Hemlock

Werewolves are real - and everyone knows about them. Mackenzie's best friend, Amy, was killed by a white werewolf and Mac's dreams and waking moments have been haunted by it ever since. Amy gives Mac cryptic information in her dreams while the Trackers come to Hemlock to weed out those who are infected with lupine syndrome.

Mac decides to look into the details of Amy's murder after she learns that everything and everyone has been keeping secrets from her: the town, Amy's boyfriend Jason, their good friend Kyle, and even Amy herself.

She will learn secrets that will betray everything she knew and that will make her feel like she is losing Amy all over again.

Hemlock is a poisonous plant and I found it to be a fitting name for this town that becomes a place of grief after Amy's murder and then turns into a place of poison when Mac learns of all the secrets and betrayal that were kept from her.

Hemlock began with a terrifying dream Mac has that was very real for Amy, followed by the funeral. Then the story proper started.

I was surprised and pleased when I learned that the whole world was aware of werewolves. I have found it rare and in fact I can only think of one young adult series that does that as well: Christine Johnson's Claire de Lune books. These books could not be more different though.
I really liked Mac. She was at once sure of herself and stupidly brave when it counted, yet she also suffered from low self-esteem. I felt bad for her, trying to hold everyone together while she was falling apart inside. I liked her older cousin Tess as well, who was her legal guardian.

Kyle was awesome even though I did not approve of some of his decisions, especially the one at the end. He would definitely be the guy I would choose though.

I liked Jason as well, but not as much as Kyle, because he was so self-destructive and he made bad decision after bad decision. But I absolutely felt for him as well.

The side characters all play interesting roles. Serena and Trey Carson and Tess' boyfriend Ben, and various Trackers all had more to them than I suspected at first.

Speaking of the Trackers, they hunted down the infected and were supposed to send them to government-run internment camps, but Kathleen Peacock implied through her characters that the Trackers sometimes killed werewolves and humans who might get in their way.

There was also a less influential counter group called the RfW - Regs for Werewolves. It was a national network of activists who lobbied for increased werewolf rights.

Between the humans and werewolves, I noticed an "us and them" mentality as Mac described them. The masses wanted to persecute all of the werewolves while a few, like Mac, just wanted the bad ones to pay for what they have done while treating the good ones like people rather than animals.

This was definitely a theme throughout the book, but the majority of Hemlock was about Mac digging into Amy's murder and learning things she might have preferred to have kept buried. But in the end, it was better to know.

Hemlock was a paranormal murder mystery and thriller with a mostly satisfying conclusion (the mostly has to do with one of Kyle's decisions) and the promise of more to come.

Recommended for readers sixteen and older who enjoy paranormal and werewolf books and who want a fresh take on the genre. Some language, murder, and drugs and alcohol.

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Please note: Whatever I rate a book here, please check what the ratings mean on Goodreads, because those are what I go by.

Werewolves, plot twits, and a murder mystery? Yes please! Kathleen Peacock's debut will definitely satisfy the desires of YA fans looking for a great paranormal book to pick up and read. She did a fabulous job at engaging me with her book. Not only did I love that her werewolves were apart of society, I enjoyed the characters, the setting, and the lore. This book definitely breaks the mold of werewolf books that tend to blend together with their similarities. Kathleen created a fascinating plot line that made me want to keep reading. I wanted answers to the murder mystery, and I wanted to get to know her characters more. Believe me, there's some fabulous characters YA fans will definitely fall in love with.

I liked the way Hemlock flows and how the story is written. I enjoyed being thrown right into the middle of what's going on, and along with the characters, trying to figure things out as they do as the story progresses. I loved that. There's not a slow build up, but instead plenty of romance, action and plenty of mystery all intertwined together that kept the story in constant motion. Kathleen's twists are AWESOME! I didn't see some of those coming at all. That was so refreshing not being able to figure out what was going to happen next or who was behind the killings. I liked being able to figure things out at the same time Mac did.

Character wise, I enjoy a story with solid, well written characters and Hemlock has just that. Whether they're the good guys or bad guys, I found myself interested with each character and their role in the book. Mac (short for Mackenzie), was a character who grew on me as the story went along. She's someone that I got a little frustrated at times, and other times she's someone I really sympathized with. Overall she's someone I grew to admire. Her greatest strength is her incredible devotion to her cause, and to her friends and I loved that about her. I loved the romance in this book. It's one that doesn't take away from the book, but instead keeps the pace of the story going. This is how a love triangle should be, though it's not one of those where the girl can't choose between the two guys. This love triangle is one that's incredibly realistic and relatable.

The romantic leads themselves are fabulous! Kyle, Mac's best friend is someone you want to be around. There's more to him than meets the eye and I seriously loved the moments he and Mac have alone. Those moments are so bittersweet. I seriously adored him! Jason, the other love interest is a lot more complicated. He definitely takes the whole broken bad boy thing to a different level. Despite being mad at some (okay a lot) of his actions, it's hard staying mad at him once you get to know him. He seriously killed me with some of the things he does in this book, but then he turns around and does something unexpected and makes it so hard for me not to adore him as well. I really loved the history that Mac, Kyle and Jason all have together- being that they have been friends for a long time and are still dealing with their friend Amy's death from a werewolf. It's getting to the bottom of her mysterious death that fuels the mystery and the twists in this story.

Speaking of werewolves, I seriously loved the werewolf lore in this book and the twists that accompany it! I'm really hoping that book two goes into more details about the secret wolf society, because I want to know more. I liked that Kathleen gave me just enough to capture my interest with her werewolves and leaves me wanting more. If you're looking for bad guys, than wait till you read about the Trackers. They provided plenty of action in this story. Their sole purpose in this book is to hunt the killer werewolf that's lurking around Hemlock and in the process take out all other werewolves they find. I got their cause, but it's so twisted and totally wrong. Their mission to stop the werewolves turns into a hunt that puts Mac and her friends the direct path of danger as well as opposites of the war on werewolves.

If you're looking for a great paranormal read, I highly recommend picking this one up! There's plenty of action, romance, twists, and mystery that will wanting more when you're done with this book.

Lupine Syndrome - also known as 'the werewolf virus' - has been on the rise across the country. Attacks in Hemlock have also been on the rise. Amy is not the first death in town... will she be the last?

Recently werewolves have been outed, no longer are they something of fiction or nightmares. No, they really exist. A fact that Senator John Walsh is in support of. Right up until one kills his grand-daughter, that is. Amy was a beautiful young girl with her whole life ahead of her. She had her loving boyfriend Jason, her best friend Mackenzie - all until that day her life was cut unnecessarily short by the white werewolf.

