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Tooth and Nail
Delilah Monroe is desperate for a change. She lives in a trailer with her cousin and spends her days working at the local grocery store. She's worked hard to get out of her dead-end job in a backwoods Appalachian town and make a better life for herself, away from her dysfunctional family and trappings of a desperate small town. When someone she cares about makes a terrible mistake, Del must choose between helping him or helping herself. Along the way she must negotiate a world of vice and crime inhabited by all kinds of monsters, some supernatural and some mundane. Her choices make her wonder if she's ever really known who she is or what she's capable of doing. Can she transcend her situation, or will she be permanently drawn into a life of violence and crime? Tooth and Nail is a genre-blending tale of family, crime, and desperation.
- GenresUrban Fantasy
192 pages, Paperback
Published August 30, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 29, 2022
I picked this up after hearing snippets of the next two read by the author. I know the author calls the exploits of Del Monroe "Appalachian Noir," but that only begins to define what is going on in this story. The closest I can offer for comparison is Elmore Leonard's world of Raylan Givens. But Raylan is conspicuously absent from this Hollow, leaving Galen Nolan unchecked to run his criminal empire.
Oh, and they're all shifters.
Well, not everyone. In this Appalachian town of, I imagine, a couple thousand souls, there are also vampires and ghouls, which Del learns to use to their utmost advantage by the end of the story. Make no mistake, Del will be pushed to the razor's edge, and it is a sharp one. Can she come back from it? Or has she accepted her destiny?
Overall, as a fan of Justified and urban fantasy, I was quite pleased with Tooth and Nail. My one complaint is that it was too short. And that is not in an "I wanted more," kind of way. There is more. There are two more books. I think there was room for more character development, beyond Del, and Nina to a lesser extent. I'm not suggesting bog the story down with excess fluff (or romance, bleh) but another 10k words scattered throughout may have made the difference for me between four and five stars.
Rated: Mature for language, violence, gore, drugs, animal death. Closed door.
Oh, and they're all shifters.
Well, not everyone. In this Appalachian town of, I imagine, a couple thousand souls, there are also vampires and ghouls, which Del learns to use to their utmost advantage by the end of the story. Make no mistake, Del will be pushed to the razor's edge, and it is a sharp one. Can she come back from it? Or has she accepted her destiny?
Overall, as a fan of Justified and urban fantasy, I was quite pleased with Tooth and Nail. My one complaint is that it was too short. And that is not in an "I wanted more," kind of way. There is more. There are two more books. I think there was room for more character development, beyond Del, and Nina to a lesser extent. I'm not suggesting bog the story down with excess fluff (or romance, bleh) but another 10k words scattered throughout may have made the difference for me between four and five stars.
Rated: Mature for language, violence, gore, drugs, animal death. Closed door.
September 30, 2022
I picked this book up at an Indie Book Fair on a hot, sweaty day. It was at Copperfield’s Books in Houston. I like to support the other authors, and Raney recommended this as a starter. It sat in the stack on my nightstand, patiently awaiting its turn. Other books in the stack had disappointed. I’d abandoned two, breaking my promise to their authors to read and review them here and on Amazon. I decided not to waste the heartbeats required to finish the books and didn’t have the heart to publish a review. Nobody needs a 1-star review, although even J.K. Rowling seems to get about 1% 1-star reviews. Go figure.
On the heels of a couple bad books, I had low expectations from Tooth and Nail. It’s got a blah cover, although Amazon shows a snazzier one for the ebook.
Within three pages, I was hooked. The first chapter made me smile and even chuckle.
Del, the protagonist, is a lot like you and me. She makes mistakes and the occasional horrible decision. Sometimes she lets us down, but we always root for her. Oh, yeah, she’s also a werewolf.
I was a Buffy and Angel fan for years and enjoyed their universe (visitor only, no desire to live there). There were some good films, good TV, and good books that dealt with vamps and werewolves. Then Twilight happened.
My revulsion was intense. I never wanted to hear another word about vampires or werewolves. Raney helps rehabilitate the genre.
Jessica Raney and … friend?
Del is flawed in ways that are easy to understand. If someone needs to be punched, she does it, regardless of consequences. Her family is a complete mess, and she spends time trying to make everything work while simultaneously dealing with a psychotic girlfriend.
