The Given & the Taken [Paperback]

ok, this is going to be doozy of a review. As a precursor, let me just say that this was the 4th book by this author I have read [Out of Focus, Rules of Engagement, With the Band] and I really, really liked those others. But I HATED this one.
**SPOILERS AHEAD**
There were so many things I couldn't stand about this book, I don't know that I have room to list them all. But I will at least try to give an overview.
First and foremost, why make a book about werewolves and vampires if you're going to make the werewolves a bunch of religious zealots and the vampires are going to be stripped of any real power, simply left with oversensitive eyesight, fangs, and the ability to heal being all that differentiates them from humans? And werewolves who can't bear to look at a vampire feeding because of the blood. What? Do wolves not hunt and eat their prey raw? Is there not blood in those animals? This annoyed me, a lot. Since it was mentioned on 2 or 3 different occasions.
So many aspects of the plot were just dumb.
Why were the wolf clans so gung ho to find the human who didn't [for all they knew] show up at the rendezvous point? That SHOULD have confirmed to them that they were right and the bond couldn't work with a human. Instead they get all offended and decide he needs to die for the slight to their precious ritual.
Then there is the angry stranger sex that ends in complete tenderness and sweet face petting. Um...what?
And spit for lube? Ouch! Twice? No. Just. No. That doesn't feel good, that isn't sexy. I simply can't suspend my disbelief far enough to go along with that one.
The angst of each of the 3 main characters was sooooo redundant. Rehash of the same angsty thoughts and arguments, then apologies, from 3 points of view left me groaning and skipping pages to get past the same old, same old I'd JUST read.
The there was the SERIOUS over use of the phrase "We have no choice." THAT was ridiculous!
By the end I was just wanting to scream, and skimming like mad for it all to be over. Ugh.

My ONE Like about the book was that there was no crazy, controlling, ex female character, or ex of any kind really. That was a nice change of pace and really all I liked at all about this one.

This is the fist LA Whitt book, I've read and I was unused to her writing style. The Given & The Taken is told in first person point of view, alternating between the three main characters at the beginning of each chapter. It took some getting used to, but I did enjoy getting to know all three men in their own words and thoughts.

Levi is a wolf shape shifter who is dedicated to his clan. The bonding separation from his human lover, Ian, has taken a toll on him and he can't wait to get back to their previous relationship.

Ian has been through a solitary hell since the bonding ritual. Eventually he befriends Darius, a vampire bartender during his separation from Levi, and it proves to be his weakness. The two men seek comfort in one another, and Darius begins to fall in love with Ian. Darius converts Ian to a vampire, before the year is up and before Ian reunites with Levi.

Disaster is bound to happen once the three men finally interact, and that is feeling you're left with during much of the story. The betrayals and emotions are gut wrenching for each of them for different reasons. For me, too much of the story was spent on the brink of demise. The story was a complex homosexual relationship developing into a m/m/m menage, combined with paranormal elements, `inter-racial' (vamp/shifter/human) relationship struggles, and suspense. While the writing was engaging and the emotions were truly well written the overall tone of the story was very pessimistic. The erotic interactions between the three men were the highlight of the story but sometimes seemed out of place given the circumstances.

I did not expect such plot. The fantasy element actually made up my mind on buying it. Well, I don't regret it.