Mac's life was turned upside down that day. Little did she know things could get a whole lot worse. I know, you're thinking "what could be worse" Right?! But trust me, things got decidedly worse when the Trackers came to town. The Trackers are an extremist group, called into town to hunt for the werewolf. They are working alongside the police, hoping to bring Amy's killer to justice. I'm just not so sure their brand of justice is the same as mine.

Mac knows that the Trackers have come to find Amy's killer. She just can't help but not trust them. There's something about them and their leader, Derby, that hits a nerve.
So, wanting to put an end to her dreams where she is haunted by visions of Amy, Mac decides to investigate for herself. Little does she know that the circumstances surrounding Amy's murder would up-end her life even further. She uncovers secrets about the people she loves and holds dear. Secrets that throw her into a maelstrom of violence and bitter betrayal that will see her own life put in harms way.

I loved this story for many reasons. Mac was just the kind of MC that I love. She's feisty, she's tough and when confronted with an amassing amount of evidence that all is not what it seems, she is like a dog with a bone and she will not let it go until she uncovers the truth.

Throughout the whole story, I couldn't help but admire Mac's strength, loyalty and hard-headed attitude. She may have been a little naive in some instances, and she may have been kept in the dark by those closest to her. But that doesn't stop her from being one of the best female leads I have seen in YA. In fact her foibles endear me to her just as much as anything.
Along with a great MC and a gritty storyline, there were also some other little bonuses in HEMLOCK. For instance, Kyle. *Swoons* I heart Kyle. Big time! He was the kind of guy you'd be happy to call your best friend. The kind of guy you'd want backing you in a fight. I absolutely fell head over heels in love with him from pretty much first sight.

There's other characters to like, some to hate and some that trip you up when you least expect it. I knew who the killer was before it was revealed, but even then, there was another surprise in store that shocked me to the core.

I finished HEMLOCK with a lump in my throat and tear tracks down my face, so I warn you now - have tissues at the ready.

Being Kathleen Peacock's first novel, I didn't know what to expect from her as an author. What I found was she has a unique style all her own - making her sky-rocket straight onto my favourite authors list.
The writing was fast-paced with an elegant fluidity to it that meant I was absolutely swept away and easily lost chunks of time whilst I was reading. I'd pick it up and upon putting it down I would wonder how on earth it had got to that time when it felt like I had only been reading for 5 minutes.

Sometimes I find stumbling blocks within books that it takes me a while to get my head around. But HEMLOCK wasn't one of those books. There was nothing that needing explaining, no barrage of information that attacked you from on high. It was a provocative storyline that prompted questions about love, trust, lies and prejudice. All in all, it was a beautiful story that left me sated yet all at once thirsty for the next installment in the trilogy.

For anyone who likes a good supernatural mystery - this book is a MUST read.

Mackenzie "Mac", Amy, Kyle and Jason were all best friends until Amy was killed by a white werewolf. Since then the remaining friends have been trying to piece together their lives but it is slow going and nothing is the same. When the white werewolf strikes again it brings a group of werewolf hunters to town called, the Trackers, and this causes even more problems. The story follows Mac as she tries to piece together her friends' murder and determine who the white wolf really is.

The world building in Hemlock is absolutely fantastic! I loved the idea that the government discovers and goes public with Lupine Syndrome and rounds everyone infected into camps; leaving those who are infected to go into hiding. It seems like something the government would do, and that made the storyline all the more realistic for me.

The other thing I loved about Hemlock was that it totally reminded me of Veronica Mars! The best friend in both shows dies, the friends are never the same, the ghost of the dead girl pops up semi-randomly when the protagonist needs some help, and in both series the main character is trying to solve the murder of her friend. Also add to this a similar kind of romance situation and my brain kept inexplicably linking the two! This was not at all a bad thing though, I absolutely adored Veronica Mars and any book that can keep me as hooked as that show did is definitely worth a read.

I also liked all of the characters in this book Mac was a great narrator and there was never a dull moment as she kept searching for answers to the murder of her friend. I also liked both Jason and Kyle as possible love interests, and the love triangle wasn't terrible. I will admit to not really liking it but I can't decide if that's because I didn't have a clear preference for which "team" I would be on or just because I dislike love triangles in general. One of my favorite characters, but who I though was a bit overlooked though, was Mac's sister. She took in her younger sister, dealt with all of the issues, and still was there when everything started to go downhill. I liked what a strong independent person she was and hope to see more her in the sequel!

Overall, I really enjoyed Hemlock it was an interesting take on werewolf lore and that ending *whew*! I am not usually genuinely surprised by a book but this one had me guessing right until the end. Needless to say I'm crazy excited for the sequel but with a possible change of publisher, no release date, and no title yet it looks like we will be waiting a long time!

I liked Hemlock for being grittier and rougher than a lot of other YA books, more Hemlock Grove (which, ugh, I couldn't get through the series and haven't read, but nevertheless) than Twilight (which, sadly, is the only YA book I can think of right now with werewolves in it. Surely there must be others). Plot twists were surprising but not shocking (except it did boggle the mind just how many people were infected) and I liked the twist of the rehabilitation camps because in my darker days (that is, those where I see human nature as infinitely flawed and self-destructive), I think we would probably do that. I liked the relationships that developed, although not the constant back-and-forth between Mac and Kyle, because that's just...annoying. In real life too. So maybe that means it was well written.

What stands out the most, though, is my question of why make the characters be in high school? It served no purpose. Their parents or the roles of other authority figures were miniscule. They seemed to do whatever they want, with all the action taking place while parents/caregivers were conveniently "out of town" or working. It felt like a forced YA read to me, which brings up the question: do YA books have to have adolescent characters? Does high school have to be the setting? Why couldn't these characters have been 18 and on their own. It would have fit better for me. Except maybe the author might have had to find another perfect place for an attack than the high school gym. And she probably still could have come up with a reason for Mac to be there.

A good mystery, some good romantic tension, some weird romantic tension, a surprise ending, and more books to follow.

Nothing has been the same for Mackenzie after the death of her best friend, Amy. After deciding to find Amy's killer herself, Mac discovers that the town she lives in, and the people she knows, are not exactly what she believes them to be. Secrets are discovered and lives are put on the line, all in the search for the truth.

I found Mac to be a very likeable character. She's definitely not one to sit around and wait, but she jumps in head first and not always into good situations. She's very insecure and self conscious, and that makes her very relatable. She's been abandoned over and over again by the people that she loves, and that makes it hard for her to trust people. Especially her friends and what's left of her family. Mac is very flawed, and because of that, I found her to be a great heroine.

While there was a bit of a love triangle in the book, it was extremely well written. I chose my side pretty early on in the book, but I have to say that I loved both Kyle and Jason, and each for very different reasons. Kyle had all of the characteristics that I love for a male protagonist, but Jason was a tortured soul that gets me every time. It was very hard to choose between these two captivating young men.

