story having a beginning, middle and end part, as well as well fleshed out characters, which let’s be honest is no simple feat considering the length restrictions. I am usually left wanting and unsatisfied at the end of novellas, always feeling like 1) it was too rushed, or 2) that it wasn’t developed/detailed enough. I had none of these complaints with The Secret Guide to Dating Monsters. It was a story in its own right, and what a story!
The Secret Guide to Dating Monsters is not heavy on the past character introductions, you won’t feel suffocated by too much info-dump, and it can be read as a prequel without having any prior knowledge of the series and enjoyed by seasoned fans of Secret as well.
A must read for all urban fantasy fan!
The Secret Guide to Dating Monsters just as Book #1 deserves the 5 stars honours!
July 11, 2011
The Secret Guide to Dating Monsters is a short little novella by author Sierra Dean. Her other book "Something Secret This way Comes" was reviewed on the blog a while back and you can find that review here. Let me give you the blurb.
The Secret Guide to Dating Monsters
A Secret McQueen Novella
Coming July 19, 2011
Are blind dates supposed to be this bloody?
They say it’s impossible to find a man in New York City. Secret McQueen needs to find two in one night. Of course, it’ll mean pulling off the impossible—find and kill a displaced rogue vampire without disrupting the first promising date she’s had in ages. As a werewolf hybrid used to walking a fine line of survival in the vampire world, though, Secret eats impossible for breakfast.
Somewhere between hello and the first round of drinks, Secret makes her move. Her target, Hollywood’s biggest star, shouldn't be hard to spot. Just look for swarms of fans. Except every time her vampire liaison, Holden, helps keep her mission on track, her date runs further off the rails.
Either Holden has a hidden agenda, or he knows more than he’s letting on about her quarry. One way or another, Secret is determined to get her man, and meet Mr. Right. Or die trying.
Warning: This book contains a sword-wielding assassin whose barbs are sharper than her blade, a vampire with serious brooding issues but a skilled tongue, and an A-lister with a bad habit of eating his fans.
Oh man this novella was to short for me. I was really enjoying it and then it was over. Definitely makes you want more. If you have not read the first Secret McQueen book. No worries you can read this one first as a stand alone. This novella takes place about a year before the events in "Something Secret This way Comes". There is a whole lot of action, hot men and hunting the bad guy in this book. Definitely a must read. To read more about this book,and Sierra Dean please check out her website by clicking here www.sierradean.com . There is a excerpt there for both book as well. I give The Secret Guide for Dating Monsters 5 out of 5 Modokker Book Pick Stars. I'm ready for more Secret!
The Secret Guide to Dating Monsters
A Secret McQueen Novella
Coming July 19, 2011
Are blind dates supposed to be this bloody?
They say it’s impossible to find a man in New York City. Secret McQueen needs to find two in one night. Of course, it’ll mean pulling off the impossible—find and kill a displaced rogue vampire without disrupting the first promising date she’s had in ages. As a werewolf hybrid used to walking a fine line of survival in the vampire world, though, Secret eats impossible for breakfast.
Somewhere between hello and the first round of drinks, Secret makes her move. Her target, Hollywood’s biggest star, shouldn't be hard to spot. Just look for swarms of fans. Except every time her vampire liaison, Holden, helps keep her mission on track, her date runs further off the rails.
Either Holden has a hidden agenda, or he knows more than he’s letting on about her quarry. One way or another, Secret is determined to get her man, and meet Mr. Right. Or die trying.
Warning: This book contains a sword-wielding assassin whose barbs are sharper than her blade, a vampire with serious brooding issues but a skilled tongue, and an A-lister with a bad habit of eating his fans.
Oh man this novella was to short for me. I was really enjoying it and then it was over. Definitely makes you want more. If you have not read the first Secret McQueen book. No worries you can read this one first as a stand alone. This novella takes place about a year before the events in "Something Secret This way Comes". There is a whole lot of action, hot men and hunting the bad guy in this book. Definitely a must read. To read more about this book,and Sierra Dean please check out her website by clicking here www.sierradean.com . There is a excerpt there for both book as well. I give The Secret Guide for Dating Monsters 5 out of 5 Modokker Book Pick Stars. I'm ready for more Secret!
