As a big of Price’s other series, I’ve always had the Haven series on my radar. It wasn’t until this past year when Price resurfaced in the book publishing world after a long hiatus that I finally decided to take the plunge into this book series with the long awaited third book coming in 2018.

Once Bitten is a different kind of urban fantasy story. Where the overwhelming trend of these types of book tends to stick to one supernatural group, Price has blended them together in her main character Kita. Once a were, Kita finds herself near dead when a vampire breathes life back into her failing body. Unique, right? To be honest, it is the first time that I’ve read a book with this type of premise. While some of the reviewers found fault in this oddity, I loved it. It’s refreshing when an author takes a step off the beaten path and gives readers a new type of creature to relish in.

That being said, I did have a few issues with the book’s plot line. In the beginning of the book, I felt like the world-building was scantly covered and often found myself going back a few pages to make sure that I hadn’t skimmed over something. Being the first in the series, world building is very important to set the tone for the rest of the series, and sadly, there just wasn’t that much there. Had this been developed more, I think my rating would be substantially higher. But that doesn’t deter me from picking up the next book in the series because as the book continued I did finally start to feel a connection to the characters and their well-being.

This series has a lot of potential, and my only hope is that with the subsequent books that Price finds her strive like in her other series.

I really enjoyed reading these books! They were so fascinating, and I just devoured them! I loved the world, I loved the characters, I loved the mysteries, I loved the writing! These books were just fantastic reads!

I have a little story about the time that I was reading these books. The 15th was the day after Dobby's surgery, and we had some family over, including another dog, who Dobby had played with before. But this time, because of his stitches, he couldn't go up and down stairs, let alone move quickly. Which meant that I took him inside, but he still knew that they were there. So while I was trying to read these books, he was not happy and made that very clear. I ended up giving him a tooth cleaning bone to distract him, and then taking him out on the leash when that wasn't enough.

Still, Dobby couldn't be in situations for a couple of days where he could strain his stitches, which included being on a bed. Which I solved for my night with him by setting up shop on my pull out couch bed, which wouldn't involve any hights for Dobby. And it was there that I read these books! Ok, story time is done!

Anyways! We dove right into both the action and the world in this book! Kita running away from her home and being chased, as well as world of shifters and vampires, and other dimensions...just so fascinating to read!

These characters were so great to read about, too! They all had their problems, even if it didn't seem that way at first. There was a bit of romance, but there was also a lot of humour, and personal connections. So great to read!

The first books had a pretty fantastic mystery-Kita looking for the rogue that was exposing the supernatural. Then there was the vampire politics of the second book. Both books have so much going on, it was pretty non-stop, and I enjoyed how things worked out!

Yeah, these books were so freaking great, and I can't wait for the 3rd book!

This was a quick, enjoyable read and while I did like it and will read the next book in the series I did have some problems with the book.  In a book that consists of magic and supernatural elements readers like to know more about these.  The female protagonist, Kita is a shifter from Firth and when the moon is full a portal opens and allows them to come to earth.  What is Firth; an alternate dimension and how many supernatural species are there?  Also, if you are going to have supernatural creatures but change what is considered to be normal you need to tell the reader how this is possible.  How can one species mate with another?  In most book the mate bond is something so wonderful and it can only be done if you recognize the other as your mate.  While you can have sex before you find your mate this is not the case after you meet your mate.  How can different species mate and how is the species of the children determined.?  Then there are the judge and Gil, where are they from and why were they tasked with policing the supernaturals?  Most of the time it only takes the exchange of blood for a strong vampire to make a new one, but here it takes strong intent and a lot of time.   As for shapeshifters, how can you infect someone just by scratching them?  If you didn't get bitten so there wasn't any blood or bodily fluids exchanged how did you become a rogue?  Then there's a question about the Alpha or leader, which is a position you gain by being the strongest, not heredity.  Why is this different on Firth and does anyone ever challenge the Alpha.?   Then there's the judge and Gil, who are from somewhere that has the authority to police other creatures and can even have them killed.  Where is this place, how were they chosen and what types of magic do they have available to them?  I dislike having more questions after I finish the book than I did when I started reading.  I'm not sure how many books the author has planned for this series and it's possible that future books may answer some of these questions. 