The storyline for the book was very engrossing. I figured that once you had read one werewolf book, you've pretty much read them all. I was wrong. The story was fresh and unique in its own way, and it managed to grab my attention and hold it through the book. The pacing was just right for the story, never boring, but never too fast paced as well. It was just right.

Overall, I really loved this book, so much more than I expected to. Hemlock was an intriguing read that kept me turning the pages. I can't wait to get my hands on the next book, to see what adventures Mac, Kyle and Jason will take us on next.

Happy Reading!

What if everyone knew that werewolves were real? In Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock the world does know that werewolves are real and bloodlust is not easy to control. Mackenzie and Amy were best friends until Amy was murdered by a werewolf. Mackenzie's life has not been the same since, she is being haunted by Amy in her dreams and the Trackers have come to town to hunt down Amy's killer. The Trackers are an extremist group that hunts and terrorizes werewolves. Mackenzie decides to hunt down Amy's killer but looking for answers in Hemlock only leads to more questions and secrets. Kyle is Mackenzie's best male friend and he has not been around much since Amy's death. Jason is Mackenzie's other best male friend and he is sometimes rude and obtuse. Mac is thrown into a world she knows little about and a world that is also filled with violence from humans and werewolves alike.
Hemlock did not grab my attention from the very start. However it quickly picks up and I really liked the fresh take on paranormal creatures. Usually in a novel focusing on the paranormal the humans do not know anything about the hidden world but in Hemlock they do. Mac is likeable but I wished she would have been stronger and able to take care of herself. But she is not wimpy just an average girl. The characters in Hemlock are relatable and each has their own talents and secrets. My favorite part of Hemlock is how we see how the world relates to werewolves and how each person has their own life and wishes. Hemlock really explores the theme of how well do you really know anyone. Hemlock is a unique werewolf tale that captivates your attention until the last page. I recommend Hemlock to urban fantasy and paranormal romance fans.

It's been years since the government first announced that werewolves lived among humans. Those infected with Lupine Syndrome, or LS, have never been much of an issue until now. In the town of Hemlock, there have been several violent murders spanning over the past few months, one of the victims being our main character's best friend, Amy. Mackenzie decides that she doesn't want to live in fear. She believes that the Trackers are doing more damage than they're doing good. With the help of a few unlikely heroes, Mackenzie's determination only grows.

Only days after burying Amy, Mac begins to dream of her best friend. Each night she's plagued by horrifying scenes of her death, but sometimes they're able to converse in her dreams, and throughout the book, it's as if Amy is trying to help Mac uncover each of the truths that have been looked past. It's only when the Trackers begin meddling in the school, attacking students over suspicion that they could be infected, that Mac decides to take a stand. There's only one problem, and it's the fact that Amy's grieving boyfriend, Jason, has joined the war against werewolves.

The Trackers have given me a strange feeling from the start, and it won't take readers long to see why. They're incredibly violent and they always seem to shoot first and ask questions later. When they get their hands on any werewolf, no matter who they are or if they've been violent or not, they immediately ship them away. Mac was a likable character for me, but she certainly isn't one of my favorite YA heroines. Though she was intelligent, resourceful and gave others the benefit of the doubt, she wasn't as unique as I wished she would have been.

Overall, I found Hemlock to be an entertaining and fast-paced read with many twists and turns. While I'm getting a little tired of the cheesy love triangles, I especially enjoyed one of the boys involved. In fact, Kyle is the reason that kept me flipping the pages. Each of the boys, while best friends, turn out to be complete opposites. Even with it's slight cliches, Hemlock is definitely worth a read for any fan of paranormal romance.

Review from The Hollow Cupboards- (thehollowcupboards.blogspot.com)

Werewolves have come out from hiding and now everyone shies away from the beasts. There are camps where they are taken to, where they live the best they can. There are others that try to live as a human and hide from the authorities.

In the small town of Hemlock, the community is still grieving over losing one of their own. Amy was Mac's best-friend and was killed by a werewolf in a dark alley. Holding white fur, the Trackers are in town searching for the beast.

Mac's other best-friends include Kyle and Jason, Jason being Amy's boyfriend. Mac is concerned about Jason as he was the last person to pick Amy up that night and thinks he blames himself for her death. Kyle has brought his feelings to light about Mac and the two of them start a rocky relationship. But Mac still has dreams of Amy and wants to find her killer, so she starts investigating herself.

When Jason joins the Trackers, and Mac finds out some information that doesn't add up to what the public had been told about Amy's murder, things begin to heat up. Not only with her, but her relationship, and Jason. No matter what, the Trackers won't leave until they get what they came for -- even if they have to play dirty.

As the first book in a new trilogy, Hemlock sets the scene with a great foundation, characters, and romance. The suspense builds, twists and explodes on several levels, keeping the reader interested and impatiently waiting for more.

If I could describe Hemlock in one word, it would be "stunning". Seriously, this book blew me away with its lush descriptions, perfectly flawed characters, unforeseeable twists and turns, a believable romance, and fear-inspiring villans. After I finished, I wanted to flip it right over and start again!

I wasn't sure what to expect upon turning the first page of this book. I adore Urban Fantasies, but have never been big on werewolves. It obviously requires a certain suspension of rationality to believe that a virus can cause bones to shift, hair to grow, and a biped to transform into a quadriped. However, I was completely happy to hand over my brain and my heart to Kathleen Peacock and become like putty in her hands.

The humans-turned-werewolves in Hemlock were sympathetic and relateable. After all, they're not just evil fairytale creatures out for blood. They're regular human beings who were unfortunate enough to contract the virus that changes their life forever. They are cast out from society and stripped free of their human rights. Society as a whole has slapped a big label on werewolves, with "VICIOUS" written across, and the hatred towards these "creatures" is on the rise. The subtle but effective message within the pages of Hemlock on the dangers of prejudice and judgment is a much-needed one in today's social climate.

I really adored all of the characters in Hemlock, even the bad guys and the secondary characters. They each played their part well and were very well-written. I enjoyed the friendship that was portrayed between Mac, Kyle, Jason, and Amy. I had a group of friends like that in high school, and the similarities are eerie! Mac was such a fierce character, and I really felt for all of the highs and lows she went through. I like to fancy that she's a bit like me, in that she wants to "save" everyone from themselves, and tries to see the best in even the worst of people. I loved how Kathleen handled the love triangle between Kyle, Mac, and Jason. It was definitely NOT the focus of the story, and I respect that there was no definite "team" between the two boys. Jason and Kyle are both lovable, though incredibly flawed, and you never really know which one will come out on top.

