Review – Deep Dark Secret by Sierra Dean

Publisher: Samhain
Publish Date: March 6th
How I got this book: eARC from author

Secret McQueen has hunted vampires, werewolves, and every conceivable supernatural menace-to-society. Seen it all? Not even close. When the queen of the were-ocelots comes to her for help finding a missing girl, the half-vampire/half-werewolf soon realizes how much she has to learn about the things that go bump in the night.

The case of the missing cat is one thing. Pile it up with her new duties as a Tribunal Leader, her tenuous position as mate to the king of the Eastern werewolves, and a slew of new (and unwelcome) supernatural abilities, and Secret is once again in familiar territory. “Way” over her head. But for this multitasking half-breed, it’s business as “un”usual.

What knocks her for a loop, though, isn’t her lover’s intoxicating kiss. It’s the missing memories rushing at her from out of nowhere, signaling a rapidly approaching fork in her destiny. Her choice will affect not only her life, but her love.

Warning: Contains a werewolf king with wandering hands, a creepy English professor with nefarious plans, and one hell of an unexpected gala evening at Columbia.
*Blurb from Goodreads*

Oh Secret, I don’t even know where to start. I alternately love and sometimes hate you, and yet you’re like crack to the urban fantasy lover in me.

Secret’s life keeps turning upside down and right side up. She’s sitting on the vampire Tribunal, trying to make things work with Lucas and Desmond and continually gets wrapped up in more mystery than one girl can handle. She is committed to helping find a missing college girl, help her ex-boyfriend get exonerated on murder charges and navigate the murky waters of her personal life.

When she stumbles across a professor who doesn’t seem quite human, Secret’s whole existence will be put to the test with lost memories. Mix that in with Lucas acting selfishly at Desmond and Secret’s expense, they might not get out of this one alive, or with their hearts intact.

While I am an absolute sucker for the urban fantasy genre, the romantic at heart ultimately wants to know there will be a happily ever after, and with the Secret books, I find my inner romantic constantly let down. Secret’s romantic relationships are messy and ugly and nasty and make me want to open a can of whoop ass on Lucas and Holden, and even occasionally Desmond. I want there to be some kind of definitive love match, and Dean keeps throwing a wrench in my fantasy. I was a million times more pissed at Lucas in this book than ever before. He is an egotistical asshat who doesn’t take anyone else’s feelings into consideration. While I can see his reasons, it doesn’t make me want to hurt him any less.

That aside, Dean is an incredible UF story teller. The plot twists and turns and interweaves from the very first page. The action is constant and keeps me on my toes from the first page to the last. Her imagination and ingenuity in building the world and people in it continue to blow me away. I loved the demon aspect in this story, and the paranormal aspects seriously amaze me.

I enjoy the fact that the series is also moving along and unfolding even more with every book. Although I’m still not sure where Secret is headed in the overall series, I love the journey we are taking with her. Each book slowly unravels more about the vampire Tribunal, the ongoing werewolf politics and just how Secret will fit into both worlds. I can’t wait to see what happens next.

All in all the Secret McQueen series continues to provide for a fun, snarky and action-packed read. I love Secret’s sense of humor, the mystery in each book and overall direction of the series. While the romantic in me is still unbelievably frustrated (and I have a feeling that just isn’t going to end anytime soon), I will continue to pick up these books in hopes that Secret will tell Lucas where he can stick his precious pack, tell Holden to take a flying leap and live happily ever after with Desmond. A girl can hope right?
I give Deep Dark Secret a B-

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