May 28, 2011
GENRE: Paranormal Romance
THEME: Werewolves and Vampires
RECEIVED: Received for review
BLOG: http://seeingnight.blogspot.com/
REVIEW:
The prequel to Something Scecret This Way Comes, The Secret Guide to Dating Monsters follows Secret McQueen on one of her job for the council of Vampire council during a date.
I loved this novella because it helped me better understand what Secret has do go through on a daily bases when she’s working. While trying to go on a date with a guy her friend set her up with Secret is asked to do a job for the council. Her liaison Holden keeps bothering her date until she agrees to go.
The Job: Kill a super famous actor who is actually a vampire rogue.
The Problem: Secret is trying to keep that she has to kill a vampire from her date who is clueless.
The Action: Umm steamy scenes and Holden is just OMG drool worthy. I love his sarcastic and protective attitude.
The Weapon: Secret has a SWORD! Enough said.
Favorite Scene: Holden in the women’s bathroom.
I can’t say too much more because it is a novella. I read the first book before the prequel so I was familiar with the characters. But this story gives you more background on Holden and how difficult Secret has it that she can’t go on a normal date. If you like vampires, kick butt action, loads of sarcasm and snarky conversations this is the book for you.
RECOMMENDATION:
This is an adult novel with sexual content and a bit of violence. Fans of Jennifer Estep’s Elemental Assassin series and Chloe Neill’s Chicagoland Vampire series will love this!
THEME: Werewolves and Vampires
RECEIVED: Received for review
BLOG: http://seeingnight.blogspot.com/
REVIEW:
The prequel to Something Scecret This Way Comes, The Secret Guide to Dating Monsters follows Secret McQueen on one of her job for the council of Vampire council during a date.
I loved this novella because it helped me better understand what Secret has do go through on a daily bases when she’s working. While trying to go on a date with a guy her friend set her up with Secret is asked to do a job for the council. Her liaison Holden keeps bothering her date until she agrees to go.
The Job: Kill a super famous actor who is actually a vampire rogue.
The Problem: Secret is trying to keep that she has to kill a vampire from her date who is clueless.
The Action: Umm steamy scenes and Holden is just OMG drool worthy. I love his sarcastic and protective attitude.
The Weapon: Secret has a SWORD! Enough said.
Favorite Scene: Holden in the women’s bathroom.
I can’t say too much more because it is a novella. I read the first book before the prequel so I was familiar with the characters. But this story gives you more background on Holden and how difficult Secret has it that she can’t go on a normal date. If you like vampires, kick butt action, loads of sarcasm and snarky conversations this is the book for you.
RECOMMENDATION:
This is an adult novel with sexual content and a bit of violence. Fans of Jennifer Estep’s Elemental Assassin series and Chloe Neill’s Chicagoland Vampire series will love this!
January 29, 2015
3.75
I'm not much for novellas but this does make some referenced events throughout the series, make sense. Lots of my favorite vampire in this one too! Holden rocks :)
Secret just stays in trouble which is always fun. I don't think you have to read it before starting the series. I'd pick it up after a book or two.
I'm not much for novellas but this does make some referenced events throughout the series, make sense. Lots of my favorite vampire in this one too! Holden rocks :)
Secret just stays in trouble which is always fun. I don't think you have to read it before starting the series. I'd pick it up after a book or two.
July 6, 2016
This short novella was brilliant! The introduction to Secret and her date with Detective Tyler certainly explains his manner with her in later books. If you haven't read any of this series, start with this book to give you a taste of what is to come in the rest of it.
July 29, 2011
Review originally posted here: http://thebookpushers.com/2011/07/14/...
Publisher: Samhain
Publish Date: July 19th
How I got this book: eARC from author
This is a short but very action packed novella featuring Secret kicking ass and taking names. Secret’s best friend has set her up on a blind date, and the last thing she wants to do is suffer through it. When Holden shows up with an assignment, it might provide Secret with the perfect change to ditch her date and go out doing what she loves.
But once on her date, Secret realizes she doesn’t want to ditch him, she actually likes the guy, but work gets in the way. She is forced to bring her date closer to the famous rouge so she can get her chance at killing him, but when he doesn’t want to be killed, and alludes Secret at every turn, she will have to go through hell and back to rid the world of him.
