Tag: Contemporary Paranormal

Guest Review: The Last Wolf by Maria Vale

Posted February 13, 2018 by Tracy in Reviews | 1 Comment

Guest Review: The Last Wolf by Maria ValeReviewer: Tracy
The Last Wolf (The Legend of All Wolves #1) by Maria Vale
Series: The Legend of All Wolves #1
Also in this series: A Wolf Apart (The Legend of All Wolves #2)
Publisher: Sourcebooks, Sourcebooks Casablanca
Publication Date: February 6th 2018
Genres: Paranormal Romance
Pages: 320
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three-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

For three days out of thirty, when the moon is full and her law is iron, the Great North Pack must be wild.

If she returns to her Pack, the stranger will die. But if she stays…

Silver Nilsdottir is at the bottom of her Pack’s social order, with little chance for a decent mate and a better life. Until the day a stranger stumbles into their territory, wounded and beaten, and Silver decides to risk everything on Tiberius Leveraux. But Tiberius isn’t all he seems, and in the fragile balance of the Pack and wild, he may tip the destiny of all wolves…

Silver is on the cusp of becoming a slave when a wounded stranger stumbles into her pack’s territory.  She decides to help him and as time goes on they become closer.  Ti (short for Tiberius) is half Pack and half Shifter.  Pack and Shifters don’t mix but Silver is optimistic about Ti.  She tries to help him but he’s a really horrible wolf – not really even knowing how to walk in wolf form.  When outsiders try to hurt the pack some truths come out about Ti and Silver’s not sure she can stay with Ti.

There were many things I liked about this book.  I liked the pack characters for the most part – especially the head Alpha, John (there were other Alpha’s as well).  I liked how the author set up the pack with different levels or echelons.  The sense of family in the book was good and I liked reading about that as well.

The romance in this story, as well as the “suspense” portion of the book is what didn’t do it for me.  Because the story is told in first person POV I think that the lack of Ti’s side of things and his insight into the relationship really impacted the overall story for me.  There just felt like there was something missing.  The suspense or intrigue part of the story where the outsiders were trying to get in to the pack didn’t do anything for me either.  I ended the book wondering if the reason they were attacked was all about greed or was there a bigger issue.

Despite my issues with the book I am interested to see where the series goes next.  I’m not giving up on it yet. 🙂

Rating: 3 out of 5

three-stars


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Guest Review: Baby, I’m Howling for You by Christine Warren

Posted January 31, 2018 by Tracy in Reviews | 0 Comments

Guest Review: Baby, I’m Howling for You by Christine WarrenReviewer: Tracy
Baby, I'm Howling for You by Christine Warren
Series: Alphaville #1
Also in this series: Baby, I'm Howling for You (Alphaville, #1)
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: January 30th 2018
Genres: Paranormal Romance
Pages: 304
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three-stars
Series Rating: three-stars

WELCOME TO ALPHAVILLE, where the she-wolves and alpha-males play. . .for keeps.

Renny Landry is a wolf on the run. Pursued by a shapeshifting stalker and his slobbering pack of killer coyotes, she is forced to flee her job as a librarian to find sanctuary in the wooded hills of Alpha, Washington. A well-secluded safe space for troubled shifters, Alpha is Renny’s last hope. But the first person she meets there is a gorgeous alpha male with fiery eyes, fierce tattoos, and one ferocious appetite—for her…

Mick Fischer thought he left his past behind when he moved to Alpha. But fate has a way of biting him in the tail when a female wolf shows up on his property. Wounded, desperate—and disarmingly hot—Renny brings out the snarling, protective alpha beast in Mick like no other woman he’s known. Can these two haunted, hunted wolves manage to mate for life…even as the deadliest past demons howl at their heels?

Renny is on the run from a pack of coyote’s when her car breaks down.  She’s so close to her destination of Alphaville but she ends up having to make a run for it.  She shifts to her wolf and takes off.  She’s almost caught when she is saved by Mick Fischer.  He’s a wolf shifter as well and surprise, surprise, her mate.

Mick Fischer had a mate but she was murdered 8 years previously.  He has no idea why he is still alive as so often mates follow one another into death.  When he meets Renny he knows why he’s still alive – to be with her.  He’s determined to keep this mate safe despite the psycho that’s after her.