Between Raney and Mack Little, I think I might be ready for more werewolves, demons, vampires, and ghouls.
There’s no science here, so no sci-fi to deal with. On the Feral Scale, the story is a solid 8. Well done. I’ll read more of Raney’s stuff.
One caution: this is not a book for kids, there’s strong language, violence, sexual violence, and LGBTQ+ themes.
On the heels of a couple bad books, I had low expectations from Tooth and Nail. It’s got a blah cover, although Amazon shows a snazzier one for the ebook.
Within three pages, I was hooked. The first chapter made me smile and even chuckle.
Del, the protagonist, is a lot like you and me. She makes mistakes and the occasional horrible decision. Sometimes she lets us down, but we always root for her. Oh, yeah, she’s also a werewolf.
I was a Buffy and Angel fan for years and enjoyed their universe (visitor only, no desire to live there). There were some good films, good TV, and good books that dealt with vamps and werewolves. Then Twilight happened.
My revulsion was intense. I never wanted to hear another word about vampires or werewolves. Raney helps rehabilitate the genre.
Jessica Raney and … friend?
Del is flawed in ways that are easy to understand. If someone needs to be punched, she does it, regardless of consequences. Her family is a complete mess, and she spends time trying to make everything work while simultaneously dealing with a psychotic girlfriend.
Between Raney and Mack Little, I think I might be ready for more werewolves, demons, vampires, and ghouls.
There’s no science here, so no sci-fi to deal with. On the Feral Scale, the story is a solid 8. Well done. I’ll read more of Raney’s stuff.
One caution: this is not a book for kids, there’s strong language, violence, sexual violence, and LGBTQ+ themes.
March 19, 2024
A thrilling book you can't put down
I read this book in one day. Seriously. Because I literally couldn't put it down. Del is a strong female lead character and we follow her adventures among characters that make her life interesting. This book is definitely a page-turner that keeps you guessing and on your toes until the very end. Full of grit, love, loss, and intense thrill, this book was fantastic. I'm really looking forward to more from Jess Raney. Her books are intense thrillers, but everything is so well-written that it's an enjoyable ride. I highly recommend this book. I literally finished it in one day because I couldn't stop reading it. Del is the kind of character you can't help but love and want to read more of. A great read, from the first word to the last page. Truly a book you won't want to miss.
I read this book in one day. Seriously. Because I literally couldn't put it down. Del is a strong female lead character and we follow her adventures among characters that make her life interesting. This book is definitely a page-turner that keeps you guessing and on your toes until the very end. Full of grit, love, loss, and intense thrill, this book was fantastic. I'm really looking forward to more from Jess Raney. Her books are intense thrillers, but everything is so well-written that it's an enjoyable ride. I highly recommend this book. I literally finished it in one day because I couldn't stop reading it. Del is the kind of character you can't help but love and want to read more of. A great read, from the first word to the last page. Truly a book you won't want to miss.
June 21, 2024
Fast paced story about Delilah Monroe, Leona Spencer's (Root and Bone) granddaughter. Peggy, Leona's daughter grew up and had a child with a werewolf. Delilah, werewolf daughter, wants out of town, out of her own life, and is planning to move to the city to get a degree.
She is not only a werewolf, but also a lesbian. Her partner added a whole extra level of crazy, scary to Delilah's life as if werewolves, ghouls, and vampires weren't enough. The story gets wild and brutal. Gambling, prostitution, human trafficking, vicious murders, friendships, and retribution keep this tale spinning.
She is not only a werewolf, but also a lesbian. Her partner added a whole extra level of crazy, scary to Delilah's life as if werewolves, ghouls, and vampires weren't enough. The story gets wild and brutal. Gambling, prostitution, human trafficking, vicious murders, friendships, and retribution keep this tale spinning.
March 23, 2021
I'm not sure who are the good guys in this story, but boy do you root for Del, the protagonist. When she gets angry, you're angry. When she feels love, you do too. Raney does a great job of bringing you into her world and making you feel a part of it. I look forward to the next one and hope Del finds some peace. Though I have a feeling, it's going to be a tough road ahead. I have it listed as urban fantasy, but it's more rural fantasy, which gives it a unique spin.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews