Category: Shifters

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Fighting instincts by Mary Calmes

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FightingInstinct

Blurb

L’Ange: Book Two

Only a privileged few know L’Ange’s head of security Arman de Soto is a shifter, and even fewer know he’s been systematically killing off a pack of werewolves. The reason for this vengeance is a secret Arman trusts with no one, quite the opposite of his obvious longtime pursuit of the château’s overseer, Linus Hobbes. Despite Arman’s reputation as a loner, the only thing he needs to complete his life is Linus. Predator and prey just don’t mix—but Arman won’t give him up.

Linus has lived alone for more than seven years, sheltered at L’Ange under an assumed name and hiding secrets of his own, including his terrifying attraction to the most dangerous man he’s ever met. Arman knows Linus should be afraid of the predator stalking him, but Linus is still drawn to him like a moth to a flame, no matter how much he tries to deny his instincts. It’s not until Linus’s past and Arman’s crusade exposes their secrets and opens L’Ange to attack that Arman realizes waiting any longer is a risk he just can’t take. So he’ll have to take his quest to the source of the threat in a gamble to protect L’Ange, Linus, and any future they might have together.

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Review
We met Arman in Old Loyalty, New Love. He was the mysterious bodyguard who helped protect Roman and Quade. Though we were led to believe he was interested in a certain jackal named Tucker, we find out quickly that this was a red-herring, serving to stir jealousy in the heart of Linus.

Linus is the fastidious and cold caretaker of L’Ange. It’s clear he’s been abused in his past and we learn early on just how terrible that abuse was. Arman has been Linus’ protector and often his touchstone for years, but the time has come for that relationship to develop to its full potential and Arman isn’t waiting any longer.

Arman is a man of mystery. We don’t know what he is, though we all think he must be a shifter – it isn’t until quite a bit into the story that we figure out just what he is. (I think everyone will be surprised by the reveal!)

In addition to hiding who he is, he also hides what he does. We find out that he has an agenda- a vendetta really – of epic proportions. This vendetta makes him almost an anti-hero. He’s definitely not the typical perfect Alpha we have seen in other Mary Calmes’ stories. He’s got a dark side that he’s embraced fully.

Surprisingly, Linus is perfectly okay with this dark side and in fact, he too embraces the vendetta and we see some pretty significant changes in his personality as a result of this.

One of the things I really liked about this story was that Linus and Arman get together pretty early on. They work as a team for most of the story and it was imminently satisfying to watch their relationship grow and deepen while they worked together.

Though it might seem a bit blood-thirsty, the vendetta is explained really well and at no time did I feel that there was any other possible course of action than that which Arman took.

I really felt that in this “universe” the animal natures of the shifters were really well developed and “authentic”. These aren’t people who just happen to have the occasional “furry power” thrown in to explain insta-love and mating. They are truly unique beings with a different set of rules and personalities.

I loved that Roman wasn’t quite on board with the vendetta. Sure, he loves Linus and despised what happened to him, but he wasn’t born a shifter and he still sees things through a human lens and judges by a different rule-book.

Mary Calmes is amazing at world building and her shifter universe is unique, creative and very well developed. She isn’t afraid to stray from typical “shifter” lore and she draws us in with her own clever style.

The chemistry between Arman and Linus is scorching hot. Mary writes excellent sex scenes and the sexual tension and it’s subsequent release is phenomenal in Fighting Instinct.

I can’t wait to see what happens between Jon and Kelvin and hope to see book three in the very near future!

Though it isn’t the first time and it won’t be the last time I say it – I love Mary Calmes’ books and I highly recommend them all.

I give this 6 of 5 hearts

amazing

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Wild Magic Audiobook by Poppy Dennison Narrated by Robert G Davis

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wild magicBlurb

Triad: Book Four

Joseph Anderson was heartbroken when his childhood best friend Dominick Levent moved away. Years later, Joseph is a successful real estate broker with good friends, an easy smile, and a stunning house. When he finds a dying mountain lion who miraculously shifts into Dominick’s sister, Joseph must find Dominick and reunite him with the two young sons she left behind.

