Tag: mate bond

Review: Oracles Always Win (Willow Lake Supernaturals Book 3) by Lori Ames

Rating: 4.5🌈

Oracles Always Win is a fantastic book, a favorite read in a great series by Lori Ames about a small town of mixed paranormal species living among humans, all magically harmonious. That changed when a small pack of werewolves lead by a disgruntled were started a chain of serious crimes that eventually lead to the arrival of Gage, a demon, and his crew from the Supernatural Council.

One of the people there on the scene of the last crime, is Jake. He’s the owner of the bar and inn it occurred at. Jake has been a curious character throughout the prior stories. While he thinks he’s human, and is clearly ignorant of the many supernatural beings that are present in his life, it’s equally true he’s not just human. He has visions. He’s an oracle. Has a cat that talks (just not to Jake) and has magical powers. In other words, Jake is a mystery too.

Ames gives us several fantastic storylines here. There’s the ongoing threat to the community from the outside werewolf pack and perhaps something else. The species trafficking. Those investigations are continuing and have implications for others inside Willow Lake

But the best threads, the most engaging are the ones that involve Jake and Gabe, separately and together.

For Jake, it’s his story about finding out who he is, what his friends and community really are, and, painfully, what his family history reveals about him. That last part still remains shrouded by mystery in large chunks of missing magical family lineage .I hope we get to this further in.

Gabe is a demon who also has a painful past related to his father. It’s one that’s haunted him and plays a huge role in how he’s looked at his relationships with his coworkers and friends. Jake will force a major overhaul in his life and his dynamics with his found family.

This whole storyline is wonderful and just grabs at the reader on multiple levels. While Jake and Gabe are trying to work through their new relationship and possibly a mate bonding, there’s a real sense of danger and crime in progress to deal with.

We meet new characters, Isaac, Nelson, Davina, who are part of Gabe’s team, and explore more of Willow Lake’s magical powers. It’s a fascinating universe. I can’t wait for the next book to arrive.

Lori Ames’ Willow Lake Supernaturals is an excellent series and Oracles Always Win is an imaginative, well written example why I highly recommend the entire series.

Willow Lake Supernaturals:

Ravens Never Fall (Prequel)

Hellhounds Never Lie (Book 1)

Wolves Always Bite (Book 2)

Oracles Always Win (Book 3)

Buy Links:

Buy at Amazon

Amazon.COM

Amazon.CO.UK

Amazon.COM.AU

Amazon.CA

Blurb:

Jake believes he is absolutely and completely ordinary… But what if he isn’t?

Jake is absolutely, completely ordinary, even if he has a weird painting affliction. Painting is relaxing, right? It helps. It’s a form of art therapy. Even if his is the sub-conscious kind of painting. The middle-of-the-night, paint-while-you-sleep kind. The kind that makes him puke every single time it happens.
Okay. So, maybe that’s not exactly normal.
But when the sexy but imaginary guy with horns, who his weird painterly alter-ego has been fixated on for the last year, suddenly shows up in town with horns and all, Jake doesn’t know what to think. Especially when the not-so-imaginary guy claims he’s a demon and that Jake’s an oracle of all things. That’s when Jake begins to suspect his life is never going to be the same again.
After all, he mentioned the horns, right?

Tags: A demon in search of a home, an oracle unknowingly in need of a tether, the talking cat is a messy eater, oracles know things, oracles shouldn’t paint in public in only their underwear, the wolves in the hills are still jerks, a formerly human guy keeps asking crazy questions, who knew horns and wings could be sexy, and… just how many supernatural beings will be drawn to this one little town?

Review: Rise (Wings ‘N’ Wands, #2) by A. J. Sherwood and Jocelynn Drake

Rating: 4🌈

I loved Ruins, the preceding book, where Sam and Dimitri found out they were not only soulmates but located the ruins of the mysterious and previously thought lost Sousa clan. Now comes the exciting adventures to explore the ramifications of those ruins and the clan they belong to.