I love Urban Fantasy books, and the Secret Series is no exception. I both love and hate when authors give us little teaser novellas from their story lines, love them because it’s such a great chance to re-integrate into the world and learn a little more about our favorite characters. But hate them because the stories are always so short and never enough!
The one thing I love most about Dean’s writing is how action packed the story always is. Secret is one of those characters that always manages to come out on top, but the journey is never easy for her. She gets beaten and bruised and sometimes even a little broken before she gets to save the day, and I love that she isn’t perfect. The action in this short novella is jam packed and never lets down once it gets started, and I loved that.
I also really enjoyed watching Holden get so bent out of shape about Secret dating, and Secret’s cluelessness about it all. For a bright girl, she is kinda dense when it comes to relationships. The scorcher of a kiss that Holden plants on her is a “cover up” but damn hot! With the way Something Secret This Way Comes ended, I’m nervous to see where things with Holden go. Especially since this novella had me cheering for Holden the whole way through.
All in all, fans of Urban Fantasy will not want to miss any of the Secret books. They are fast paced, fun and always full of monsters and mayhem. Secret is a great character and has some fun snark to her. While the story was very short (just 50 pages or so), it was a great prequel to the Secret series.
I give The Secret Guide to Dating Monsters a B+
Publisher: Samhain
Publish Date: July 19th
How I got this book: eARC from author
This is a short but very action packed novella featuring Secret kicking ass and taking names. Secret’s best friend has set her up on a blind date, and the last thing she wants to do is suffer through it. When Holden shows up with an assignment, it might provide Secret with the perfect change to ditch her date and go out doing what she loves.
But once on her date, Secret realizes she doesn’t want to ditch him, she actually likes the guy, but work gets in the way. She is forced to bring her date closer to the famous rouge so she can get her chance at killing him, but when he doesn’t want to be killed, and alludes Secret at every turn, she will have to go through hell and back to rid the world of him.
I love Urban Fantasy books, and the Secret Series is no exception. I both love and hate when authors give us little teaser novellas from their story lines, love them because it’s such a great chance to re-integrate into the world and learn a little more about our favorite characters. But hate them because the stories are always so short and never enough!
The one thing I love most about Dean’s writing is how action packed the story always is. Secret is one of those characters that always manages to come out on top, but the journey is never easy for her. She gets beaten and bruised and sometimes even a little broken before she gets to save the day, and I love that she isn’t perfect. The action in this short novella is jam packed and never lets down once it gets started, and I loved that.
I also really enjoyed watching Holden get so bent out of shape about Secret dating, and Secret’s cluelessness about it all. For a bright girl, she is kinda dense when it comes to relationships. The scorcher of a kiss that Holden plants on her is a “cover up” but damn hot! With the way Something Secret This Way Comes ended, I’m nervous to see where things with Holden go. Especially since this novella had me cheering for Holden the whole way through.
All in all, fans of Urban Fantasy will not want to miss any of the Secret books. They are fast paced, fun and always full of monsters and mayhem. Secret is a great character and has some fun snark to her. While the story was very short (just 50 pages or so), it was a great prequel to the Secret series.
I give The Secret Guide to Dating Monsters a B+
March 7, 2012
What a freakin' surprise this little story was! The premise to this story seemed pretty no-nonsense, nice and straightforward. While that's exactly what it ended up being, I was charmed by the characters and quirky style of the protagonist, Secret McQueen.
The Secret Guide to Dating Monsters didn't have a whole lot in the way of exposition and world building, but I think that's the whole point. I hear that it was written (and certainly published) after the first full-length book in the series was released. So more than anything else, this story is something to whet the appetite, to fill in some of the tiny but promising tidbits alluded to in Something Secret this Way Comes. I'd personally recommend reading this before Something Secret, both because the events of Secret Guide chronologically come first, and because the read does not require great commitment and investment to be enjoyed.
As such, the plot moves fast here, but since there's not a whole lot of world building and complex character interactions, it reads like something of a quick procedural. It takes what would've been a straightforward event--Secret's date with a nice, "normal" guy--and throws everything in the path of preventing it occurring in a normal way.
