Review - Tempest's Legacy (Jane True, Book 3) by Nicole Peeler (5/5 stars)

Reading level: Adult
Genre: Urban Fantasy 

Size: 368 pages
Publisher: Orbit
Release Date: January 3, 2011
ISBN-13: 978-0316056601
Stand Alone or Series: Book 3 in Jane True series, 6 books planned
Source: ARC from Netgalley.com
Rating: 5/5 stars

This is the third book in the Jane True series by Nicole Peeler; right now Peeler has six books contracted in this series.  I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley.com.  This book was an absolutely fantastic addition to the series, I loved it a lot.  It is funny, broadens the story a lot, Jane really grows as a character and there is more Anyan.  I do have a warning for readers who are into this series coming from the paranormal romance angle; this book is definitely more of an urban fantasy.  In the previous books there were a lot (a lot, a lot) of hot scenes between Jane and Ryu, in this book the romance is mostly absent.  So if you are reading it for the hot scenes beware that is not really what this book is about.

This book starts off with Jane training with Nell about how to throw those mage balls she has so much trouble with.  Then Anyan arrives with some horrible news, Jane's mother has been killed.  Now Jane didn't really know her mom, but she was really hoping to know her someday so this pretty much destroys Jane.  Now Jane wants to be in on the lab investigations more than anything, mostly to revenge her mother's death.  Jane joins Anyan, Ryu and team in investigating these horrible labs where supernatural women are being experimented on and killed.  The investigation will take Jane into the Borderlands and back.  Jane will learn a lot about her past and be confronted with a lot of horrible things she has to deal with.

This was a really great book, but it was by far the darkest book in the series and was more of an investigative urban fantasy than anything else.  To be honest I enjoyed this book more than any of the previous books, but then I am a huge urban fantasy fan and the lack of romance didn't bother me.  Jane has to go through some horrible things and she is confronted with murder and torture at every turn; so there are definitely some heart wrenching parts to this book.  That being said it isn't all death and torture; Jane remains her realistic, goofy self and had me laughing out loud a number of times.  This is still a fun book to read, it just isn't as light and fluffy as previous books...it deals with some heavy, painful stuff.

I absolutely loved that Jane is getting her power under control and that she has to train to do it.  I hate it when heroines get supernatural powers and instantly just know what to do!  I love that Jane is having to work hard and practice in order to figure out how to get her powers to work the way she wants too.  I also loved that we spend more time with Anyan.  Ryu always bothered me a bit because he was just too smooth, Anyan feels so much more real to me.  Anyan and Jane have good chemistry, but their relationship remains....frustrating.

I also love that we got to go into the Borderlands in this book.  It introduces us to a wonderful new set of characters and a wonderful alternate lifestyle for the supernaturals.  We also are introduced to an ancient and powerful supernatural race that wasn't in the earlier books.

The book ends well wrapping up the main storyline in this book.  There are a number of surprising plot twists towards the end that will surprise the reader and these twists open up some major story-lines for the next book.  Even though it doesn't end on a cliffhanger, I was dying to know what happens next to Jane and crew.

Overall this was an absolutely wonderful addition to the series.  It really takes the series to a whole new level.  This book wasn't as fluffy and funny as the previous books, the fun was still there but it was tempered with desperate situations and dark happenings.  I loved this book, definitely check out this series if you are a fan of urban fantasy with humor laced throughout.  It features a normal girl with extraordinary magic, that you can't help but love.  Now I am on pins and needles waiting for the fourth book, Eye of the Tempest, to come out!

This book goes towards the following reading challenges:

- 100+ Reading Challenge

- E-book Reading Challenge

- Horror and Urban Fantasy Challenge