When mountain lion shifter Dominick gets a call telling him his sister is dead, he rushes home to protect his nephews and avenge his sister. Seeing Joseph brings back the feelings Dominick tried to bury and he dares to hope Joseph’s newfound knowledge of shifters means they can finally be together.

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Review

Joseph “Joey, stumbles upon his childhood friend and her two children, just as she’s morphing from a mountain lion into a dying woman. Wow! Talk about a mind melter! With her dying breath she asks Joey to take the kids and find her brother (his other childhood friend Dominick “Nicky”) because the kids are in danger.

Though he is thoroughly freaked out, he does as told with the help of his friend Vicky.

When Nicky hears about his sister’s death he’s torn up but he’s also a bit relieved because now he can share with his friend all the secrets he’d been hiding. It was those secrets that drove him away from Joey all those years ago. The secrets and his feelings for Joey.

Together, Nicky and Joey must figure out how to track the killer of Nicky’s sister, raise the “cubs” without a pack, keep the whole shifter thing a secret while both of them are at work and manage to confront the simmering feelings between the two of them.

Nicky manages to stumble on to Gray and Simon’s pack through a work related investigation and that leads him to the answers to several of his problems. He and Joey also manage to figure things out between the two of them and we are left with a very HEA.

**
I just loved the Triad series. I loved watching Gray and Simon’s slowly developing relationship, the intense world building, the climactic finish… all of it.

I’m not sure what happened here.

Joey and Nicky’s story as a couple felt like barely a footnote. It isn’t until 85% in that they even get together physically. Most of the book is about Nicky the boys and their need for a pack. That aspect was very interesting and I loved the tie-in to Gray’s pack and the involvement of Riley, but the story (for a m/m romance) felt really lopsided.

My need for Joey and Nicky to work on their relationship, to develop their relationship, to have a relationship was essentially given one chapter of 15 and could be described as anemic at best.

Watching Nicky find a place in the world again was fulfilling and I was so happy everyone found a home in the end, but I was disappointed by how little Joey impacted the ending.

Overall, I wouldn’t say this added much to the series and as a stand-alone was not very satisfying at all.

I give the book a 2.5 of 5 hearts

2.5

Audio:

I found Robert G Davis’ narration to be of equal quality as his previous work. He still does a great job with dialog but has a tendency to lilt upward on his sentences in a way that can sometimes be distracting.

The sound quality and editing were good and I enjoyed listening to the book more than reading it as he does add to the experience with his voice changes and modulations.

(I still really love his kid voices!)

I give the narration a 4 of 5 hearts

4

 

Overall, I give it a 3 of 5 hearts

3

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King of Me by RA Kaitland

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Blurb

Cast out of his clan of shifters and with no family of his own, Anton Cedwell wants nothing more than to be accepted by his partner Sean’s family when the two of them visit over Christmas. But Sean’s powerful father, Flavius, isn’t happy his son chose a shifter as a mate, and Sean is hiding secrets from Anton. When Sean is attacked by rival weres, Anton hopes Sean’s family will finally see the depth of his commitment and how far he’s willing to go to protect the man he loves.

 

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Review

This is a fascinating world. Anton is a shifter but Sean and his family are… something else, very powerful. In this short story we get politics, magic and power, intrigue, a fight scene and… some really hot sex, too!

Since the couple is already established, we already know they are committed to one another, but this short story shows us just how committed they are and what that means to their families and their community.

I really wished this was a longer story because so much happened in so little space that just as I got a handle on Kaitland’s “universe” the story’s over.  The “King of Me” aspect was really touching – I loved all that it implied with such a simple phrase.

The chemistry and devotion between Sean and Anton was electric and their scene on the ride was very erotic. I really enjoyed this glimpse and hope to see more about this world in a longer book.