I really liked Secret's narrative voice, perhaps more than any other aspect of the story. She's witty, sexy, and she's got a bit of a chip on her shoulder. I really liked the element of her being part vampire, part wolf; yes, I know we've heard of that trope before, but it works well here, allowing this feisty, judgemental protagonist to wrestle with not only real baddy monsters, but also the "monsters" within herself. But Secret's everyday observations were amusing, sometimes laugh-out-loud funny. Whether she was high or low, she was always magnetic.
I must admit that I had some trouble envisioning some of the action scenes based on the descriptions. Granted, such scenes (along with "action" scenes, if you get my drift ^_^) can be be tricky to stage, especially if the choreography is complicated and the pace is really fast. There was one crucial scene in a subway that felt almost too frenetic to grasp. It was definitely a lot to untangle and figure out, at least for me.
But overall, this story was a lot of fun. It sets up a very promising world with a highly likable heroine. After finishing this one, I'd immediately followed up with Something Secret This Way Comes. I really think this will be a series for the urban fantasy masses.
The Secret Guide to Dating Monsters didn't have a whole lot in the way of exposition and world building, but I think that's the whole point. I hear that it was written (and certainly published) after the first full-length book in the series was released. So more than anything else, this story is something to whet the appetite, to fill in some of the tiny but promising tidbits alluded to in Something Secret this Way Comes. I'd personally recommend reading this before Something Secret, both because the events of Secret Guide chronologically come first, and because the read does not require great commitment and investment to be enjoyed.
As such, the plot moves fast here, but since there's not a whole lot of world building and complex character interactions, it reads like something of a quick procedural. It takes what would've been a straightforward event--Secret's date with a nice, "normal" guy--and throws everything in the path of preventing it occurring in a normal way.
I really liked Secret's narrative voice, perhaps more than any other aspect of the story. She's witty, sexy, and she's got a bit of a chip on her shoulder. I really liked the element of her being part vampire, part wolf; yes, I know we've heard of that trope before, but it works well here, allowing this feisty, judgemental protagonist to wrestle with not only real baddy monsters, but also the "monsters" within herself. But Secret's everyday observations were amusing, sometimes laugh-out-loud funny. Whether she was high or low, she was always magnetic.
I must admit that I had some trouble envisioning some of the action scenes based on the descriptions. Granted, such scenes (along with "action" scenes, if you get my drift ^_^) can be be tricky to stage, especially if the choreography is complicated and the pace is really fast. There was one crucial scene in a subway that felt almost too frenetic to grasp. It was definitely a lot to untangle and figure out, at least for me.
But overall, this story was a lot of fun. It sets up a very promising world with a highly likable heroine. After finishing this one, I'd immediately followed up with Something Secret This Way Comes. I really think this will be a series for the urban fantasy masses.
Read
February 26, 2017Re-reading for re-release purposes. No rating, because I wrote it.
(That said, Secret is a lot of fun to read)
(That said, Secret is a lot of fun to read)
July 13, 2013
What a great introduction to the world of Secret McQueen! It's full of action, violence, and just a hint of romance -- perfect for a novella. And it managed to give me a taste for the series, without any big info dumps or backstory.
Secret is part-vamp, part-werewolf, and all ass-kicking bounty hunter. She works for the vampire council, dispatching rouge vamps who need to be put down. Her job and her supernatural side have made it difficult to hold down a relationship, but her friend Mercedes is diligently trying to change that. As the story begins, Secret is getting ready for a blind-date, set up by her friend.
Unfortunately, at the same time, the council has a job for her. She needs to take out a high-profile vamp who happens to be a very famous actor. Secret actually likes her blind-date, Tyler, but the council doesn't really take no for an answer. So she tries to knock out both in the same night.
I liked Secret. She is tough and good at her job, but her date with Tyler shows how she still longs for love. Her handler, Holden, is sexy and mysterious. I am very intrigued there. But I also hope we see more of Tyler in the future as well!
My only small gripe is that it didn't make sense to me for Secret not to reschedule her date. If she really wanted a chance with Tyler, trying to work an assassination into the evening was clearly a recipe for failure. Forcing them to remain on the date felt like a tenuous plot device. But like I said, small gripe. I liked the story quite a bit and I am excited to continue on with the series.
