In the Lion's Den: [New Series] Book 1, Abigail Kade

Being handed a conviction for a crime he can't remember committing, Danial is sent to a shifter prison with the worst of the worst and his only hope of survival is a lion shifter who appears to care for him about as much as he does an errant fly or gnat.  But appearances are not all they seem and there's a plot that might either save or doom Nial and the tentative relationship he and the secretive yet passionate Ze are forging within the depraved walls of Starke Penitentiary.

I was both confused and intrigued right from the beginning.  I kept feeling like I was missing something but seeing as how we're reading from Nial's perspective for most of the story that's actually perfect for keeping all the machinations a secret until he's shocked with the truth.

As the story progressed those two feelings didn't abate, they actually intensified along with the longing for something concrete between Ze and Nial.  The world being built became more important than the relationship by a slight margin because without that solid foundation this story falls apart as well as the premise for the rest of the series.  With the introduction of all the characters from the start the cast was built up rather solidly.  I'm actually crazy eager to get the rest of the series sooner rather than later.  There's a great set-up here that has immense potential.

The drama was definitely present and even when it escalated it felt organic to the story; the proceedings all fit with the set-up and progression of the plot as well as where we were left at the end.  Relationships starting in situations like Ze and Nial found themselves tend to run the risk of feeling like too much too soon or like they can't possibly build a solid enough foundation to sustain them when the adrenaline fades.  There's a little bit of that here but I think there was a couple of good points in the story that took care of that.  Ze's confirmation that certain things should never happen in prison and the effort he put into making up for his epic screw-up both contributed to a believable platform from which to build their connection.

This was a really great start to what's sure to be a captivating new series.  With a solid cast and a believable villain this has awesome potential.  I'm definitely wanting to ride this roller coaster.