The nightmares that Mac has throughout the story were delightfully creepy, and despite Hemlock not having illustrations, I could vividly picture what she felt and saw. I also enjoyed the way the mystery of Amy's death and the secrets she hid from Mac slowly and purposefully unfolded. Maybe, looking back, I could have guessed a couple things, but Kathleen Peacock has a way of telling a story that just keeps you hurtling forward with no desire to figure things out before they're revealed within the story. This is one of the greatest attributes of a master story-teller, in my humble opinion.

Hemlock ended on such a great cliff-hanger, and left me stuttering and wide-eyed. Now, I cannot WAIT for Hemlock #2, which is sooo far off, the title and release date haven't even been declared yet! In the meantime, though, Kathleen Peacock has a fabulous website, where you can really dig down deep into the history and behind-the-scenes world of Hemlock: [...]There, you will find Deleted & Bonus Scenes, Playlists, Hemlock Wallpapers, Character Rosters and more.

I do hope that this review has urged you to grab Hemlock off the nearest shelf and give it a read. It is easily one of my most favorite reads of 2012 thus far! Kathleen Peacock has earned a "Standing O" from this book lover!

*A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

After reading Hemlock, I find myself stuck in Limbo, not really able to decide how I feel about it. I am not particularly fond of werewolves, but after seeing the gorgeous cover, I was hoping that this book would change my mind.

What did I like about it?

There was great imagery in the transition from man/woman to wolf. I found it interesting how Kathleen Peacock described the doubling over and snapping of bones. I really liked this idea versus Stephenie Meyer's snap your fingers and bada bing you're a wolf description. This just seems so much more realistic, the fact that shapeshifting can be painful and ugly. I think she did a great job of using this idea the transformation to symbolize how the lupine disease can strangle you from the inside.

I really like Kyle, one of Mac's love interests. He seems very genuine with a hint of I'll-kick-your-butt if you cross me. He was definitely the most believable of the characters, and I would probably read book 2 just to see what happens with him in the future.
Amy is haunting Mac's dreams, and I can't tell if it is actually a haunting or just Mac's subconscious going wacky. Either way, her dreams are very intense, and I think they were my favorite part of the book.

The ending....peeked my interest just enough for me to wonder what's to come in the next installment.

What disappointed me?

The romance was very bland, and since romance is the part of books that I really LOVE to read, it disappointed me that this love triangle was so anticlimactic. It was very wishy-washy, back and forth, and I got to the point where I wanted to thump Mac...hard.

There were parts of the plot that were slow and predictable. I wanted something to really make me say, "No way," but that point never came.

So...I'll leave you with a few answered q's:

Did I enjoy reading it? There were times I was reading because I wanted to know more and other times I was reading to get to the end.

Will I read the sequel? Probably, especially if the cover is awesome. Plus, I want to find out about the Amy hauntings.

Would I recommend this book? To those who like werewolves, if you are like me and even dislike Jacob, you might find this book is not for you.

I couldn't wait a minute longer to start Hemlock, by Kathleen Peacock. I was so excited to read into this world where werewolves were not only part of the plot, but the people in the book KNEW they existed. That is what makes Hemlock so different than all of the other werewolf stories. In most books, you have to go through the main character coming to a completely obvious realization that some "hot, dark, and brooding guy" is the werewolf. Because in most books, that is exactly how the werewolf is described.

There were some things in the book that I wasn't completely sure whether I liked or not. The love triangle is one. But, this one is a bit different. Normally, the main character (a girl) can't decide between these two guys that she's never met before and she makes her decision (which isn't usually a decision) based off of a month of knowing both and which one she thinks looks better. But, Hemlock is different. The main character has actually known both guys (Jason and Kyle) for three years. Jason was always dating her best friend (until she was murdered), but had harbored a secret crush on the main character (Mac). Kyle has been in a previous relationship and hasn't been able to tell Mac how he really feels about her. But the real reason the love triangle didn't fail was because Mac actually picked. The main character actually makes a decision (before the eighth book in the series).

To Sum it All Up: Hemlock isn't my favorite book in the world. But, I did enjoy it, and I will continue reading the trilogy.

4/5 Stars!

Short and Sweet:
Hemlock was simply put: entertaining. I loved the characters and the story. I put this at the top of my tbr pile after Jen Ryland @ YA Romantics made a Veronica Mars reference and I totally loved how right she was. If you are not a fan of werewolf stories don't worry, I'm not either, but this one is a great book first and a werewolf book second! Don't skip it!

To Elaborate....
Mackenzie or 'Mac' is mourning the recent death of her friend Amy who was brutally murdered by a werewolf, but she's also losing her best friends. Kyle to a girl and Amy's boyfriend Jason to his grief.

She's also having strangely realistic dreams of Amy who seems to be trying to tell her something. So Mac decides to find the werewolf who killed her in hopes of finding peace for herself and Amy, as well as to keep Kyle from leaving town and stop Jason from joining an extreme werewolf-hating cult-like group called the Trackers. AND yes, there is a love triangle here, but even Mac pokes fun at it, which somehow makes it work. :)

As Mac navigates her investigation she finds that nobody seems to be telling the whole truth and even those she trusts the most are keeping shocking secrets. Can she find out the truth and save her friends before she meets the same fate as Amy?

I highly recommend Hemlock to lovers of great YA! Read it before the sequel Thornhill comes out this fall!

Background: Mac is a teenage girl dealing with the loss of her best friend Amy. Amy was brutally murdered by a werewolf, however that is not uncommon. Werewolves permeate society and LS or Lupine Syndrome is occurring all over as the government tries to figure out how to handle the LS infected persons. Mac's best friend Jason has been acting strange since Amy's death and it has become her goal to find out what really happened to her friend.

Review: Couldn't put it down! I really loved this book. I started reading and only go about 10 pages in and was a little unmoved by it at first. Seemed like the same teenage angst and whining...only it got so much better! I jumped from page 10 to 71 and then on and on...even when I thought the plot was going one way, the predictable way, it surprised me and took another direction.

Mac is a strong girl, her parents aren't in the picture and she is being raised by Tess who is fairly close to her age. I loved the werewolves in this book. I thought it was great to have them be known about and have LS be a disease contracted, rather than a supernatural ailment that only affects some.

The author did so good. Mac's sarcasm is wonderful and the story line is great. But I cannot say much because a lot of twists occur and I don't want to ruin them for anyone...just go read it!

Recommended for supernatural lovers, those who like some teen angst and a strong female role. Go get it now!

Typically I'm not a fan of murder mystery novels, but I couldn't turn down the opportunity to read one with a werewolf spin! Not only did Hemlock keep me on my toes, but it also played out completely different from how I envisioned it! The unpredictability of this novel is what kept me hooked throughout it's entirety.