Rating: B
Secret is part-vamp, part-werewolf, and all ass-kicking bounty hunter. She works for the vampire council, dispatching rouge vamps who need to be put down. Her job and her supernatural side have made it difficult to hold down a relationship, but her friend Mercedes is diligently trying to change that. As the story begins, Secret is getting ready for a blind-date, set up by her friend.
Unfortunately, at the same time, the council has a job for her. She needs to take out a high-profile vamp who happens to be a very famous actor. Secret actually likes her blind-date, Tyler, but the council doesn't really take no for an answer. So she tries to knock out both in the same night.
I liked Secret. She is tough and good at her job, but her date with Tyler shows how she still longs for love. Her handler, Holden, is sexy and mysterious. I am very intrigued there. But I also hope we see more of Tyler in the future as well!
My only small gripe is that it didn't make sense to me for Secret not to reschedule her date. If she really wanted a chance with Tyler, trying to work an assassination into the evening was clearly a recipe for failure. Forcing them to remain on the date felt like a tenuous plot device. But like I said, small gripe. I liked the story quite a bit and I am excited to continue on with the series.
Rating: B
March 23, 2019
Secret is 1/2 vampire and 1/2 werewolf. No many know of her mixed heritage. She happens to be an assassin who kills vampires are dictated by the vampire counsel. She's out on a date and is also trying to kill her next job.
This was a great introduction and I'm interested in learning about Secret, this world, Holden, and anything else that pops up.
This was a great introduction and I'm interested in learning about Secret, this world, Holden, and anything else that pops up.
July 19, 2015
3,5 stars, maybe?
Short stories never really do it for me, because of the format, but I wanted to read the prequel before giving the first book of the series a chance.
So far, I'm intrigued enough to keep on reading. Good start.
Short stories never really do it for me, because of the format, but I wanted to read the prequel before giving the first book of the series a chance.
So far, I'm intrigued enough to keep on reading. Good start.
July 2, 2011
One word AWESOME!
Fans of the series: Riley Jensen {by Keri Author}, Jaz Parks {by Jennifer Rardin} and The Chicagoland Vampires {by Chloe Neill} will want to read this series by Sierra Dean.
Fans of the series: Riley Jensen {by Keri Author}, Jaz Parks {by Jennifer Rardin} and The Chicagoland Vampires {by Chloe Neill} will want to read this series by Sierra Dean.
July 27, 2015
This is how novellas should be. Teasing, with an actual plot, giving the readers a glimpse at what the real thing might be like.
I *LOVED* it!
I *LOVED* it!
August 11, 2016
Re-read: 5/10/14 - 3.5 stars
Original read: 4/6/12 - 4 stars
Original read: 4/6/12 - 4 stars
October 25, 2021
3 Stars for me!
My rating range of this story... 3 - 4 Stars
If significant, why?
Main Character Ratings...
H = n/a
h = 5/10
Narrator Rating(s)
M = n/a
F = 8/10 Stars
Was cheating involved? No
Any major triggers to be aware of?
Scenes with heat... Yes
What point does it start? 30%
How much of the story? 2%
Anything beyond M/F? No
If yes, explained
Heat Rating... 6/10
Clean or Fade to Black - 1 or 2
Normal to Descriptive 3-5
Detailed Descriptive Sex - 6-7
Um, Wow, Beyond Descriptive Sex - 8 or above
Was there so much sex or unrealistic sex that you rolled your eyes and/or skipped forward? No
The back story... The blurb says it all.
The Romance... None
The drama explosion... Again with the TSTL moments by the h.
Did it feel real or contrived? Contrived
Was it OTT? Yes
Separation involved? No
Was it resolved properly or rushed? Ok
Final Notes... Again with the h almost dying after freezing up and requiring someone else to save her?
HEA or HFN? N/A
My rating range of this story... 3 - 4 Stars
If significant, why?
Main Character Ratings...
H = n/a
h = 5/10
Narrator Rating(s)
M = n/a
F = 8/10 Stars
Was cheating involved? No
Any major triggers to be aware of?