3.25/5 STARS:  **This is an honest, unbiased review.  I would like to thank the author and/or/publisher for providing an ARC through Netgalley, all opinions are mine.**

Once Bitten by kalayna price.
Kita Nekai, on the run and the smallest of her shifter clan--a calico cat among lions and tigers--is being hunted. She was expected to accept her role as her father's successor whether or not her cat was up to the task of leading the clan. She disagreed. Now she's less than a step ahead of the hunters, bone-tired, cold, and living hand-to-mouth in the city of Haven. And that's the high point of her day. She's also drugged, "accidently" turned into a vampire, and sentenced to death for recklessly creating a rogue shifter who tortures its human prey. She's got seventy-two hours to find the rogue, evade a city full of hunters, prove she's not responsible for the rogue, and keep the vampire council from killing her. All while sorting out an apprentice mage, a married ex-boyfriend shifter-hunter, and the vampire who made her.
A very good read with good characters. A little slow in places. So 4* from me. Netgalley and belle bridge books.

I found this book to be better than the first book but still only just okay. Hence the extra half star. The series held promise. It just didn't deliver.

- - Received copy through NeyGalley- -
L

I really enjoy this book. Looking forward to purchase Twice dead.

The only thing that sucks more than a book I can't finish is a book I can't finish from an author I like.

I adore the Alex Craft series by Kalayna Price, so I was excited to see that she had backlist books I could dive into and roll around in. Then I started reading. Not only did I not connect to this book, I actively disliked it.

The story follows a cat-shifter, Kita, who is on the run from her people. Female shifters aren't supposed to go into the human world, but she's been hiding out for the past several years. Hunters of her own kind are tracking her to bring her back. She's trying to evade them when she gets drugged at a rave and inadvertently turned into a vampire. Shortly after, a mysterious judge appears and finds her guilty of turning humans into shifters and only spares her life on the promise she'll find the real perpetrator within the next few days. She sets off to do that with Nathaniel, the vampire who turned her, Bobby, her married ex-boyfriend shifter, and Gil, an "observer" and student of magic.

I had so many problems here. The world-building is murky. The dialogue is stilted and used for info-dumps. We have to accept a lot of the happenings without rhyme or reason. (Like the judge accusing and sentencing her with no proof.) Gil feels like a random add-on. Worst of all, I didn't like Kita, who is immature and argumentative, and I absolutely loathed that the men called her Kitten.

I tried so hard to connect with this book, picking it up and setting it down several times. But life is just too short. If you want to read from this author, skip this series and try the Alex Craft books.

DNF.

A big Thank You to NetGalley and Belle Books for the ARC for my honest review. First time reading this author. I give it a 3.5. I sort of liked the characters and sort of didn't. Kita she NEVER listens and wants everything her way. Ok I guess we all have that characteristic. Nathanial doesn't explain anything so that gets Kita into trouble. I didn't feel that there was enough background. What exactly is Firth? Where is it? The story was convoluted but interesting. Pretty violent with lots of blood no sex scenes. I found the premise interesting. For some reason I really disliked Bobby and Gil-I found them annoying and distracting. The story seemed slow in places. Overall not a bad book. . I think that some paranormal readers will like this story.

Not your typical supernatural romance. A lot going on in this one! I really enjoyed it. Kita really came along as a character for me toward the end. I cannot wait to read book two.

liked it

Kita Nekai is on the run from the Hunters her father has sent to bring her home , she is his heir .
But being a shifter whose other form is only a calico cat , amongst others who are lion and tigers , she decides to hide out in the human world .
Living hand to mouth and staying just one step ahead of the hunters she is attacked and drugged - waking to find that she has been turned .....into a vampire .
Things go from bad to worse when Kita is accused of 'tagging' a human and creating a Rogue .... she is given 2 days to find and kill the Rogue or her own life will be forfeit .
Kita , Nathaniel , an apprentice witch , and and old, shifter , flame must work together to find the the Rogue , whilst trying to evade her father's Hunters and the Vampire Council.
Kita also has the problem of now being Vampire , with her shifter abilities buried deep inside !!!!
This was an enjoyable read ..... except for Kita's emotional state ...up/down , backwords and forward
giving no thought as to how she will survive as a Vampire .

I really enjoyed this urban fantasy story! I look forward to reading more by this author. The characters and story were entertaining.

Hold onto your seats, this is one wild ride! This is NOT your everyday vampire shifter book; it's so much more. Intriguing, fast paced and thoroughly entertaining - a real gem in its genre.