4 of 5 hearts

4

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Blind Man’s Wolf Tour with Excerpt and Giveaway

104 Amelia Faulkner TC1 Blind Man's Wolf CoverAn Introduction to Ellis O’Neill
Ellis is our reluctant hero in Blind Man’s Wolf. Originally from Yorkshire, he’s run off to London with some of dad’s loose change (understatement) and set up his own business as an art dealer.
He was doing bloody well at it, too. He’d always loved art, but wasn’t very good at it himself, so setting up a gallery of his own seemed the next best thing. He started small with a little space above a bigger shop but after a few years on the scene and a bit more money in his pocket he was finally able to move to a property in Mayfair, the heart of London’s art scene.
It took Ellis a long time to realise that he had trouble with his eyesight. He’d bump into things he hadn’t seen in his periphery and assume he hadn’t paid attention, and it wasn’t until the tunnel vision became more pronounced that he decided to see an optician in case he needed glasses.
Alas it wasn’t good news. He had a form of retinitis pigmentosa. The cells in his retina were dying, it was progressive, and there was no cure. He would be completely blind within a few years and there was nothing that could be done to slow or stop it.
Because life wasn’t going wrong quickly enough for Ellis, he decided to go out and get completely mashed, and ran into someone who would change his existence forever.
Now Ellis is a vampire. He’s not very good at being a vampire, but at least he still has his gallery, and with the assistance of the only friend who knows his secret he keeps his business ticking over while he wonders what exactly he’s supposed to do with eternity when his own guide dog seems to be going crazy…

Excerpt:
“Stop.” Ellis crouched and placed his right hand light against the wet grass. There were leaves, too, covered in leftover rain. He stood and patted his hand dry against his trouser leg, then reached for his glasses and slid them up his forehead. He peered around slowly, searching for any glimmer of light.
Before he had been turned, Ellis was utterly blind even in twilight. What little vision hadn’t been stolen entirely during the day needed a lot of light. Now that he was dead… undead… whatever he wanted to call himself, his senses were sharper. If he was lucky he could potentially make out the headlights of a car coming straight for him so long as it was mere seconds away from impact.
Trying to see was a last-ditch effort, and proved about as worthless as Ellis had expected. He found dim, colourless spots in the sky which were probably street lamps, but that was all. He pushed his glasses back into place and the dark lenses cut out even that small reminder of what was lost.

The clues taken together seemed to indicate that Tiberius had taken him to a park, and his mental map of Mayfair unfurled as he tried to figure out which one. Berkeley Square Gardens were closed after dusk and didn’t re-open until after sunrise. Grosvenor Square Gardens were even more restrictive, as were Mount Street Gardens. He should have noticed if they had crossed Park Lane, but Hyde Park closed at midnight anyway. Tiberius shouldn’t be able to enter any of them after midnight except Green Park; they all had gates which were closed and locked after hours.
Were they in Green Park, then? That wouldn’t be too bad. He fell still and listened again.
In the distance, a small rodent met its end, most likely to a fox. He waited, and heard a flutter of leathery wings high overhead and the rustle as tiny bats grabbed tree branches and came to rest.
Ellis swore, keeping his voice quiet. He had to have reached St. James’ Park. How the hell had he not noticed crossing Piccadilly or The Mall? How had they walked all the way through Green Park without him realising it? If he followed the path all the way to Buckingham Palace he may be able to attract a guard for assistance, but he figured that was likely one of the most densely-packed areas for CCTV cameras in their natural habitat. He’d be even deeper in poo if Her Majesty’s Finest discovered a man who didn’t show up on security screens.

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Author  Bio:

Amelia Faulkner was born in the rolling green countryside of Oxfordshire, and moved to London once she was mostly grown up. She has a degree in Computer Science, and spent quite a long time working with computers until her childhood love of writing could no longer be ignored.

Since then she has written for corporate clients and personal pleasure, and finally stepped away from office-bound working in 2011 to freelance from home.

Amelia is also a keen photographer and film-goer, and resides in the city (not the City) with her husband. She is notoriously camera-shy, so please enjoy this picture of her cat!

