Once Bitten by Trina M. Lee – A Book Review

Posted August 22, 2020 by Booksandblurbs in Reverse Harem, Reviews, Urban Fantasy / 0 Comments

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Once Bitten

(Alexa O’Brien Huntress – Book 1)

by Trina M. Lee
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Urban Fantasy, Medium Burn,Slow Build RH, Older Release
Available on Kindle and Kindle Unlimited, PaperBack and Audio

Down & Dirty

An older release, one of the first that really edged into the RH realm – though formulaic for the time. Free on Kindle Unlimited.

What is it about?

(Blurb from GoodReads)

Alexa O’Brien has never been like other people. A hunter of supernatural rogues, she is a werewolf with unusual but extraordinary power. Power that draws her to Arys Knight, the mysterious vampire who awakens her dark side. What they create together is dangerous and binding, forcing her to question the source of her abilities. It threatens not only her remaining humanity, but her relationship with fellow werewolf, Shaz Richardson, as well.

When Alexa’s womanizing former lover and the Alpha of her pack is framed for murder, he draws public attention that could earn him a death sentence unless she steps in to help him. Alexa would love to watch karma at work but as the body count rises, long buried secrets are exposed. She’s forced to face the painful truth that not everyone is who she thinks they are.

Thoughts on Once Bitten

While I enjoyed this novel, I wasn’t entranced – though I feel the potential is there. At this moment, so early in Alexa’s journey, she is often insecure, guilt ridden and rather flighty. She questions everything, not only herself, but those around her – often with good reason. I liked her, but I wanted to smack her a few times, truth be told.

Reading through these pages, you can’t help but draw correlations to both Laura K. Hamilton and Amy Sumida. The story has the same feel to it, that ambiance of growth and knowledge that things are going to get heated, in a dangerous fashion. This is not a bad thing, especially if you enjoy their novels. It does make me hesitate to indulge in this entire series though, which at this writing, weighs in at a hefty 18 books. If she follows the same pattern as the other two prolific authors, then it might start getting repetitive. That’s just an IF, mind you. I can’t, nor will I, promise that it will do so. I guess I’ll bite the book and read a few more, then see how it goes.

As for Alexa… she is… different. A touch emotionally unstable, though a powerhouse in the making. Add in the new powers gifted by her vampire lover, and things are about to go nuclear. It’s painful, curious and a bit angsty.

Perspective

First Person, Single POV

Ending Type

Episodic

Rating

R, 18+

Romantic Dynamic

Not sure of the outcome, this one is MMF

Character Age Range

26+

My Final Verdict on Once Bitten

An older Urban Fantasy release with a Reverse Harem backdrop. This is the very beginning of her 18 book (so far) journey, starting way back in 2011. Fast, a touch disjointed and far too often insecure – it is still a decent foray into the world and worth a peek. Free on Kindle Unlimited.