In Hemlock, Kathleen provides a much needed breath of fresh air to the the werewolf genre. I found it interesting that Kathleen made the existence of werewolves common knowledge in this book. The lupine syndrome is treated as an epidemic. It's such a simple premise, but I can't recall a werewolf story I've read where the same is true! Hemlock seemed to carry a Salem Witch Trial likeness with it that only added to the tension of the murder storyline.

The characters in Hemlock were fantastic! They were real and relate-able; especially Mac, the protagonist. She was strong and very likeable. On top of the characters, I thoroughly enjoyed the romance aspect of this book! Kathleen did a wonderful job providing tension within the love triangle without making it annoying and overbearing. Let's face it: it's pretty easy to get frustrated with love triangles! Two-thumbs up for a successfully written romance!

Hemlock will appeal to readers of many genres! Yes, even those who haven't liked werewolf books in the past! There's much, much more to this book than werewolves. Whether you are looking for a good YA romance, an intriguing mystery, or an action-packed read Hemlock will deliver!

Hemlock is a great book for anyone that enjoys stories about werewolves, but is tired of the usual lore. In the world that is created by Kathleen Peacock, LS (Lupine Syndrome) is a newly known disease that can be passed via saliva or a bite by a werewolf. It is spreading quickly and those that are infected are being tracked down and dragged off to "camps". These camps are where the unfortunate LS positive folks have to stay so as to keep the disease contained.

The main characters are great and there is a vague love triangle that later blooms into something more heated that is mixed with jealousy and passion from all sides. The entire storyline consists of the MC Mackenzie's best friend Amy getting murdered in an alleyway by a werewolf. Amy's grandfather is a very wealthy, powerful senator and uses his influence to push through legislation that will eventually call for all those infected with LS to turn themselves in or be tracked down. The Trackers are a group of relentless hunters set on tracking down every last infected person/werewolf. In this particular world, the werewolves aren't on a lunar cycle, but rather can turn if they are angry or frightened.

This is a fast-paced murder mystery thriller with a little supernatural thrown in for you! I really enjoyed it because it is a different twist on the usual were-lore.

Lately I've become a little skeptical about reading new books with werewolves and vampires, as it seems like everyone just keeps rewriting the same stories, the same myths. Luckily Hemlock managed to stand out with not only an original take on werewolves, but great writing and a thrilling mystery.

Mackenzie did not have an easy life before moving to Hemlock to live with her older cousin. She doesn't talk much about it, but it shows in her complete lack of confidence, in how she doesn't seem to understand why or how people can like her, in how she always thinks she's doing something wrong and doesn't deserve happiness. She does not trust people easily, and seems to prefer only relaying on herself to get things done. Mix that with her friend Jason, the rich boy with issues who nobody has any faith in, and Kyle, who's so protective of his friends (and especially Mac), but who doesn't trust anyone with his secrets, and you've got a fairly messed up group of friends. I loved how real the three of them felt together, in dealing with losing Amy and trying to find her killer, even if they were so far from perfect.

I love murder mysteries, and Hemlock managed to balance the paranormal elements with Mac's investigation of her friend's murder very well. In fact I think you could have completely removed the werewolves and it would still have been an exciting read, which is saying a lot in a time where so many books depend on "the other" to be the story. I did figure out who the killer was before the characters did, but there were still plenty of surprises along the way, and I loved how the ending tied things up yet still left enough open for the sequel.

Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock
(review originally published at [...])
Published May 8,2012

Summary: In this slightly more believable verson of superaltural YA, lupine syndrome (otherwise known as becoming a werewolf) is running rampant across the United States. Those infected are sent to contaiment camps where they live out their lives never able to see their families again. The novel opens after Mackensie's best friend Amy has been killed by a rogue werewolf. The whole city of Hemlock is on high alert looking for the beast. Mackensie has seen the evil containment can do and has mixed feelings about the civilian group who has come to look for the killer. Rather than showing "the daily life of a supernatural being" as all too many YA books do, Hemlock draws connections to what situations in the real world mimic the containment of lupine syndrome.

Bechdel Test?: Though Mackensie spends most of the novel trying to chose between two guys, she does have conversations with her friends about political issues such as the containment camps and the politics of killing semi-human beings.

Rating: 3/5

I truly enjoyed this book for its wonderful portrayal of how a single factor can make society think a person is evil. To me, this spoke to the HIV/AIDS scare in the 90s, the round-ups during WWII and many others. I like YA novels that bring these issues up in an accessible way to introduce readers to complex issues.

I was attracted to this book because of its intriguing title "Hemlock" and the beautiful cover. The trailer does nothing for the book, in fact it is poorly made and by itself would not have reeled me in to read the book. The story in Hemlock may be a werewolf tale, but in an increasingly saturated genre, this is quite a refreshing entry.

There are werewolves in the story of course, but humans are integral to the storyline too, and the author does a credible job in creating a story that will have readers engaged with the cast of characters, both human and werewolf, the romance element as well as the suspenseful aspects, etc.

The mythos of the werewolves in this novel is convincingly portrayed - kind of reminded me of True Blood where vampires are "out" in society and subjected to the prejudices of humans and other beings. Similarly with werewolves in this novel, where werewolves are fighting for their civil liberties. It made for an intriguing and unique read. This is not a purely 'fluff' type teen read, but one that blends in supernatural elements with key issues related to freedom, ethics, and justice, and will appeal to both teens and adults looking for a little more depth in their supernatural-themed novels.

Mackenzie's best friend Amy was murdered, just one in a string of serial killings. But this serial killer is apparently a white werewolf. Lupine syndrome is a virus spreading across the country by just a scratch or bite from a transformed werewolf. But when a dangerous posse called the Trackers come to town, no one is safe from the self-appointed werewolf hunters. So, trying to protect those she loves from the Trackers, Mac decides to investigate Amy's murder on her own. But as she investigates, she discovers all of her friends have been keeping secrets.

Mac is a brave girl who puts her friends' needs in front of her own. Having come from a rough early life, she tries desperately to keep her closest friends Jason and Kyle from harm. Often in spite of their bad choices.

Peacock's urban fantasy world is set in the present day where werewolves are real and multiplying every day. Werewolves are treated with prejudice and, if reported, are sequestered to internment camps to protect the general public. This YA fantasy is incredibly captivating and full of suspense. With plenty of drama, mystery, and romance - this fast-paced adventure is a highly enjoyable read for older adults as well as young. First in a new trilogy, this impressive debut was pleasantly surprising.

This book came out a while ago. Mostly, everyone love this book even before it came out! I was excited when it came out but I never got the chance to read this because I was so busy with work. I finally had a chance to read it and what can go wrong? Hello, it's about werewolves! This is probably the second book I read about werewolves. Yeah, i know... I wasn't too crazy about werewolves.

