The vampires have the moon. They cannot take the sun.
There are daywalkers in Jakeston, and the council wants me to stake them all before they can do more damage. With every day they remain free, they grow more powerful.
The daywalkers are feeding, but they're leaving no proof of their grisly meals. There's no blood. No hair. No bones. No drained, dead bodies.
Humans are just quietly disappearing.
No one sees the mutant vampires. These baddies don't do frenzied, public attacks. Unlike Avis Vine, they don't want to draw attention to themselves--so there is simply death that no one sees.
These daywalkers aren't eating just because they're hungry. They're devouring humans to grow their power. And somewhere out there is the magic that's keeping them going. If I find that charger, whatever it is, the daywalkers will weaken. They'll leave a trail I can follow.
But how can I find something when I don't even know what it is I'm looking for? How can I find creatures full of magic who have no desire to be found?
If that's not enough trouble, in the middle of trying to track untrackable daywalkers, my alpha disappears. I'm afraid he's been turned and has gone into hiding...or that he's been murdered.
Then I feel him, and I know the truth. Jared is out there, and he's alive. Nothing will keep me from him. Not for long.
I will walk through hell to rid my city of the daywalkers and destroy their twisted magic once and for all, and I will kill the world to save the man who would've done the same for me.
And when my past comes back to haunt me, I'll have to put aside my horror over who--and what--I really am and find a way to forgive the woman I thought I could trust completely.
Someday, I'll get back the life I love. I'll work the office, talk to spirits, and enjoy my new home in Huntersburg.
Laken was first published in 2008. After a few exciting years with her publishers, she struck out on her own to write the now complete Rune Alexander series, and never looked back.
She shares her Ohio home with three spoiled dogs, two fish, and a tenacious African Violet. She drinks too much coffee and continues burning up the keys of her trusty laptop, getting the stories out of her head and into her readers' hands.
While we finally got a clean conclusion about the FMC Kait's relationship with Jared and how Eli and Lennon were ultimately handled, it was still a chaotic book that tried to cover too much in too little time. Not only was Kait still trying to figure out her powers, but she was also tasked with taking down the daywalkers and later with finding her missing alpha Jared as well as the shapeshifter Sam after he was being a considered a suspect.
Quite a few of the mini plots in the previous books were not handled and open-ended by the conclusion of the story, such as a the rogue demon that had originally owned Kait's blade and her job with the council and her training. The twist about Susan was a bit significant to throw in randomly in the last book of the series. Kait's other magical capabilities also grew to absurd lengths and was never well explained.
I might have been reading too much reverse harem lately, but seriously, so many of her "buddies" around her could have been potential love interests, especially over the top protective Joe. Kait kept spinning multiple people as very close friends that she'd die to protect, but the behavior of all the men around her was.... weird. Detective Rick Moreno seemed to be way too fixated on her, Remy felt protective of her by the end, and ? Sam was also just confusing, and I didn't understand why Kait was okay with him killing random abusers even after a talk with Rick. Speaking of her actual romance interest, Jared didn't even show up again until more than 75% through the book, and honestly, I wasn't really convinced of their "undying love."
If you're looking for a series with plenty of action, this might be for you, but I prefer more deep character development and detailed plots rather than trying to handle 10+ mini plots and failing to resolve them all. I believe this is the last book in the series based on what I read in the previous novel, but there wasn't a solid author's note saying one way or the other, and I could see another book being added to tie up the loose ends I mentioned previously. -------- Ratings - completed series: #1 Broken Moon: ★★★★☆ #2 Blood Magic: ★★★☆☆ #3 Bold Mercy: ★★★★☆ #4 Bad Medicine: ★★★☆☆ #5 Beautiful Madness (this book): ★★★☆☆
Three stars is me being really generous here, imo.
This book was the series finale, and honestly, it was meh. We blitzed through too many plot points for anything to have much weight. The pack is just garbage. I mean literal, complete garbage. I had a really hard time sticking with this book for the first 25% or so, because the pack was such trash that I just wanted them all to die already.
And after all that, I still have no idea what Kait is, other than the biggest Mary Sue in the history of Mary Sues. I've mentioned this in other reviews, but I like my FMC to have a dash of Mary Sue - I like them to be capable of handling what gets thrown at them. But Kait seemed to spontaneously generate new abilities constantly, and I have no idea why. I don't know what she is. I don't understand what the angel said - is she part angel?? And now we're done with her series and I have literally no fucking idea what she is. Like, none at all.
