The Boy Who Cried Bear

I received an advanced reader copy of this book.
When an author is writing a long series like this one (and like the previous one, the Rockton series) they have to balance a lot of things. They need to stick with what's worked for their readers, but they also need to add in new elements - they can't just write the same book over and over again. But how do you up the stakes each time, without getting to jump-the-shark territory? They also need to balance episodic plots and villains with the series Big Bad and overarching mythos. (Think X-Files, where you had the Monster of the Week episode, vs the alien invasion mytharc of the series.) So the reader needs to finish each book feeling like the book plot was resolved, and the series arc was advanced but still leaving questions unanswered - but in a satisfying way.

I think Kelley Armstrong is a master of this. She did a fantastic job with this in the Rockton series, and is continuing here in Haven's Rock. We have a smaller scale antagonist and mystery that is mostly wrapped up by the end, and yet also have introduced what might be our Big Bad for the series, and opened up a LOT of questions that will probably take many books to explore and resolve. New town, new stakes, new baddies, new townsfolk, and new interpersonal issues. All in all, a really great addition and absolutely worth picking up; I finished it in just two days because I could NOT put it down.

If you've never read the Rockton series, I highly recommend going back and picking that one up before starting on Haven's Rock. You'll be missing out on a lot of background if you don't, as well as just missing out on another fantastic series.

(Also, is that cover art gorgeous or what?! I couldn't find the name of the cover artist, but kudos to them.)