With each new book, Amanda Carlson proves yet again that urban fantasy is far from being a dying genre. Her style and approach remind me of Kim Harrison, Patricia Briggs, Charlaine Harris, Jim Butcher and possibly Diana Rowland. I dare say she is in every way their equal.

If I were to do one of my UF recommendation lists (which I will, and soon), the Jessica McClain series would find its place at the top. It contains everything I love most about the genre, while avoiding all its weaknesses. Carlson is far from being predictable: paradoxically, her series has that same roughness and charm introduced by the above mentioned authors, but it manages to be fresh and unique at the same time.

Compared to the previous book, Cold Blooded is a little less structured, without a strong main plotline to clearly define it. It’s difficult to describe the plot in one sentence; instead, Jess and Rourke face challenge after challenge, enemy after enemy, and the game always changes. While it can be a bit disconcerting at times, it certainly makes for an exciting read. A main threat does become clear in the last fifty pages or so, and the battle will continue in the next book as well.

For her part, Jess has finally realized the full extent of her powers. Her blood is incredibly powerful, her wolf wise and mostly cooperative. In her father’s absence, she has been made Alpha of the small pack of wolves that remained with her, and she handles it extremely well. It helps that her mate is very old and very powerful, there to support her in every decision she makes.

The secondary characters make this series truly shine. From Hot Blooded to Cold Blooded, the vampire Naomi quickly became my favorite. She is entertaining and often even funny without meaning to be. There is some serious chemistry between her and Danny and I can’t wait to see how that will play out.

Like the previous two installments, Cold Blooded has what one might consider an open ending. Some things are resolved while others are left wide open. The entire series is one big adventure that I enjoy greatly, so I didn’t really mind, although I probably would under different circumstances. As it is, this series remains one of my absolute favorites.