This book is a group of friends. Mackenzie, Amy, Jason, and Kyle. After Amy's death, everything been different between Mac, Jason, and Kyle but especially Jason. Jason been getting drunk and getting into fights after his girlfriend's death.

I can never live in a world full of werewolves. NEVER. I would be scared to go outside by myself.

I love the relationship between Mac and Kyle. They just have a strong relationship even though they just became a couple. There's also a love triangle but of course I'm not going to tell you who it's with since it'll be a spoiler. If you want to find out go read the book!

The book was action pack with romances and suspense! The end of every chapter was a cliff hanger. You always wanted to turn the page and read the next chapter and the next. The action never stopped! The dreams that Mac was having was pretty creepy. It made my skin shiver a bit. You can never really guess what will happen next which I like.

Overall, I love this book a lot! I love the romance in this one. There's also a lot of drama going on. I'm can't wait until the next book comes out! I would put any book down just to read the next book. I recommend you read this book!

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Hemlock has a little bit of everything, romance, betrayal, political intrigue, fanatical fringe groups, ghosts (?), murder and, oh yeah werewolves. You see, in this version of America, lupine syndrome is spreading like the plague and people are scared. It's this atmosphere of fear and panic that opens the door for the Trackers (think Gestapo werewolf hunters) to make a power grab.

As the politics play out in the background, Amy's best friend "Mac" tries to solve her brutal murder. Along the way Mac makes some chilling discoveries about her friends and a few realizations about herself as well. Throw in a couple of love triangles and some very dysfunctional family dynamics and you have a juicy back story for this spooky murder mystery.

It's such a page turner, that I ended up staying awake till 3 am just to finish it. Hunting the White Wolf became as much my obsession as Mac's. The ending doesn't disappoint and as the killer is revealed I found myself wondering how I didn't even suspect the killer's identity until the end.

The book ends on an open note which leaves me wondering if a second book might be in the works. I hope so.

Hemlock isn't your average werewolf story. In this book, the existence of werewolves is common knowledge, though the creatures are still feared, as one might expect. These werewolves are not mythical but exist because of the spread of Lupine Syndrome. And once a person is discovered to have contracted LS, they are shipped off to internment camps and never heard from again. The ones who aren't caught either hide what they are, or they wreak havoc on the humans, further spreading the disease.

I wasn't immediately grabbed by this book. I found the first 100 pages or so very tedious, and if I hadn't received this book for review through an ARC tour, I might have given up on it at that point. I'm glad I didn't, though. It wasn't the best werewolf-based novel I've read, but its unique storyline intrigued me, and once I got past all the angsty, hormonal stuff, the pacing picked up and I was able to enjoy the book.

Unfortunately, Hemlock does stumble into a lot of the plot pitfalls that so many YA novels seem destined for: a love triangle, cringe-worthy dialogue (at one point, one of the bad guys calls a werewolf sympathizer a "twerp"), and another case of the love interest running away from the heroine in order to protect her. Toward the end of the book, when things have hit the proverbial fan, Mac thinks to herself, "It was official: my life belonged on the CW," and I couldn't help thinking how apt her observation was. Normally, I really dislike those kind of pop-culture references, but in this case, I really could see Hemlock being made into a series on that network. And I'd watch it, too.

Speaking of the CW...anyone remember Veronica Mars? I loved that show. I still watch it in re-runs. This book reminded me a lot of that show, with Mac super-sleuthing it up, trying to figure out who really murdered her best friend. I mean, that's exactly how the show started off: murdered best friend, killer on the loose, cute girl trying to solve the mystery. But that's not the reason I bring it up. If you remember Veronica Mars, you probably also remember that yummy on-again, off-again boyfriend of hers, one Logan Echolls. I liked all of the characters in Hemlock well-enough, but I felt like I already knew Jason, the murdered best friend's boyfriend. It didn't take long for me to realize that this character felt so familiar because I'd seen him before...in the form of Logan on VM. Let's do a little comparison for demonstration purposes:

Logan Echolls
-wealthy son of a famous actor
-attractive and cocky
-murdered girlfriend
-hooks up with murdered gf's best friend, after the fact
-wannabe bad boy
-drinks a lot
-always looking for a fight
-played by Jason Dohring

versus

Jason Sheffield
-wealthy son of one of the most powerful men in Hemlock
-attractive and cocky
-murdered girlfriend
-declares his feelings for best friend of murdered girlfriend, after the fact
-wannabe bad boy
-drinks a lot
-always looking for a fight
-named Jason

**Sorry...the chart on my blog is much prettier, but you get the point.

The resemblance is startling, no? Not that I'm really complaining. It just seemed so glaringly obvious where the author drew some of her inspiration from. Just as obvious to me was who the killer was. Almost as soon as the character was introduced, my hackles were raised. I found the story to be rather predictable, but that fact didn't keep it from being entertaining.

If you proceed with caution and don't expect to be completely wowed by Hemlock, I think you'll end up pleasantly surprised. The story covered all the bases: romance, humor, action, and mystery with a little violence and heartbreak thrown in for good measure. There's no cliffhanger, but the ending definitely left me curious enough to pick up the next installment. Final verdict: not half bad for this author's debut.

Ok, everyone says werewolves are just too over, but they are so wrong. This novel offers a really unique and unusual look at a specific type of werewolf, the White Werewolf. A werewolf virus known as the Lupine Syndrome is racing across the country. Those infected try to hide the symptoms, but it's a losing battle.

The main character, Mackenzie, is a wonderful and strong, really likable character, and was fully drawn and compelling. Mac, as she is known to her friends, is mourning the brutal death of her best friend, Amy. It wasn't an accident that took her life, but a horrid and bloodchilling murder. Mac dreams about Amy nightly, and is obsessed with finding out who murdered her, and why. Even if you are not a werewolf fan, you will enjoy this book. It's telling a bigger story here, trust, loyalty, friendship, prejudice and tons of mystery.

Whether you are a tween, teen, young adult or ahem-much older-you'll find lots to enjoy and ponder here. Well written, refreshing and unusual, this paranormal mystery goes beyond average and into excellent.

Filled with mystery and heart pounding action, HEMLOCK will keep you turning the pages. I enjoyed every aspect of this book. This book is so different from many of the werewolf books that I've read. I ate up the whole trackers against the infected (Lupine syndrome) angle. The issues of prejudice in this book made this book more appealing in my eyes. No one was safe from suspicion - anyone could be infected.

The murder of Mac's best friend Amy was full of unknowns and it was fascinating to read alongside Mac as she tried to solve Amy's murder. There were so many surprises in this book that kept me guessing throughout. Peacock did a great job of shrouding this book in mystery with a good dose of gruesome.