8th s is the.that book in the series and it's a doozy. Kait has always known there was something s about herself that didn't make sense, that she wasn't a normal (as if.one exists) werewolf but was afraid.of.what the answers might be. Now through the truth is no longer hidden, her heritage is important to her survival she must embrace who and what she is if she is to.survive the coming battles. Jared (her alpha) has been kidnapped, she cannot sense him thought their bond not can his wolves but Kait is convinced he is not dead, but wherever he is he's in terrible danger, that's one. The council want her to.find and kill the jaywalking vampires and take.out the.source of their.power, that's two. Rick informs her Sam, the serial killing shapeshifter is murdering women again, that's three. Lennon the witchwolf is still in a cell underneath Jared's house and she seems to be reviving, Kait doesn't know.what to do with her, she is Jared's to kill, it's a pack issue, that makes four. Lastly the angel.that wants her blade knows she tricked him and is out for blood, that's five. Five urgent issues that need to be dealt with like yesterday. Add in some personal drama and the council forcing her to do things she doesn't want to and it's not a good time to be the only supernatural with any chance of surviving what is to.come. One thing is for sure Kait will need ever friend she has all working together if they have any chance of.coming out the other side........................ It's an action packed ride from start to finish and you will be amazed at the punishment Kait can take and survive......
I liked the series better when the books were fairly straightforward paranormal mystery. As if typical for the modern era of paranormal writing, Kait started out as a relatively ‘normal’ character who had to overcome hardships to do her job as a PI.
By the time book 5 rolls around, Kait is an Alpha wolf-shapeshifter-demon hybrid. The previous 4 books that established her character are tossed out the proverbial window in favour of taking the character and story to a somewhat absurd place.
Nevertheless, the words are spelled correctly and the author has some very good ideas. Unfortunately, it reads like 50lbs of ideas stuffed into a 5lb sack and has become so grizzly and violent that it wasn’t an enjoyable read.
I read all five books in three days, skimming more and more towards the end, and I’ve been thinking about how I should rate the books? It’s evident that I was interested enough to see what would happen, however, the books became worse as we progressed, so when I was thinking what to write, I accidentally saw that the first book in the series had more than 4500 ratings, whereas this one, the latest in the series, has only 1400 ratings or so. What lessened the impact of the book is how many new agents and external powers and forces the writer kept introducing into the story without proper preparation or instead of trying to develop the storylines she’d already created. It gave one whiplash.
Yeah, I rounded down this time. And I’m sad I had to because I really did enjoy the overall stories in this series. It’s just that all the little stuff that was, and is, never explained just kept adding up and up until by the time this book was finished I was completely confused!
So, what exactly is Kait? What did the angel do to her? What the heck is going on with the Council and are they good or evil? And above all (at least in this book) what the bajeebies was that whole mess with the fight concerning her dad and her mother at the end? Alive? Dead? Kinda sorta but not really? Well, actually the entire climax was a mess for me. Maybe I’m dense but Jared going from half dead to Uber powerful in a blink, her descending into the magic to fight then BAM! Somebody else saves the day (trying super hard not to spoil) when it was just said that no one else could help without dying. Lucy and the whole white eye stuff. Wyatt and the other wolves… Honestly, my head is spinning. The worst part, however, is that this was the series finale and we WILL NEVER KNOW! Humph. And yet… I was still completely addicted while reading the series.
I binged this series this weekend. First of all thank you Laken Cane for putting this up on audible to borrow for free.
I can't exactly tell what kept me going on with this series. I think it was this weird Romance in this book and also the mystery what kind of supernatural is Kait Silver? What are the secrets she is keeping and which are kept from her.
I enjoyed all the books and my rating is 3.5 to four stars for all the books. I like the main leads and thee side characters. My favorite were two side characters: Ash the rescued dog and Lucy the rescued human girl.
I liked the slow burn of the romance but when they finally give in it gets spicy. I had a good time listening to the audiobooks.
Meh. This series was ok. I like the development of Kait’s own pack, but it felt pretty shallow. They have such loyalty towards each other but I don’t think we really see much to warrant that - sure, there’s the dramatic sacrifices in battles, but not much actual relationship development in the background. Same with the romance. There’s more of a real relationship with the detective than the alpha. So I feel like most of the super strong relationships just ARE, without any real development, which is a shame given there were 5 books. There’s also not much actual plot going on, just one s**t storm after another she has to deal with - there’s hints about different people being involved (e.g. council) but those kinda come out of nowhere and don’t lead anywhere. There also isn’t any huge character development by Kait.
It was a good series overall. I had a good time reading it. But I'm a bit disappointed by this end. There is still a lot of questions not answered. But still, it was nice to read it !!
I want more now! I can't believe I finished this series so quickly! Kait and the gang really go through it in this book.
