Early Review--Reckoning by S.J. Harper

Join Agents Emma Monroe and Zack Armstrong.
She’s sacrificed. He’s suffered. They’ve both been betrayed. 
 
Now it’s time for a reckoning.

Special Agent Emma Monroe has a secret. She’s a Fallen Siren, cursed by the gods and banished to Earth for her failure to prevent the kidnapping of Persephone. As an FBI agent she saves the lives of others believing redemption could be one rescue away.

Her partner Zack is a werewolf and former Black Ops sniper who once carried out a string of questionable assignments. Now he’s determined to atone for his past. Ironically, there’s a portion of his past Zack doesn’t remember—an affair with Emma. Giving into their attraction for one another almost led to their undoing. Now it’s back to business as usual.

While trying to unravel the mystery behind a series of kidnappings in Southern California, Emma and Zack become entangled with political tensions in the vampire and Were worlds. Not to mention the struggles they face in their relationship with one another. With so much uncertainty, they come to realize the only thing they can really count on is one another…or can they? 

I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review, I was in no way compensated for this review.


Reckoning was a phenomenal read! S.J. Harper really knows how to pack a punch into an Urban Fantasy read! It was incredible, exciting, sexy, coupled with action and suspense! What's not to love?

My memory of the first book is sketchy at best, but I was still easily able to fall right back into this story! I even read it in one sitting! Emma and Zack once again find themselves working yet another case that ends up tying back to supernaturals. And in this world, society at large doesn't know about vampires, werewolves, Sirens, or the like. It's a secret that must remain as such. But when three teenage girls suddenly go missing in three days, things are looking serious.

What's great about this series, is that for the most part, each book kind of stands on its own, buy yet, there are key story points that get carried over from book to book--as we noticed in Captured to Cursed to Reckoning--things like Emma's curse, her relationship with Zack, her relationship with Kallisto, Sarah wanting Zack for herself...etc, etc, basically the characters' relationships are what crossover and make this a series that should be read chronologically.

I knew from the beginning that Emma and Zack's relationship was going to be one that teared me apart! They are two people who want to be together, but can't. Not with Emma's curse. She knows that Demeter would kill Zack if given half the chance and she loves him too much to allow that to happen. So everyone suffers. Her relationship with Kallisto is a physical kind, but I can't help but wonder if there might be more to it. I'm not talking of love triangles, but yet, there does seem to be a companionship between them. And needless to say Kallisto and Zack are not best friends.

And can I just say how much Demeter terrifies me? She is one badass goddess! I never expected to see her be so sinister! I know the Gods and Goddesses were worshiped and not always meant to be feared, but then you have to think...this is a powerful deity and right now she kinda still hates me. So yes, sometimes they are meant to be feared! Demeter being fearful kind of surprises me a bit, from learning about her in school years ago, I kind of took her for the caring Mother Nature type. Then again, the saying goes something like Don't Fool with Mother Nature!

The pacing to this one was rather good, it felt like watching a crime drama on TV, except you know, one with supernaturals! The events take place in five days and I really like that the authors give us the date and what day of the investigation it is. It makes it feel more dire and adds a greater suspense to it all since odds are likely, the more time it takes to find the missing girls, the less chance they have of finding them alive--or so crime dramas tend to tell us.

I am still left kind of shaking with emotions after that ending Harper threw at us! I won't say much more than that! It definitely got the emotions rolling and omigod, can I please have untitled book 3 now?!

Reckoning was a superb sequel to Cursed; truly Urban Fantasy at its finest! This is one series I highly recommend for fans of a little mystery! It's not a "mystery" genre, but there's still a good mystery to be solved and secrets to be kept and found. Now seriously, when does the next book come out?!



Overall Rating 4.5/5 stars