I am curious to see what happens during the next installment as Mac continues her journey. If you're looking for a werewolf mystery with a twist, I suggest giving HEMLOCK a try. Hopefully, you'll be on pins and needles as you try to solve the murder of Mac's best friend while receiving eye openers along the way.

There are WEREWOLVES in this story. WEREWOLVES.

The story surrounds the mystery of a white werewolf who happens to be a serial killer. Werewolves AND serial killers? This was definitely my kind of book. Let the excitement begin. It was interesting to read about lupine syndrome being known to the public and announced as if it was just a new disease spreading in the nation. Becoming a werewolf was treated as an incurable disease that was transferred through a scratch or a bite. With the new threat of werewolves, attacks become more common, especially in the small town of Hemlock.

Mac (Mackenzie), Amy, Jason, and Kyle, were as close group of best friends. The dynamic of the group instantly changed after Amy's death. Jason was Amy's boyfriend and her death sent him plunging into even deeper trouble. Which then leaves Mac and Kyle with a new awkwardness that was never there before. There is a start of a love triangle between the best friends, but each relationship come naturally and has been building up for years.

Kyle and Jason are both strong and... interesting. Jason comes from a rich family and is constantly neglected by his parents. He's often described as arrogant and spoiled, but occasionally has a good heart. Kyle on the other hand begins to uncover secrets that makes him a mysterious character.

Mac is the kind of girl that wants to save everybody. She's not afraid to stand up against people regardless of the dangerous situations she could end up in. The places she ends up for doing this are unbelievable and only feeds into her exciting character. A part of the story that creeped me out, besides having an unknown killer on the loose, was the snippets of Amy. Her history was weaved in by her visits to Mac through her dreams. And those dreams were quite vivid.

The mystery, action, and romance of Hemlock fully captured my attention. I was kept guessing through out the whole novel on how it would end.

Werewolves have come out from hiding and now everyone shies away from the monsterous beasts. There are camps where they are taken to, where they live the best they can. There are others that try to live as a human and hide from the authorities.

In the small town of Hemlock, the community is still grieving over losing one of their own. Amy was MacKenzie's bestfriend and was killed by a werewolf in a dark alley. Holding a tuft of white fur, now the Trackers are in town searching for the murderous beast.

Mac's other bestfriends include Kyle and Jason; Jason being Amy's boyfriend. Mac is concerned about Jason as he is the person who was supposed to pick Amy up that fateful night and thinks he blames himself for her death. Kyle has brought his feelings to light about Mac and the two of them start a tumultuous relationship. But Mac still has dreams of Amy and wants to find her killer, so she starts investigating herself.

When Jason joins the Trackers, and Mac finds out some information that doesn't add up to what the public had been told about Amy's murder, things begin to heat up. Not only with the relationship of her, Mac and Jason, but the Trackers won't leave until they get what they came for - even if they have to use Mac as bait.

As the first book in a new trilogy, Hemlock sets the scene with great world-building, complex and likable characters and a splash of romance. The suspense builds, twists and explodes on several levels, keeping this reader riveted until the very end. I can't wait for the next one!! Now to wait...

"Hemlock" is one of the better YA werewolf novels. The story takes place in a world where werewolves are known to the public but are locked in what is basically a kind of jail to keep them apart from society. They are not necessarily mistreated, but they are not allowed to live among humans or have the same rights as humans. There are government officials & groups who want more rights for werewolves, and there are those who do not.

Mac, the narrator, is grieving over her best friend's death (Amy) who was one victim in a string of werewolf murders. Mac determines to find the wolf, while the town is thrown into turmoil with the arrival of the Trackers, an anti-werewolf group. There were some secrets you could see coming, but the ending is pretty surprising. I don't if I will read the sequel, but I do think that "Hemlock" is one of the more original werewolf novels out there.

This book is intriguing, to me at least. Everyone knows werewolves exist. However, it's kind of seem like Ebola. No one wants to get the 'disease' and people are after those that are 'infected'.

*could be considered a spoiler, kind of*

I've read some reviews where they complain about the love triangle in the this one and in the 2nd book. However, I'm not sure it's a typical triangle. Mac doesn't really show any romantic interest in Jason, not really. It seems to me to be all one sided. She's all about Kyle. So is that really a triangle? Typically, the girl is torn between her feelings between two guys. Mac doesn't seem torn at all.

This book had me pretty intrigued. The whole idea of a werewolf virus being spread was a pretty new one (not sure if I've read a plot like that before).

I liked Mac. She was a take-charge girl and didn't just stand back and let the boys do everything. I didn't like the way that she was okay with Kyle wanting to be with her, then not, then wanting to be with her again, then not, etc! I mean, I get the reasoning, but still! Although I did really like Kyle. Except for the indecisiveness, he seemed like a great guy. Jason on the other hand--I didn't get any good things from him. He just seemed like a jerk.

There were lots of twists and turns. And I can usually figure out the mystery at least just before we read about it, but not in this case. I had no clue who the actual murderer of Amy was. It was a complete shock!

Twelve years ago, Lupine Syndrome was finally acknowledged by the government. Whenever an infected person is found, they are thrown into internment camps. Forever.

That grim idea looms over "Hemlock," the first book of a trilogy that takes an unusually realistic look at how lycanthropes would be treated by "regs." At times the teen drama gets a little overwhelming (which Kathleen Peacock even acknowledges), but the murder-mystery and the clash between werewolves and Trackers makes it a fascinating read.

For the past few years, Mac has been inseparable from her best friends Kyle and Amy, and Amy's boyfriend Jason. But one night, Amy is brutally killed by a werewolf that has been terrorizing Hemlock -- and her senator grandfather calls in the Trackers, a bunch of racist violent thugs who devote themselves to hunting werewolves. And the increasingly disturbed Jason is interested in joining them.

But Mac knows what kind of people the Trackers really are. When two of them start savagely beating her, a werewolf suddenly appears to rescue her -- and it turns out to be none other than Kyle.

Obviously this is a shock for Mac, especially since she must now keep his true nature a secret. Her only hope is to find the white werewolf that killed Amy, so the Trackers will leave. But she begins to suspect that there was more to Amy's murder than just a werewolf going wild, and that the cruel Tracker leader may be at the heart of it...

Honestly, the love triangle between Jason, Mac and Kyle is probably the least interesting part of "Hemlock," and to her credit Kathleen Peacock seems aware of this (" It was official: my life belonged on the CW"). It has the usual love triangle, tormented hotties, but Peacock shows a deft cleverness in not falling into the usual pitfalls (ie, not "fixing" a sexy yet tortured boy, whose torturedness comes out in ugly ways).

No, the fascinating parts of the story are how Peacock sculpts a semi-realistic portrait of a world where werewolves actually exist, how "regs" react to them, and the violent fearful hate that the "other" can inspire. Much of the story is actually a murder mystery, with Mac trying to balance out her investigation into who murdered Amy and why, even as she tries to keep herself, Kyle and Jason safe from the Trackers.