Mick and all of Alphaville step into the help Renny with her coyote problem, which she thinks is great but feels guilty about anyway.  She meets lots of new people and gets her dream job – she loves Alphaville!  She just wishes that she could figure out if Mick loves her for her or only because they are destined mates.

This was a cute paranormal romance story.  It was pretty standard stuff but it was cute, none-the-less.

I can’t say that I loved Renny, but I did admire the strength it took her to keep running from the psycho who wanted her for himself. Mick was kind of your stoic, protective mate who wouldn’t let anyone hurt Renny.  I liked the book, but I did wish we’d gotten more romance and less hunting for coyotes.

There were some secondary characters that got my attention in this story, and I’ll be reading more of the Alphaville series just to read about them.

Rating: 3 out of 5

three-stars


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Guest Review: Werebiker by Paige Cuccaro

Posted September 13, 2017 by Tracy in Reviews | 1 Comment

Guest Review: Werebiker by Paige CuccaroReviewer: Tracy
Werebiker by Paige Cuccaro
Publisher: Swerve
Publication Date: September 12th 2017
Genres: Paranormal Romance
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two-half-stars

Years after she thought she left town for good, Jillian is back and has enlisted the help of her older brother’s ex-best friend (and the man who broke her heart), Jack, to track down her sister-in-law, who’s fallen in with a rival biker gang—but Jack knows they’re werewolves, and that he has to protect Jillian at any cost, even if she hates him.

Jill is shopping for a motorcycle when she runs into Jack, her brothers ex-best friend.  He refuses to sell her a bike when she tells him what she wants it for.  Her brother is coming home from his military service and his wife is MIA.  Jill has found out that she’s been hanging around an MC called the Hellhounds.  When Jack finds out he’s determined to keep her away from the Hellhounds but Jill is too determined to let it go.

Jack knows that the Hellhounds are bad because he once was one.  The night before he was set to take off to basic training with his best friend, Jill’s brother, he was attacked and turned into a werewolf.  The guys in the Hellhounds have a way of mesmerizing women so that they never want to leave their side.  This is what has happened to Jill’s sister-in-law, Carrie.  Despite Jack’s warnings Jill makes bad decision after bad decision going after Carrie but there’s only one way to get her back to her brother’s side and that’s to find the cure for the “virus” that has infected the Hellhounds.

This story had an interesting blurb and premise so I thought I’d give it a try.  Unfortunately there was a lot about it that just didn’t work for me.  First, Jack and Jill’s antagonism toward each other – it just didn’t feel authentic.  Yes, they had every reason to be mad at each other but it felt forced.  Jack also did everything in his power to keep Jill away from the Hellhounds and she was so freaking stubborn she put herself into trouble more than once and had to be saved.  It annoyed me that she was being so stupid!

When it came to the romance – it fell flat for me.  Jack and Jill (don’t even get me started on the names!) had kissed at one point but Jack had walked away.  Jill’s feelings were hurt but she’d never given up hope that they could one day be together.  Jack wants to stay away from her because of what he is but can’t seem to do it.  The romance ended up feeling rushed, especially at the end, and I just wasn’t feeling it.

Overall the story is mildly entertaining, but I can’t say that I recommend this book.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5

two-half-stars


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Guest Review: Wolf’s Mate by Celia Kyle

Posted August 9, 2017 by Tracy in Reviews | 2 Comments

Guest Review: Wolf’s Mate by Celia KyleReviewer: Tracy
Wolf's Mate by Celia Kyle
Series: Shifter Rogues #1
Publisher: Forever
Publication Date: August 1st 2017
Genres: Paranormal Romance
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three-half-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

Danger shouldn't be this sexy...

Cougar shifter Abby Carter always plays it safe. That's why she's an accountant--no excitement, no danger, and no cocky alpha males. She loves her quiet life, but fate has other plans. When Abby uncovers the shady dealings of an anti-shifter organization, she'll have to trust the too-sexy-for-her-peace-of-mind werewolf Declan Reed... or end up six feet under.

Declan Reed is starting over. After two years with Shifter Operations Command, it's time to put his past behind him. Now Declan is the only thing standing between the gorgeous Abby and an early grave, and if he's going to have any chance of keeping her alive, he'll have to embrace the darkness he's fought to keep at bay. But first he has to convince Abby that there's no safer place in the world than the arms of a big bad werewolf.