Was it a little too much happening? Yes, I think this book could have totally been cut into two. I do like that we are left with the possibility of another book.
Ok, I have to say we know she is with Jared, and they are mates, buttttt she has so much chemistry with Joe; I know he is gay, with Rick and even Sam. So, will this ever turn into a reverse harem?
2.5 ⭐️ The last book of the Kait Silver series. I was a bit disappointed by the ending. There were a lot of holes in the plot and a lot of things weren’t explained, like what is Kait?? I felt like the whole series was leading up to this point but it didn’t even get into the complexity of her identity and the role of her father and birth mother in this. Overall, it was a good series but it could have been way shorter and the ending felt very rushed.
Thoroughly enjoyable and I like the development and Kait's abilities.
The reason for the 4star was that I found the story a little short. The spacing the contents consumed a lot of unnecssary pages which should have been filled with a few more chapters (e.g meeting with Council and an additional training session after the new abilities) and possibly ended with the cliff-hanger teeing up the next novel.
(3.5 stars) - happy-ish ending that's not as wrapped up as I'd have liked
The series has been action-packed and frequently fun, but it just felt too all over the place. This would have been great tightened up & written as a trilogy with the leftover excised plot lines maybe being fixed & developed into a 2nd trilogy.
The author wasn't consistent about the characteristics of her non-human species, and by the end, there were a number of discrepancies.
The whole thing about Kait not wanting Farrow to bite her just so Bastien ends up doing it instead was a cringe manipulation to create an artificially contrived sexualized moment, presumably to make up for Kait & Jared being separated for most of the story.
There were some plot lines wrapped up quite happily. Some were surprising. Some were disappointing. And some didn't get wrapped up at all. It sounds more like it's setting up to be continued in some fashion but apparently the author has stated that it's done?
In case there's any doubt, I don't regret reading the series. There was enough to enjoy in there to tip it to the positive side. And I wouldn't mind if the author continued it as a new series from another or new character's perspective, but the flaws are big enough that I hope the author will work on having a more clear, less pantser storyline if she does.
And apparently the persistent demon who started Kait's life-changing adventures just blipped out of existence after all 😉
***Potential Content Issues*** (R-rated level) There are some descriptions of child abuse & child abusers, as well as the killing of some. None of it is overly or gratuitously graphic.
Not as many naked shifter moments, though it's still not really treated as sexy, barring some surprised comments at a couple of points.
Kait & Jared are obviously sleeping together but there are no sex scenes.
Two secondary characters are working thru their homosexual relationship
The language is still there & then some; the f-bombs escalate to 129.
The careless use of the Lord’s Name continues, though still none as curses; surprisingly, there are a few actually used as prayer this time
These books are weird for me. At times it seems that the story becomes more cohesive and the characters grow and then (one step forward and two steps back) something goes awry and the story is somehow incomprehensible again. The contradictions like this paragraph from the book..
“The third woman wasn’t an abuser, but she’d been in the emergency department twice in the last month. She had a restraining order against her husband. She had no children. She’d been living in hell for a long time, Kait, and was just now managing to free herself. And Sam kills her. Not fast, either. He made her suffer first. She was simply…blonde. She had two little girls, a stable home, nothing at all that would have attracted Sam other than the color of her hair.”
First she has no children then 2 girls.. am I reading this right? Then there are times when the main character will have a revelation only to have it again a page later. Sometimes I feel like random knowledge is known or hinted at by other characters just to progress the story line forward. Then it will be like the character didn’t really know the knowledge they acted like they knew. Even me trying to explain it doesn’t make sense. The most frustrating aspect for me is that the characters are mostly good, in so much that they have a solid build to them and potential (which kept me reading to this point with hope) but it never quite hits the apex and worse they sometimes act totally different then they were originally written as. It’s like a heartbreak via disappointment every time they fail to thrive. Lastly, why does everyone burst into random tears over the smallest stuff? Can fictional characters have hormonal defects?
As always, please if the story, synapses, or genre appeals to you, give it a go. My review may not be what you feel or think. And as I said I kept up to book 5 despite the above so you know it wasn’t all bad.
Action Packed and Heck of a Shifter Paranormal Story
If you like lots of action, great plot twists, multi-dimensional and well written stories in the style of K F Breene then hat’s what you will find in this series starring a doubt ridden, paranormal/wolf shifter heroine named Kait Silver and her pack of characters. The series gets better and better with every book and the first book was great. A 5 star read that’s hard to put down.