Sherwood and Drake have packed a lot into this book. It easily could taken two stories to tell just because of the narrative ground it has to cover along with the complexity of the romance of the novel. That’s where I’m not sure all the elements came out equally well conceived for me given the potential of the concepts and emotions involved.

First the romance. That has been something that has been around for a while. The relationship between the two dragons, Luka and Vassily, which is unique when the mate combination is dragon/mage, not dragon/dragon. So their relationship has been fraught with fears for one of them finding a mate and tearing the couple apart, a thread from other stories. So potentially heartbreaking.

It continues here when a voice calls to both in dreams, asking them to save him. Amaura Sousa, a mage who needs their help to wake him and the rest of his clan from a 500 year old sleep. The Sousa clan’s spirit and strength lies in their love of creating new science and technology merged with magic, which in this case also has been the basis of their long slumber.

The romance/mate bond between Luka/Vassily/Amaura of this book is one the aspects that frustrated me the most of the storylines. One of the best but most frustrating. It always comes down to communication for me and the fact that the characters don’t seem to talk to each other. That’s become an almost a flag for as a reader in books so it takes a lot in a story for me to stay connected and continue reading.

Luckily, the authors do have other characters step in and help clarify the issues but , good grief, that’s a lot of work for some charming characters.

Both Sherwood and Drake built some imaginative magical clan history and new knowledge with the retrieved Sousa clan. I could have spent chapters more on the breaking of that spell, waking everyone up to a new era and reordering of dragon/mage dynamics.

Then only to give the reader brief moments and glimpses into what the Sousa city, ruin’s magical rebirth included, well, there’s even more possibilities and potential I feel was left out of the story, scenes I wanted to read and feel a part of. Mostly because what we were given were so special and fascinating that I was absolutely invested into them.

And then there’s Sam who with his broken core, started the search for the Sousa to begin with. Sam’s story and his role is so emotionally important. He’s the heart and hero, and I wanted his happiness and heroics to get the best scenario possible. The authors came so so close. I guess they couldn’t have explosions. But again, Sam and Dimitri could have had chapters to finish off their well deserved section of this tale.

Rise (Wings ‘N’ Wands, #2) by A. J. Sherwood and Jocelynn Drake was a case of a bunch of wonderful ideas, imaginative elements, mixed with great characters but just not having enough page time or narrative space to give them all the attention they deserve.

I had a fabulously entertaining time reading it and look forward to the next.

Scales ’N’ Spells Series

✓ Origin #1

✓ Breath #2

✓ Wish: A Novella #3

✓ Blood #4

✓ Embers #5

Wings ’N’ Wands :

✓ Dawn: A Prequel Novella (Ha Na and King Rodrigo)

✓ Ruins #1 – Sam and Dimitri’s book

✓ Rise #2

◦ Soar (coming in 2024!)

Buy Link

Rise (Wings ‘N’ Wands Book 2)

Blurb:

For the record, putting the Sousa clan to sleep for five hundred years is not Amaru’s fault.

At least he’s found his two, count ‘em two sexy, hunky, adorable, overprotective dragon mates because of it, and they’ll help him wake up his clan.

So why. Are his mates. AVOIDING HIM? Especially Luka. This should not be as hard as they’re making it.

What’re the proper tools to fix relationship problems? Is it screwdrivers?

Tags:

Chaos thine name is Amaru, one keeper is not sufficient, hence triad, lost clans, malfunctioning magic, confused dragons, the whole enchilada, 500 years is one hell of a power nap, zipper are awesome, Ravi has twins, pray, relationships are work, hope is too, who needs sleep when there is nookie, don’t touch the screwdrivers, all unattended electronics will be taken apart, breaking traditions, dragon cuddles are the best cuddles

Review: Soul Eater by Ofelia Gränd

Rating: 4.75🌈

Swedish author, Ofelia Gränd’s latest novel reminds me that I really need to put her on my auto buy list.

Soul Eater’s wonderful universe drew me in completely and the storylines kept me invested in the characters and the potential for more tales to come.

She begins the story with a Paranormal Investigations Department that employs a number of different beings, from a psychic to a witch with detectives of various shifter species, including a jaguar Captain.