Declan Reed is part of Shifter Operations Command. He was once a killer for hire but put his past behind him and was trying to be a better person.  SHOC consisted of the most dangerous men who were trying to do good things, so he was in good company.  Declan’s SHOC team is on a job trying to get info to see if a company, FosCo, is involved in feeding money into the shifter hate group, Unified Humanity.  While observing the building, Declan sees Abby Carter.  She’s an accountant that is doing an audit for FosCo, and Declan can’t seem to keep his eyes off of her.  When she digs into an account she was told to stay away from and sees that they are indeed filtering money into UH the owner of FosCo is alerted and Abby’s life seems to be in danger.  Declan doesn’t wait around but goes to save her.  He ends up taking her and hiding her from everyone – including his team and this makes him a rogue.

Abby isn’t sure what’s going on.  She knows that what she found at FosCo is horrible and that people are after her to get the info – she just doesn’t know who to trust.  She’s pretty sure that Declan is a good guy but she’s not positive.  Despite not knowing about him, she’s still attracted to Declan and doesn’t let a little thing like her life being in danger stop her from showing that attraction.  Of course she’s not sure either of them will live to do anything about it in the future.

This was a cute paranormal story.  I liked both Abby, Declan and his entire SHOC team.  I read this in one sitting as it was a fast read.

Abby was a great character.  She was strong – she’d had to be her entire life – and wasn’t about to let Declan boss her around.  I loved the fact that she didn’t let anyone push her around.  Yes, she was scared at times but she still showed her strength throughout her trials.

Declan was alpha male all the way.  He wanted what he wanted and no one was going to stand in his way.  He was rough and tough and had been a been a killer for hire – not an ideal background – but he was gentle with Abby and wasn’t afraid to show her his softer side.

Overall the book was a good one and I enjoyed the beginning of this new series.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

three-half-stars


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Guest Review: Dragon Adventure by Mell Eight

Posted May 30, 2017 by Tracy in Reviews | 0 Comments

Guest Review: Dragon Adventure by Mell EightReviewer: Tracy
Dragon Adventure by Mell Eight
Series: Supernatural Consultant #5.1
Also in this series: Dragon Consultant, Dragon Deception, Dragon Dilemma, Dragon Detective, Dragon Soldier, Dragon Home, Dragon Lesson
Publisher: Less Than Three Press
Publication Date: May 17th 2017
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three-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

Aqua and Rios are bored, which is always a recipe for disaster. They decide that taking a trip to visit Nickel would be a ton of fun, so they hop on a boat and go sailing down the river. Niagara Falls separates the two kits from their destination, not that they're aware of that fact, and their fun adventure quickly turns into a desperate fight for survival.

Aqua and Rios are water dragons, approximately 15 years old, and are the foster sons of William Armistead.  They are at the North American Territory Leader’s Conference in Canada and since their “Uncle” Willy controls all of Canada he brought them with him so that they could understand what’s going on – he’d been teaching them about his duties. Of course they’re bored out of their minds and as their Uncle Dane didn’t bring his son Nickel with him they have no one to play with.

When they’re dismissed they decide that they’re just going to go visit Nickel. They get out a map and figure it won’t take long at all to get to Nickel as it’s only a few inches of map space – by river…in a rowboat. Obviously it takes longer than expected even with their supernatural powers and they end up getting to shore so they can sleep that night.  Rios is awoken by a sound and finds a Nix, a water shape-shifter, who’s trying to save the waterways from drug dealers. Rios gets attached to the Nix – who he names Nixie – very quickly and decides to help.  The pair get into some trouble but Uncle Willy is there to save the day in more ways than one.

This was a very short but very cute read.  It’s set in the world of the other Supernatural Consultant books, and Dane is in it, but none of Dane’s dragon kits are in it.  Aqua and Rios were adorably rambunctious and I enjoyed reading about their antics.  The story is told with the thought that Rios and Nix will eventually mate but that’s just kind of implied.  They’re too young at the moment to go that far. 🙂  The only reason this story got a lower rating was because of length.   I just couldn’t get too into it all as it was super short.

If you’ve read and enjoyed all of the Supernatural Consultant books so far then I think you’ll enjoy this one as well.

Rating: 3 out of 5

three-stars


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