102 Amelia Faulkner Author Image

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Soul Magic Audiobook (Book 3 of the Triad series) by Poppy Dennison Narrated by Robert G Davis

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soul magic

Blurb

Sequel to Body Magic

Triad: Book Three

Blood runs soul-deep. Cormac hasn’t been the same since the night the High Moon Pack was attacked. With his magic weakened, he’s consumed by a bloodlust he hasn’t felt since he first became a vampire. His need to replenish his power makes him a danger to his last remaining family member, and his hunger makes him careless. And that’s just the beginning of his troubles. Feeding from pack, beta Liam Benson was supposed to slake his appetite, not leave him craving more.

Simon Osborne and Gray Townsend are trying to fight a being history says shouldn’t exist – one with all three types of magic. The pack must use all of their resources to combat the mysterious triad, even turning to the shady Council of Mages for help. While Cormac struggles to reconcile his past failures with his current desires, Simon must attempt the impossible: An alliance between mind, body, and soul.

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Review:

In the final installment of the Triad Series (yes, there is a book four but it is unrelated to the original series), we finally get to find out who the bad guy is and what he wants and how to stop him.

Some of the story is about Liam and Cormac as a couple (yippee!). First, we see Liam merely trying to keep Cormac from hurting himself, Simon or anybody else. Then, we see their mutual attraction and need for each other. Finally, their deep devotion.

However, the bulk of this plot is the story-line regarding the evil being (who I won’t name here) who keeps causing trouble for Simon and his pack. It turns out the being knows Cormac and that gives everyone a clue as to how to stop him. But… not before he attempts to steal the children again.  The attempted kidnapping forces Simon to do something so horrible that the entire pack wonders whether or not Simon should even be allowed to stay. (It’s very sad – just a warning!)

Fortunately, Simon’s actions are from the heart and they also inadvertently lead them all to the necessary magic needed to defeat the evil being, so he is quickly forgiven.

With some tremendously heart rending speeches to the tune of “If I die I want you to be strong without me” Cormac, Gray and Simon set out to defeat the monster and (I’m not surprising anyone here) emerge victorious!

We also get a really juicy Epilogue (I’m a sucker for the Epilogue!) and the entire series ends neatly tied up – bow not included.

**

I really enjoyed the magical storyline in this series.  The subtle  moral stories about intolerance and acceptance.  The learning and the magic passed down along family lines.  The power that is to be had by joining seemingly disparate forces.  The entire world we saw built was well thought out and thorough, without constantly banging it over your head with new words or terms.

I also really enjoyed watching the growth and development of Gray and Simon as a couple over all three books. It was nice to see their insta-love being worked on into a strong and devoted (but still lusty!) relationship.

I was disappointed that we didn’t see more from Cade and Rocky (other than they are still together) as I thought they were a great couple with a lot of potential.  But… I really enjoyed Cormac’s and Liam’s relationship. And watching Garon and Riley grow was an added bonus!

I’d say the romance was at least equal to the fantasy elements in this series but, all in all, the romance was really nicely laden in this fantasy about wolves, vampires and warlocks.   I found myself saddened by the end of this delightful series, as I had really enjoyed Poppy’s world.

Audiobook:

Again, Robert Davis did excellent work narrating book three. I loved his grumbly Liam, his stuffy mage Councilman, the grumbling Were councilman and his little kid voices.

He infused emotion and tension at the right times and did a tremendous job with the dialog.

As I noted with book one, I was still bugged on occasion by his inflections here and there, but mostly I was impressed and entertained.

I really enjoyed reading (and listening) to this series and give both the book, the audiobook and the series a 4.5 of 5 hearts. I am looking forward to seeing where Ms Dennison takes us with book four.