To the sexist illustrator and publisher..come on, read the damn book! What down to earth, woman warrior wears heavy eye makeup, uses lip filler and wears a bustier (so freaking stupid and demeaning to the heroine)? Then to get really moronic, adds belts around her thighs and waist with no weapons in them? Plus her hair, usually braided down her back, is supposed to be long enough when loose to partially cover part of her body when she is naked. Quit objectifying teenage girls and put a 26 year old woman warrior, in all her natural, beautiful glory while carrying the weapons she uses on the cover.
Well this series is fantastic the storyline and characters you can connect with. There are lots of compelling twists to keep the read interesting my only issue is if this is supposed to be the last in the series it has left a lot more questions than it has answered. You can't help but feel unsatisfied, there's no closure to the story it just feels unfinished. The first thing I did after finishing the book was search up to find out when the next was planned to be released disappointingly to find this is it. A shame of and ending to what was a great story.
Laken Cane's "Beautiful Madness," the fifth installment in her Kait Silver series, lives up to its title, delivering a potent blend of captivating darkness and intense desire.
This book throws wolf shifter Kait Silver into a deeply personal and psychologically charged case involving a dangerous cult leader and the resurfacing of painful memories.
Cane masterfully crafts a story that is both thrilling and emotionally resonant, further solidifying Kait's place as a compelling urban fantasy heroine.
* Intriguing and Unsettling Premise: The introduction of a charismatic cult leader with a disturbing influence creates a palpable sense of unease from the beginning. The mystery surrounding the cult's activities and their connection to Kait's past is expertly woven, drawing the reader deeper into the narrative's dark underbelly.
* Deep Dive into Kait's Psyche: "Beautiful Madness" delves into Kait's past traumas and vulnerabilities in a way that feels both organic and impactful. The resurfacing of difficult memories forces her to confront her inner demons, adding layers of complexity and emotional depth to her character. This vulnerability makes her even more relatable and her strength more admirable. . * Heightened Stakes and Personal Connection: This case feels particularly high-stakes for Kait due to its direct connection to her past. The personal investment fuels her determination and creates moments of intense emotional tension. The lines between professional duty and personal vendetta become blurred, adding to the drama.
* Atmospheric and Suspenseful Writing: Cane excels at creating a dark and rv setting that perfectly complements the story's themes. The suspense builds gradually, punctuated by moments of intense action and psychological tension, keeping the reader on the edge of their seat.
* Evolution of Relationships: The established relationships within the series continue to evolve in meaningful ways. The bonds of loyalty and trust are tested, and new dynamics emerge as Kait navigates the complexities of the case and her own internal struggles.
* Exploration of Manipulation and Control: The book delves into the insidious nature of manipulation and the devastating impact of control, both external and internal. This thematic exploration adds a layer of intellectual engagement to the thrilling plot.
* Darker and More Psychological Tone: Compared to previous installments, "Beautiful Madness" leans into darker psychological themes.
* Focus on Internal Conflict: While action is still present, a significant portion of the book focuses on Kait's internal struggles and emotional journey, which might be less appealing to readers primarily seeking fast-paced action.
* Series Dependency: While the central plot is resolved, a deeper appreciation for Kait's past and the nuances of her relationships is gained by reading the previous books in the series.
"Beautiful Madness" is a compelling and emotionally charged addition to the Kait Silver series. Laken Cane masterfully crafts a story that is both a thrilling mystery and a deep exploration of trauma, manipulation, and the strength of the human (and shifter) spirit. While the darker and more psychological tone might not be for every reader, those who appreciate complex characters, suspenseful plots, and a touch of darkness will find this installment to be a captivating and thought-provoking read. It showcases Cane's growth as a writer and further cements the Kait Silver series as a standout in the urban fantasy genre.
I'm really sad that this is the series finale because these books have HIGHLY surpassed my expectations. i was totally engrossed in all five books and never got bored once. There was so much going on that even if you were uninterested in one subplot, something else would surely come along to grab your attention.
My only complaint is that I feel like things were left a little open-ended and there should have been one more book to wrap things up. There wasn't much relationship development with Kait and Jared. I love a slow burn so I was totally fine with this in the earlier books, but I must admit I was holding out for that moment where the two of them would come together as mates and the pack would finally accept Kait. I just felt like the relationship moments were really anti-climactic and it really bugged me that the pack continued to hate Kait because I think pack relationship moments are the best part of shifter books.
Also, I feel like I'm still left with so many questions that it feels wrong that this is the last book.... Like
Either way, this was still an amazing series that I will definitely re-read one day.
“There is madness inside me, alpha.” “It’s a beautiful madness.”