We get a glimpse into a squad out of sorts with each other and the cases several missing women to solve.

The individuals within the squad are divided into two groups, the magical humans and the shifters, as personalities and deep feelings have contributed to conflict between the members. Gränd’s believable well defined characters help the reader understand the differences that now exist between them as the case investigation gets underway.

I’m not sure exactly what it is about this author’s work that adds that extra dimension to it. That touch of subtle horror or oddity that overlies the most mundane of actions.

Not that there’s much of those here in a paranormal mystery murder thriller where shifters, sorcery, a ghost, and Halloween overlap .

Especially a wereghost. I found that aspect of the story so satisfying as it develops on multiple levels.

The author’s world building expands as the story goes along, our knowledge of the magical universe coming to include a division of human witchcraft into wizards, mages, sorcerers and warlocks, an distinction that’s been hidden from the human population and paranormal one alike. This has implications for a major part of the storyline and not one I would spoil. It’s just one more thing I found entertaining and added more to the characters.

It’s elements like this that will keep me returning to Gränd’s books and hopefully more in this universe.

I found the narrative fascinating, the elements marvelous, the characters well developed, and all of it thrilling and suspenseful.

A definite recommendation for this author and book! Love it!

Buy Link:

Blurb:

Detective Thaddeus Ezax is in over his head. He’s the only wizard in Rockshade’s Paranormal Investigations Department, and it was his name that got him the job. The Ezaxs are known as some of the most powerful wizards in the world, but Thaddeus isn’t your average Ezaxs. Is it any wonder his family shuns him?

When a kidnapping case is dropped into his lap, Thaddeus must act fast. While most five-year-olds can cast a location spell, Thaddeus can’t and is forced to get creative. When he finds himself in possession of a black market werewolf skull with a ghost trapped inside, accidentally releases the spirit, and somehow forms a connection with it, things get even crazier.

Sandulf Hunter doesn’t remember dying, but he remembers the last thing he saw before everything went black — a wizard. All wizards must die! The only problem is, the wizard standing next to him smells too damned good, so good Sandy thinks he might have to keep him.

And since wherever Thaddeus goes, Sandulf finds himself yanked along, he might not have a choice in the matter anyway.

• Publisher: JMS Books LLC (October 31, 2020)

• Publication date: October 31, 2020

• Print length: 186 pages

Review: Spell It Out ( Mages and Mates Prequel) by Andy Gallo

Rating: 4.5🌈

Spell It Out is less a prequel but more a side story to the wonderful Mages and Matea series by Andy Gallo. This dives into a great couple of teachers at a interspecies high school connected to the university central to the series. Here mage Dylan Jurgenson, cousin to Bart Hollen (Break The Spell), has found out that he’s one of the teacher chaperones on the high school camping trip this year. Each year he’s managed to evade the duty by passing it off to another, like his cousin. But this time, Bart’s busy, so he has no other option. And math teacher , Minotaur shifter Xavier Tollis, is going as well.

Those are the basic facts. With the characters in place, Gallo begins to give us a lovely romantic story, filled with all the details that come with new relationship building, the discovery and discussions, and the joy. That Xavier and Dylan have young teenagers in their charge too adds a wonderful dimension. Gallo allows the kids a youthful energy and enthusiasm that makes the adults feel even more connected.

There are some fantastic teens here with their own issues, some of which coincide with that of Dylan’s poor self esteem. And there are other storylines about family, child neglect, and pack culture. All woven together into a story that has romances, humor, teenage angst , adult drama , mate bonding, and HEA.

Im hoping to see more of this couple together in the series, especially as Bart makes an appearance here. They are both really great characters and have such warmth about them. Actually I’d love to see the students too.

Novellas like Spell It Out ( Mages and Mates Prequel) by Andy Gallo just wet my imagination and enthusiasm for the series and characters I meet. It makes me want to go back to the beginning and start reading again.

This is a definite recommendation. So is the series. It’s listed below.

