Publication date: February 2nd, 2022
Mavis Corvid can't remember. Not who she is, nor where she came from. It's been six months and nothing. Zip. Zilch. Now she's settling into a new life. She's back on her feet, literally, and working at a garage in Eustace Park for a boss as grumpy as he is handsome. She has an apartment, friends, and an insatiable curiosity about werewolves.
No one knows why the wolves disclosed their existence to the world, but the one-year anniversary of their reveal is fast approaching. A fight brews between two alphas that could threaten the rest of humanity unless Mavis can remember who she was. She knows she's not a werewolf, but she is something else.
When pushed from a balcony Mavis' second nature reveals itself. She shifts into a magpie to save her skin. Now she'll have to harness her strange abilities and investigate her disappearance to find out what happened to the Aldwulf, the alpha of all alphas. However, the past is gone and Mavis isn't the same person. With the opportunity to be whoever she wants, what kind of person will she choose to be?
Set in an alternate version world where werewolves not only exist but have revealed themselves to the public, this urban fantasy by Amber Boudreau is a great addition to the genre. The world-building is solid, the characters are relatable, and there is enough mystery here to keep the pages turning. (Who was Mavis before? What happened to the Alpha?)
After waking up six months ago without a clue, Mavis Corvid still can't remember who she is. She's gone on to choose a new name and quickly rebuilt a life for herself. She is a strong character who didn't spend time feeling sorry for herself when she couldn't remember the particulars of her former life. She just picked herself up and went on with some assistance from those around her. I thought it was unique that she wasn't stressed out that she couldn't remember and that she got to living as best she could. Boudreau also refrained from the typical shifter profile and constructed Mavis as a bird shifter or "two-natured". Deciding to have the main character transform into a magpie kept the shifter trope from feeling stagnant and overused.
The relationship between Aitch the garage owner and Mavis' boss, was rather humorous. He's a cantankerous thing but Mavis is unfazed and is as cheery as he is cranky. This isn't a completely romance-free urban fantasy but it doesn't overwhelm the plot. It's more of a will they/won't they type of romance that may be developed in future books but it nonetheless made for entertaining banter and heightened tension.
The ending certainly leaves the door open for a second novel or even the possibility of a series in this new world that I wouldn't be opposed to at all. I enjoyed Mavis coming into her own, learning about herself, and there was enough character growth to move on to a second novel. If you like your urban fantasy to be completely wrapped up at the end, this one may frustrate you a bit. There's a lot left unsaid and unanswered arranging it perfectly for a continuance. I'll definitely be keeping Boudreau on my radar for future releases.