4.5

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Moon Dances (Sundown Series #4) by KC Kendricks

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Moon DancesBlurb

(Book IV in the Sundown series)

For Lieutenant Fallon Roxbury, Special Police Consultant, reality has taken on a strange shift. Shapeshifters exist and a clan of them live under his protection. One is his lover, Sundown. Protecting the Chal is a full-time job, a task which would be easier if they weren’t so secretive—and scheming. When Fallon’s police force partner suggests a vacation, Fallon jumps at the chance to take Sundown someplace private. A resort near where he grew up seems like the perfect place for a getaway. Ten days filled with sex, sleep and sun is just what they both need, but more than fun lurks in the woods.
The ancient nemesis of the Chal is still out there and could one day return to earth to enslave both Chal and human alike. Secrets of the Chal past come to light when Fallon’s suppressed memories of his early years resurface. The shapeshifters have always had a plan to defeat their enemy, one with Sundown at its core…

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Review

This is the last in the Sundown Series (that we know of!). Sundown and Fallon go on a vacation (believe it or not!). They head out to Fallon’s grandfather’s old homestead for some much needed R&R but… of course it can’t be a “normal” vacation.

First, Sundown wants to learn to drive – that in itself is a little bone chilling! Second, unease sits on Sundown’s shoulders from the minute they arrive – there is something familiar about the place and he doesn’t know why it should feel that way when he’s never been there.

When the feeling gets too strong to ignore, Fallon and Sundown take a walk around the lake and Sundown realizes he is sharing the memories of the ancient Chal he harbors within him – only it’s not just his memories – it’s the actual essence of the being himself!

Needless to say there are some repercussions from that knowledge that need to be dealt with, questions and answers to be shared, and a discussion as to what that means and what the future holds. (Without giving everything away, we do find out what the long term plans are for Sundown and Fallon and that their history extends beyond what we thought was their first meeting.)

With a somewhat melancholy ending, Fallon and Sundown are finally left alone to enjoy the rest of their vacation. Upon returning, Fallon and Juny meet up again and delve in to the beginnings of another cold case, so we are left knowing that their work will continue on as before.

**

I was a little disappointed with this book, especially as a final installment in the series. It was great to learn some more about the beginnings of Sundown and learn about his role and his relationship with Fallon.

But — it left me feeling kinda sad, definitely melancholy. I don’t doubt the two really love each other and will end up together as long as possible, but I really (really, really, really) wanted them to have some sort of solution that would give Fallon a chance at being alive as long as Sundown. Even some little suggestion or hint that it might be possible would have gone a long way.

Instead, Fallon is pretty blasé about it – telling Sundown he wants him to find someone else after he’s gone because he doesn’t want Sundown to be alone.

Ugh!

My little ol’ romantic heart wanted them to figure out another way! Don’t make me so attached to them then strip them away there at the end! (No, nobody dies, but we aren’t given much hope either…)

So – though I appreciated the writing and the new information, I have to say this was not my favorite installment in the series.

I give it a 3.5 of 5 hearts

3.5

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Body Magic Audiobook by Poppy Dennsion Narrated by Robert G Davis

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body magic

Blurb

Sequel to Mind Magic, Triad: Book Two
A pack is only as strong as its weakest member. Rocky Harris knows how the system works. He’s been on the bottom rung his whole life. But when his alpha consigns him to the High Moon Pack to help them improve security, he finds his beliefs not just challenged but outright assaulted.

Cade Montgomery’s confidence took a hit when the pack’s cubs were kidnapped on his watch. He’s prepared to do anything to protect his family, even if it means working with Rocky. Maybe Cade doesn’t trust Rocky, but with the turmoil surrounding pack Alpha Gray’s unpopular decision to break tradition and mate with a mage named Simon, Cade knows more threats are coming.

Then someone declares war on shifters and puts the entire pack in danger. Cade and Rocky will need each other’s strengths to survive the impending battle—and the power of their growing attraction.

Morgan’s Review

This is the sequel to Body Magic and we see a lot of Simon and Gray in this story – maybe even more than Rocky and Cade, the supposed MCs.

Simon and Gray are really hammering out their relationship and it was great to see them and to be able to follow them from their tenuous HFN to a more day to day relationship, watching their mating really solidify.  Simon waffles back and forth between wanting to trust his love for Gray but also wanting to be a good and independent wizard, separate from the pack and Gray.

