fantasy book reviews science fiction book reviewsurban fantasy book reviews Kasey MacKenzie Shades of Fury 2. Green-Eyed EnvyGreen-Eyed Envy by Kasey MacKenzie

Riss’s friend Harper Cruz, a Cat shapeshifter, is marrying Pennington Banoub, a Hound shifter and the cousin of Riss’s boyfriend Scott. But as the wedding date approaches, someone is knocking off Harper’s old boyfriends. Not only is this troubling in itself, but Riss has a very personal reason to be worried as the murder spree continues: Scott had a fling with Harper while he and Riss were broken up, and if the killer knows, Scott could be the next target.

Green-Eyed Envy is rife with red herrings. Suspects are numerous. You’ll probably suspect half the characters in the book at various times — some of them more than once. I did realize the culprit was scum long before Riss did, but I couldn’t be sure if he or she was murderous scum or just the regular sort.

A subplot deals with family issues and intra-Fury politics; Riss’s grandmother has awakened from her coma but isn’t acting quite like herself, and Riss’s mother thinks there’s something fishy going on. It’s great — and far too unusual in urban fantasy — to see a heroine with a loving, supportive, kick-butt mother. This storyline also leads to what is perhaps the most awesome moment in the whole book, involving Riss’s niece Cori. This plotline appears to be setting the stage for the third Shades of Fury novel.

Another subplot concerns the deepening commitment between Riss and Scott. Riss realizes that the relationship is getting serious, but fears that she’ll ruin it — whether because of her knee injury and self-medicating with Jack Daniels, or because of a disturbing new attraction to Harper’s charming man of honor, which she blames on her mercurial Fury nature. Riss’s struggles are relatable, and her growing determination to take responsibility for her life is admirable.

Kasey MacKenzie’s writing style isn’t the most distinctive in the field, but it does the job, and it’s improved since Red Hot Fury. Green-Eyed Envy has more humor, better scene transitions, wiser choices about what to show vs. what to tell, and only one use of the word “weps.”

Stronger than its predecessor, Green-Eyed Envy is a fun mystery with lots of action and twists. Add this one to the beach bag.

Shades of Fury — (2010-2011) Publisher: Hell hath nothing worse than a Fury scorned… As a Fury, Marissa Holloway belongs to an Arcane race that has avenged wrongdoing since time immemorial. As Boston’s Chief Magical Investigator for the past five years, she’s doing what she was born to: solving supernatural crimes. It’s far from business as usual when the body of one of Riss’s sister Furies washes up in Boston harbor. Riss discovers that the corpse’s identity has been magically altered, but as soon as she reports her findings, she’s immediately — and inexplicably — suspended from her job. Then a human assassin makes an attempt on her life, and Riss starts to realize that someone may be trying to stir up strife between mortals and Arcanes. When a Fury gets mad, she gets even, and Riss is determined to untangle this case. Without the support of the mortal PD, Riss turns to the one man she can trust to watch her back — shapeshifting Warhound Scott Murphy. But since Scott is also Riss’s ex, she’ll have to keep a tight leash on more than just the supernatural rage that feeds her power as they try to solve a murder — and stop a war…

Kasey MacKenzie Red Hot FuryKasey MacKenzie Red Hot Fury 2. Green-Eyed EnvyKasey MacKenzie Red Hot Fury 2. Green-Eyed Envy 3. Blackhearted Betrayal

Author

  • Kelly Lasiter

    KELLY LASITER, with us since July 2008, is a mild-mannered academic administrative assistant by day, but at night she rules over a private empire of tottering bookshelves. Kelly is most fond of fantasy set in a historical setting (a la Jo Graham) or in a setting that echoes a real historical period (a la George RR Martin and Jacqueline Carey). She also enjoys urban fantasy and its close cousin, paranormal romance, though she believes these subgenres’ recent burst in popularity has resulted in an excess of dreck. She is a sucker for pretty prose (she majored in English, after all) and mythological themes.