Kidnapped by nasty fiends wearing cloaks, Mary Hughes wakes up and realizes that not only is she not in Kansas anymore, but the only life she’s ever known is a lie.  The lie extends to her identity; she finds out that she’s actually Keena, Priestess of the Wild.  She’s not entirely human either, but a mixture of Witch and Demon. Her title, heritage, and powers bring a lot of weight, along with an endless list of responsibilities that include becoming the leader of the Kith.   The Kith make up Witches, Demons, Vampires, Imps, Gnomes, Weres and a whole lot more.

Keena goes from a dull existence to being surrounded by relatives, new friends, enemies and allies.  She even has a Gnome stylist who creates stunning and daring outfits for every occasion, including the more private ones.  The most lasting first impressions for Keena come from a gorgeous Vampire Lord and the dangerously sexy half-Demon head of security.  Throw in the fact Keena needs to prepare to take her rightful place in the Kith world, while dodging murder attempts, along with her hormones raging into overdrive, and what you have is a stressed newbie Priestess.  

The best part about being a book junkie is discovering a ‘new’ author to get into.  I’m pleased to say that Birthright fed my fix.  It’s written in the first person, and Keena’s voice is fresh, funny, and far from being plot intrusive.  She’s plucky and spirited, and I was charmed by her unassuming Every Girl perks.  For instance, Keena likes to kick back with a cold beer instead of wine, and would rather wear a ratty t-shirt to bed than a pretty teddy. 

By the end of the book, I felt like I knew Keena and the awesome people that cross her path.   The villains are excellently crafted to the point that Keena evolves from all the challenges hurled her way.  Throw in the hotter-than-hot men and blazing sex and it’s a grand slam. Mari Freeman is a fabulous world builder and her character development rules. 

Birthright flows and comes together without anything to hinder it from being a superfluous story.  Recommending this novel hands down is the best compliment as a reviewer/reader I can give to this author.