Simon is also preparing for his final mage test with his uncle and this occupies a fair amount of time.  His uncle helps also him work through his emotional issues in addition to  his magickal issues as they prepare for his test.

The pack rescues an adorable little lion shifter after his family is decimated by the malevolent being from book one and integrating him into the pack proves to be more tricky than anyone thought.

There is discord when it is found that someone has infiltrated the pack – spying on the forbidden mating between shifter and wizard and the integration of a lion shifter into a wolf pack. When war breaks out there are people going to be hurt and loyalties will be tested.

Meanwhile, as almost a side note, Cade lusts after Rocky for a while and then they tentatively begin a relationship just before the pack is invaded.  Rocky is a very conflicted character and he needs someone solid, like Cade to help him get over his issues (the pack hates omegas and gays, both of which Rocky is.)  The budding relationship is almost lost when Cade realizes that Rocky was sent to the pack as a spy.  Cade is shocked at first but with a minimum of fuss the two work out that Rocky is loyal to his new pack (he’s willing to be a double agent for the pack) and the pair take tentative steps forward in their own relationship.

**

Overall, this was a great second book in that we get to see Gray and Simon develop more fully as a couple. I would have loved to see more of Rocky and Cade as they were equally engaging characters (Rocky in particular is very complex) but they didn’t get much page time.  Hopefully we will see more of them in future installments.

I’m looking forward to Book Three, since this left us with a sort of cliff hanger!

Audio:

Robert Davis does a really nice job with this narration, as well. Nothing too over the top but very clear and  differentiates all the different characters’ voices.  I really liked Simon’s Uncle Cormac genteel voice and Rocky’s Southern drawl.

I’m looking forward to his narrations in the upcoming books as well.

I give both the book and the audiobook 4 of 5 hearts

4

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River Walk (Sundown Series #3) by KC Kendricks

Amber Allure Presents: http://www.amberquill.com/store/p/1588-River-Walk.aspx

Blurb

river walk

(Book III in the Sundown series)

Detective Fallon Roxbury has a big problem. A twenty-year-old cold case turned hot threatens to expose his secret—shapeshifters exist and they’re living in Montgomery Circle under his protection. Between a new witness and a group of fanatical alien watchers, Fallon’s scrambling to uphold the law and keep his promises intact. He already knows no power on earth can keep his shapeshifter lover from stepping into the mix.
Sundown has come into his own with his human lover by his side. Fallon is his compass, and shield, as he seeks to keep his Clan united and teach them most humans can be trusted. A catalyst, Sundown is rare among his kind, a descendant of heroes. The status of his Clan rests on him and he’s determined to see his people prosper on this world owned by humans—without the humans knowing shapeshifters walk among them.
Secrets have a way of being exposed. Fallon’s not the only one who knows about Sundown’s kind. A cop used to right and wrong being black and white, Fallon struggles to learn shades of gray. Their relationship is tested as Fallon and Sundown race against the clock to find a kidnapped shapeshifter before the Clan takes matters into their own hands. Because if they fail, Fallon knows his lover will be forced to stand with his people and act against him.

 Review

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This series just gets more and more exciting! In book one we basically met our two MCs and they started their affair. In book two the lovers grew much closer and began to work with one another on solving crimes. In book three we find out that the Chal have been holding information back from Fallon and though it kills him to do it, Sundown is allowed to only answer direct questions from Fallon, keeping him in the dark about a lot of things.

The other problem is Juny and Juny’s brother. Both know there is something “other” out there and Juny suspects Sundown is it.

When one of the baby Chal goes missing Juny, his brother, Sundown and the Elders (!) have to work together to bring the baby back.

We are left with a little dangling carrot at the end – the idea that the rescued baby Chal might just play a role in the next installment – and that little guy is gonna be trouble!

**
I really enjoyed watching Sundown and Fallon make promises to one another, deciding that despite the challenges they would be there for the long haul. I was also glad Juny got the information, because he was starting to cause ripples.