This was without a doubt an amazing urban fantasy series. That being said, this book didn’t feel like the conclusion to an amazing series. [Why? ]
A spin-off series doesn’t feel completely out of the realm of possibility, since this book ended more on a HFN than a HEA. Personally, I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed for a possible Silverwood series sometime in the (hopefully not so distant) future, as I would love to read more about these characters, especially now that Kait has a pack of her own.
Title: Beautiful Madness (Kait Silver #5) POV(s): Single—First Person Interconnected Series: Yes Standalone: No Cliffhanger: No HEA: Relationship: M/F Genre(s): Urban Fantasy Romance["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>
Kait Silver - Urban Wolf Fantasy Wolf Shifter Series (overall review)
Where’s the rest of the stories? To much left hanging left this reader frustrated! Lots of FOUL LANGUAGE.😖😩
All five books have been read, and the author held the interest of this reader for the most part. Where’s the rest of the stories?
Cane can write, but needs to consider the audience a bit more. Though some writers appear to enjoy writing books that I would have gladly recommended to others, I can not do so when the stories use so much foul language that it takes away from the reading. An occasional slip here and there would be more than acceptable in a series with this much action, but there was an over abundance of it.
For the most part, characters were well developed. Each of the chosen supporting characters played a special role that helped define Kait in her role. Places/ scenes were well described giving reader clear visual where action(s) happened. Descriptors of each character were so well defined that this reader felt they knew the individual. Rick and Lucy were favorites for this reader. The bond they had carried through all five books building each time. Susan, well Susan was just an awesome mom. What she did, Now, that was love!
But what about Joe and Max? What happened to them? To Lucy, Rick, and Sam? Surely there should be more.
And the new pack of wolves that came in at the end?
But what was Kait really!? Guess we will never know.
There are daywalkers in Jakeston, and the council wants me to stake them all before they can do more damage. With every day they remain free, they grow more powerful. The daywalkers are feeding, but they're leaving no proof of their grisly meals. There's no blood. No hair. No bones. No drained, dead bodies. Humans are just quietly disappearing. No one sees the mutant vampires. These baddies don't do frenzied, public attacks. Unlike Avis Vine, they don't want to draw attention to themselves--so there is simply death that no one sees. Kate has issues with day walkers and on top of that her Alpha is missing, throw in a pissed off angel and Kates ever changing abilities and we have a good story. I enjoyed the characters in this series and this book ended on a note of promise for the packs.
Crazy, somewhat confusing, thrilling, and challenging are great descriptions for Kait's life.
I didn't see this end coming - seriously, on top of shifters, vampires, demons, ghosts, witches, and fallen angels, I hardly expected the level of magic that Kait literally threw herself onto! The many twists and frequent turns in the storyline made for excellent reading, and I truly loved the fact that this writer doesn't fill her pages or drive up her word count with repetitive sex scenes like the writer of the last sentinel series I just finished tends to do. Boring, that. (Notice I did not mention names).
Laken Cane is a name I'm going to keep an eye out for. Definitely not boring, repetitive or provincial. Great job on this wonderful series! Five stars!
I love this series. It’s 💯% delicious urban fantasy with tons of ass kicking the enemy. I even love our FMC who is broken but strong. My reason for 4 ⭐️ and not 5 ⭐️ is because I’m having a hard time with the lack of development of the MMC and alpha Jared. While the pack my not be surprised that they are together…. I am. She kissed Rick. Got kissed by the dark angel. Has chemistry with head vamp ….. and others. I think it’s just a lack of character building of Jared. Almost like he’s an after thought. This story would be fine with her playing the field for a while and then maybe she could have found him and settled down?? I dont know but it feels weak right now. Not that it will stop me from continuing to read more about them; I just hope Jared is developed better.
I’ve had this book on my reading list for a long time. So long, in fact, that sometimes it took me a minute to place secondary or tertiary characters. However, I really enjoyed this latest book in the series. No spoilers, but every “power up” or “growth moment” felt natural. The story drew me in, and kept me turning pages. I was so involved that I didn’t realize that I had missed my bedtime by two hours, and even then, I had difficulty putting it down. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series for sure! (Although this is also a fairly satisfying conclusion if there aren’t any more planned.)
All hands are on deck waving farewell in Kate’s action-packed finale. As usual Kait has a deluxe bouquet of trouble, not the least of which is locating her missing mate, Jared along with tracking the daywalkers who mysteriously leave no scent or dead bodies behind forcing Kait to make a most unappealing sacrifice.
There are frenemies, betrayal, truths, growth and betrayals galore and a hunter reborn as a once believed power-hungry conquered enemy goes far to cement a powerbase; a once believed true friend shows where their loyalty lies as does a once believed true enemy. Conquered, unconquered and heroes all have plans. It’s time to get to work! Rating: 4.5stars