Scenes with heat... Yes
What point does it start? 30%
How much of the story? 2%
Anything beyond M/F? No
If yes, explained
Heat Rating... 6/10
Clean or Fade to Black - 1 or 2
Normal to Descriptive 3-5
Detailed Descriptive Sex - 6-7
Um, Wow, Beyond Descriptive Sex - 8 or above
Was there so much sex or unrealistic sex that you rolled your eyes and/or skipped forward? No
The back story... The blurb says it all.
The Romance... None
The drama explosion... Again with the TSTL moments by the h.
Did it feel real or contrived? Contrived
Was it OTT? Yes
Separation involved? No
Was it resolved properly or rushed? Ok
Final Notes... Again with the h almost dying after freezing up and requiring someone else to save her?
HEA or HFN? N/A
April 22, 2023
I came across Secret McQueen’s Fantasy series and I’m thankful that this 0.5 novella exists, so I can decide if I shall invest my time reading it.
I’m not a fantasy fan, so my expectations are generally low. Secret, half werewolf and half vampire is employed by a council involved in eradicating the city from rouge vampires that threaten the harmonious relationship that is finally established between humans and supernatural beings. She has a handler who is centuries old. In this introductory novella or a subplot novella for those invested in the series, Secret dabbles with having a personal life in the backdrop of an overwhelming active slaying missions.
As it is quite short, there are few moments of deep or personal agonizing moments as Both she and Holden have short moments of reflections. An action packed chase throughout TimeSquare illustrates the journey that are ahead with the novels.
I’m not a fantasy fan, so my expectations are generally low. Secret, half werewolf and half vampire is employed by a council involved in eradicating the city from rouge vampires that threaten the harmonious relationship that is finally established between humans and supernatural beings. She has a handler who is centuries old. In this introductory novella or a subplot novella for those invested in the series, Secret dabbles with having a personal life in the backdrop of an overwhelming active slaying missions.
As it is quite short, there are few moments of deep or personal agonizing moments as Both she and Holden have short moments of reflections. An action packed chase throughout TimeSquare illustrates the journey that are ahead with the novels.
April 20, 2025
“The Secret Guide to Dating Monsters” is a prequel novella to the 'Secret McQueen' series.
Secret is a hybrid vampire/werewolf, possibly the only one (ever?)
Shunned by both communities she is, however, irregularly employed by the New York city vampire council as a bounty hunter.
Dating is a problem, so she mostly doesn't but her friend Mercedes is determined to set her up with a blind date.
Turns out he's quite hunky, and personable to boot but duty calls at just the wrong time - she's got to hunt down and kill a famous movie star visiting the city,
And it needs to be done ASAP.
It turns into a madcap chase in full view of many civilians - oops!
It's too short to really judge but it was a fun read.
3 Stars.
Secret is a hybrid vampire/werewolf, possibly the only one (ever?)
Shunned by both communities she is, however, irregularly employed by the New York city vampire council as a bounty hunter.
Dating is a problem, so she mostly doesn't but her friend Mercedes is determined to set her up with a blind date.
Turns out he's quite hunky, and personable to boot but duty calls at just the wrong time - she's got to hunt down and kill a famous movie star visiting the city,
And it needs to be done ASAP.
It turns into a madcap chase in full view of many civilians - oops!
It's too short to really judge but it was a fun read.
3 Stars.
January 12, 2022
nice little prequel with a lot of action. Not much of a romance but since this was an intro to the main character and the world, it wasn't really missed. The author starts to build a nice little paranormal world and I'm excited to see what's next.
October 26, 2022
This is the backstory about what went down between Tyler and Secret on that failed date. It's a novella but well written. I'm just not sure why it's in this order in the series bundle? Should have fit as book 2 or something.
November 12, 2017
The Secret... features:
paranormal romance
no sexual content
kissing
vampires
suspense
The subway incident is finally explained.
paranormal romance
no sexual content
kissing
vampires
suspense
The subway incident is finally explained.
December 29, 2017
Book 81 complete.
I was told that since I completed the challenge, that no matter how big or small a book was I could post it. Thank you for the permission (you know who you are). :P
I was told that since I completed the challenge, that no matter how big or small a book was I could post it. Thank you for the permission (you know who you are). :P
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