I will be sad with this series ends, I’ve really gotten to enjoy Fallon and Sundown’s romance and the world created by KC Kendricks.

I give it 4.5 of 5 hearts

4.5

 

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Ilya and the Wolf by Rory Ni Coileain

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IlyaandtheWolf

Blurb

Accepting shapeshifter Volyk’s Christmas offer will change Ilya’s life forever.
Ilya, the youngest son of a Moscow oligarch, is so deep in the closet he’d find Narnia if that weren’t a decadent Western story. On Christmas Eve, his brothers lure him into the forest, intending to murder him and erase the shame he inflicts on their family by existing. However, the attempt is interrupted by Volyk, a wolf who carries the blood of the ancient oboroten’ —shapeshifters. Ilya never imagined a Christmas gift like the handsome wolf, but accepting what Volyk offers will have consequences that change both of their lives forever.

 

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Review

In this tremendously sweet shifter story, a gay man of Russian Royalty (Ilya) is tricked by homophobes into going out in the snow to gather wood. They end up attacking him and nearly kill him.

Ilya is saved by a “wolf” with a fascinating story to share and a life of mated perfection to save him forever from those that would call him an abomination.

**
The writing is beautiful and fluid and has a fairytale like quality to it.

I hope/wish there are more stories from this “world” as it was beautifully created and wonderful to read.

I give it 5 of 5 hearts

5

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Mind Magic Audiobook by Poppy Dennison Narrated by Robert G Davis

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mind magicBlurb

Triad: Book One

Magical species must never mix. According to the rules, Simon Osborne should ignore the children’s cries for help. After all, they’re werewolf cubs, and he’s an apprentice mage. But for once in his life, Simon breaks the rules and rescues the cubs, saving them from a demon intent on draining them of their magic.

Of course, all actions have consequences, and Simon’s bold move earns him the displeasure of his peers and the attention of the cubs’ alpha, a man named Gray Townsend.

The last thing Gray needs is a mage in his life, but Simon did save his son. Since Simon is now a friend of the pack, Gray doesn’t have much choice about it—or the forbidden attraction that goes along with it. Unfortunately for the alpha, he needs Simon’s help to track down the demon behind the kidnappings—before it strikes again. Simon and Gray must join forces to protect the pack, even as they struggle to resist the temptation that threatens to destroy them both.

Morgan’s Review

Simon is a mage, and mages don’t mix with Others (vampires, shifters, demons) but when Simon “hears” some shifter children crying for help, he runs to their rescue despite this “rule”.

Gray is the father of one of the children Simon rescues and he is immediately indebted and attracted to Simon.

Together they work to find the demon who kidnapped the children and also unravel a mystery that involves Simon’s own powers.

Gray reveals that Simon is his Mate and though it should be impossible for two from different “groups” to mate, the chemistry is undeniable and very hot. They fight the attraction for a while, but it turns out to be necessary to save Simon’s life so they both joyfully and somewhat cautiously mate, unsure what the future will hold.

This was a sweet romance, most of the angst was about the “mystery” and the romance was pretty straight -forward. However, their relationship is far from solid and we will see it evolve in future stories as they experience being a couple on a day to day basis.

I liked this book a lot and am happy to keep reading the series.

Poppy’s world building is exceptional and her characters are fun and engaging.  I enjoy exploring her world further with book two.

Audiobook:

Robert G Davis narrates the entire series and does a pretty great job.  I really love his dialog.  He’s good with the unique voices, uses some great accents and does a fantastic job voicing the children.

The sound quality is good and the pacing is excellent.

My only peeve is that while reading straight descriptive text (no dialog or specific action sequence) he tends to lilt his voice in such a way that every sentence ends with a higher inflection, like everything is a question or vaguely exciting.

If you put that out of your mind, the rest far out ways that gripe and it’s a great way to experience this series.

I recommend this book and the audiobook and give both  a 4 of 5 hearts

4

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