And Peacock has a strong writing style, very visceral and smooth, with hints of blood, dirt and cold night air. A few parts of the story could be tightened up a little (Derby just... snuck into a hospital room?!), but she evokes a feeling of dread and slow-burning fear over the whole story.

Mac is pretty different from the usual pampered suburban protagonists of paranormal fiction -- she's the child of a drifting criminal who abandoned her in Hemlock, and she still has some demons from that. At times she seems too gullible (she NEVER noticed that her closest guy friends were attracted to her?!), but she's a likable, strong young heroine.

Jason also seems like an inversion of the usual love interests -- he's sexy, brooding and possessive, but he's also kind of an idiot, and he instantly signs onto an openly racist, violent gang of people merely because they hate werewolves. Kyle needs a bit more fleshing out, but the supporting cast of Serena, Trey and Amy (hallucination/ghost!) round it out nicely.

"Hemlock" needs a wee bit of tightening up, but the story is gripping. And best of all, it has a semi-realistic look at how a world with werewolves might turn out -- something you don't often find.

The young adult market is very full of paranormal romances that feature werewolves. So what makes this book stand out?

The protagonist is easy to identify with, she's confused, young, and insecure in spots. She is not waiting to be rescued though. She's looking for answers and trying to solve the mystery of her best friend's death.

While romance is a big part of the novel, it's not the only plot. The mystery, and finding out more about her friends is the main plot. The world building creates some social statement about discrimination without being an After School Special type of thing.

I liked it, the main plot was tied up neatly, with a good lead in for the next book.

I was pretty wary of reading Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock. It's a werewolf book and I can only think of two werewolf books that I love. But it was pretty clear from the first chapter that Hemlock was going to be an addictive read.

While I had a couple of problems with Hemlock, the plot and the pacing were never one of them. There's tons of action. It made the book really hard to put down. The mystery plays a huge role in the story and it's not a predictable one. For most of the book I was kept in suspense or guessing the wrong things. When I finally did figure it out it was nearing the end of the book. I really liked the way it all unfolded and that it wasn't easy to figure out.

My only issue with Hemlock was Mac. I really liked her at first, but somewhere along the way I just lost touch with her. Does that even make sense? I couldn't connect with her later on it the book and I think it was because I just didn't connect much with the romance. There was supposed to be all these consuming feelings and I just didn't feel them. I still liked the match up. I think it will develop more in the next book and I'm excited to see that.

I also felt like things got a tad melodramatic toward the end. There was lots of relationship angst and things started falling into the love triangle zone, but the mystery in the rest of the book made up for it. Hemlock isn't something new, lots of adult urban fantasy have had a similar werewolf plot, but it was a fast and entertaining read.

This is indeed a new twist in that werewolves are not necessarily killers. They aren't truly acceptable to everyone and the really questionable thing is that they spread the lupine virus that causes the transformative nature. And so there are those who want them placed in camps. I think this plot idea is deliberately reminiscent of the public reaction to AIDS when that first started. There were efforts to isolate the first AIDS victims from the rest of society.

Anyway, this is a quite literate and engrossing novel, highly recommended.

A senator's granddaughter has been killed, but a werewolf may be framed to cover up a murder.

The story starts slow, setting up the factions, but halfway through the action kicks in. Kathleen Peacock has crafted a winningly claustrophobic setting, with uncertain alliances and an abundance of shady characters (though the bad guys don't have enough complexity). Mac recognises the ridiculousness of her romantic situation, likening it to a CW show. I'd love to learn more about Serena, Trey, Henry, and the interment camps.

P.S. Team Trey.

Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock jumps right into the suspense from the very beginning! This supernatural read has fantastic writing and I couldn't put the book down! I'm glad the series is completed because Hemlock ended on a cliff hanger and I am going to plow through the rest of this fun trilogy!

Mackenzie's life was turned upside down when her best friend, Amy, was murdered by a werewolf.

Since then, Mac isn't sure what to think. Amy haunts her dreams. Her best friend, Kyle has been unaccountably distant. While Amy's boyfriend, Jason, seems determined to crash and burn all on his own.

Worse, Trackers have come to town looking for the white werewolf that killed Amy last spring and might be back to continue its murder spree.

Desperate to protect Jason from himself, and ease her own nightmares and guilt, Mac decides to try and find the white werewolf herself. As Mac's investigation brings her closer to the truth she also learns unsettling secrets about her friends and her town leaving Mac uncertain of who she can trust as she tries to find the white werewolf before it find her in Hemlock (2012) by Kathleen Peacock.

Hemlock is Peacocks first novel as well as the first book in her Hemlock trilogy.

Peacock creates an interesting world with characters who are well-rounded with both strengths and flaws aplenty. Separately, in fact, all of the characters are quite likable and entertaining. The problem comes when they begin to interact with each other.

Mac comes across as a strong heroine in the beginning of the story, but the more the story continues, the more irritating she becomes. Despite being necessarily self-sufficient Mac is embarrassingly clingy in her efforts to save Jason from himself. She is also painfully dense when it comes to Kyle. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, any declaration that a character is strong needs some kind of depth to back it up. Mac doesn't deliver in the arena. Aside from making her a frustrating heroine, Mac's irritating personality made the inevitable love triangle unconvincing.

There is always a push and pull with mysteries featuring teen protagonists. The book is about the teens, they obviously need to be at the center of the investigation and the action--that's the whole point of the book. Unfortunately, Mac's logic for pursuing the werewolf herself felt very contrived. I also was frustrated at her insistence on keeping her cousin in the dark later in the story. I get it, absent parental figures make stories easier. At the same time it just seemed heavy-handed and clumsy to push Mac's cousin to the side like that.

Filled with suspense, Hemlock is part mystery, part fantasy, all action. Though there is gore and violence thanks to the vicious werewolf attacks in the story, it is kept in check making this a good choice for someone looking for a read similar to the Hunger Games books but with less violence and (slightly) fewer tears.

Possible Pairings: Clarity by Kim Harrington, The Demon Trapper's Daughter by Jana Oliver, Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan, Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater, Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

Although not a fan of werewolf fiction I really enjoyed the interesting story line. The characters were engaging from the beginning, with more depth than usual in YA fiction and I hope there is a sequel to follow. Definitely a great summer read.

Although not a fan of werewolf fiction I really enjoyed the interesting story line. The characters were engaging from the beginning, with more depth than usual in YA fiction and I hope there is a sequel to follow. Definitely a great summer read.

I really enjoyed reading this book. Even thou it was about werewolves and was meant for young adults it keep my attention and I was really involved with the charaters and what happened to them. I couldn't put it down.