Bound by Christine Bryant

Bound by C.K. Bryant

When a photo shoot ends in tragedy, Kira discovers her best friend, Lydia, has been keeping a secret. Knowing the truth, and accepting it, will change Kira’s life forever and thrust her into a world of ancient curses, magical objects, and savage enemies. What happens next will challenge everything Kira knows about her world, herself and the shape-shifting warrior she’s falling in love with. No longer the timid mouse her mother accused her of being, but a woman who finds the mental and physical strength to endure and survive. BOUND is a heroic tale of true friendship, infinite sacrifice and untamed love. 

-Published November 11th 2011 by Dragonfly Press

Food to Eat While Reading:  Octavian Ribs 

Octavian Ribs
from The 2012 Book Blogger's Cookbook

I loved all of the folklore that describes how the cat men came to be.  There were cool magical items, a fascinating magical world and a girl who learns that she has her own magic inside. The idea of an ancient race of people who are part man/part wild cat is exotic and mysterious and there is plenty of material there for the author to play with.

I am fascinated by Lydia and her second spirit, Altaria, and how they inhabit the same body and both fight for dominance and peace with each other.  What Bryant does later on with Altaria is surprising and I'm intrigued by what will happen in book two.

Octavian's aversion to Lydia's scent reminds me too much of Twilight and I just couldn't bring myself to ever fear for her safety.

I like the dynamics of Kira and Octavian toward the end of the book.  In the beginning the conflicts between them made me dislike Octavian.  he was thoughtless, violent and selfish--opposite of the loyal, and careful companion he is later.

As a self-pubbed ebook, Bound is very clean and there were only a few minor copy write errors.

Bound is a fresh paranormal thriller grounded in fantastic folklore.