I Was a Teenage Weredeer (Bright Falls Mysteries, #1): 3.5 Stars

Author: C.T. Phipps
Length: 9 hrs 54 min

I listened to the audio version of this book. I thought the narrator did a good job voicing all the different characters, from a crimelord dragon shifter to vampires, werewolves, teenagers with New York accents, etc. It was easy to listen to and the story moved at a swift pace.

The plot itself contains many elements: a murderous demon, a corrupt town history, human sacrifices, a coven made up of magic-hungry teenagers willing to do whatever it takes to obtain shifter abilities. The world here is similar to that of the Sookie Stackhouse series in that vampires and shifters have “come out” to the public; but while their existence is known, it’s not entirely accepted. In certain states it’s legal to shoot shifters on site, and there’s hierarchy among the different types of animal shifters. Unsurprisingly, werewolves are at the top of the totem pole, while main character Jane Doe’s race of weredear possess the ability to become shamans. Within a few pages of the book we learn that Jane Doe’s best friend Emma is a werewolf, and her sister Victoria has just been found dead with Jane’s brother as the primary suspect. Thus begins the unrelenting cycle of events that unfold throughout the book.

The story takes a lot of turns, and we learn quickly not to take everything at face value. Many characters have secrets that they don’t want coming to light in the wake of Victoria’s murder and the subsequent investigation. There’s an unintended trip to hell, a haunted forest with evil spirits lurking within, and a magical convenience store of sorts that can be conjured up if you need to buy an enchanted rabbit foot and some scented candles. There’s a lot of nerd references (I say this as a proud nerd) to the Matrix, Star Wars, LOTR, etc. One of the characters is constantly quoting sci-fi movies. It makes you feel like you’re hanging out with a close friend and I found myself laughing at this quite frequently.

The book doesn’t take itself too seriously, so while we’re accompanying Jane on her twisted journey to find Victoria’s killer and exorcise a demon, there’s a lot of fun to be had as we learn about the paranomal history of the town and the eclectic characters we meet. The one thing that grated on me was Emma – her sarcasm and general negative personality made me question why she and Jane were friends, but to be fair I haven’t been a teenage girl in over ten years so maybe I just can’t relate to snark as a relationship-builder anymore.

Overall I enjoyed the story. It was something different, and I love any book that treats supernatural beings and magical occurences as completely normal so that we can enjoy the fun of it rather than dwell on its unlikelyhood. That’s the kind of world I’d want to live in- though I might stay away from Bright Falls and its penchant for human sacrfices!

I received a free audiobook in exchange for an honest review!