Mages and Mates:

✓ Spell It Out ( Mages and Mates Prequel)

✓ Break The Spell #1

✓ It Spells Trouble #2

◦ Under A Spell #3 – March 26,2024

Buy Link:

Amazon.comhttps://www.amazon.com › Spell-O…Spell it Out: An MM Paranormal Romance Novella (Mages and Mates)

Blurb:

Sometimes success is a matter of life or death.

Dylan Jurgenson hates camping but is stuck chaperoning his practical magic class on their fieldtrip. Worse, he’s bunking with sexy math teacher Xavier Tollis. You know, the hot Minotaur shifter who barely knows Dylan exists. Not that Xavier’s lack of interest comes as any surprise. Who’d be interested in a mediocre mage, anyway?

Xavier can handle crazy teens and camping. Who he’d like to handle is the cute mage giving him morning wood so often he could build a house. Unfortunately, even in human form Xavier scares Dylan. Minotaurs have terrible reputations and even worse track records in love. Who’d be crazy enough to take a chance on a big guy like him, anyway?

Just when Dylan and Xavier are finally moving beyond their insecurities and misunderstandings, two students disappear under mysterious circumstances. Working together, they put their newfound feelings and lives on the line to save their wayward charges.

Failure is not an option but playing hero can sure have unintended consequences.

Review: Patience (Damned Connections #1) by Lark Taylor

Rating: 4.5🌈

I was excited about this story and follow up series to The Reckless Damned . Ferry, aka Ferryman, The Grim Reaper, Charon, the being who ferried the dead souls across the River Styx was last seen leaving Hell on his way topside to the human realm.

Patience goes into Ferry’s tortured backstory, how he ended up as the Grim Reaper, and what he is doing back on Earth. Patience is a wonderful title for him and his ill- fated romance.

The other voice and half of this couple belongs to Leo, a human firefighter. Leo is a very good, very confused man. He’s aware that something has been missing from all his relationships but can’t pinpoint what it is exactly. He believes he’s straight but he struggles with feelings he doesn’t understand.

All with good reason. Leo has a history he’s not allowed to remember until he dies. And then only for one hour.

Lark has done a wonderful job with these characters and their poignant love story. One who remembers everything and one who remembers nothing. It’s a setup guaranteed to usher in huge emotions and a flood of memories and tears.

And it does, scenes upon scenes.

This series follows The Reckless Damned, which is its foundation. So those characters are important here as supporting players and suppliers of knowledge to Leo, as he navigates his way back to Ferry.

Plus there’s always a dramatic element above that of the personal challenges to the mate bond relationship. A outside force that needs to be overcome.

Here that aspect was a little bit easily figured out. But the rest of the story, which was ,in turn, humorous, poignant, sexy, heartbreaking, horrifying , and finally, incredibly beautiful, well, that was fantastic.

It made Ferenc (Ferry) and Leof (Leo’s) longtime love story one of my favorites. And the setup for the next with Leo’s younger brother and a certain enigmatic vampire has me really hooked for more. Need Justice now! But I’ll have to wait until next year.

In the meantime, I’m definitely recommending Patience. And The Reckless Damned if you haven’t already read those as well.

Damned Connections:

✓ Patience #1

◦ Justice #2 – Feb 1, 2024

Prior series:

The Reckless Damned

The Reckless Damned4 booksLark Taylor

Buy Link:

Patience (Damned Connections Book 1)

Blurb:

I paid the ultimate price when I took the gamble to save my mate’s soul.

Ferry

Ferryman. The Grim Reaper. La Muerte. La Pelona. Shinigami. Charon.

I’ve been called many names over the millennia, all thanks to my role in Hell.

Ferrying dead souls over the river Styx.

But few know the demon behind the legend, how I came to be here, or the freedom I sacrificed to save the man I love.

Now I’m free to find him again. The problem? He doesn’t remember me.

And he’s straight.

Leo fell madly in love with me once before. Will he fall again before it’s too late?

Leo

All my life, I’ve felt like something is missing. Neither my job as a firefighter, my brother Matty, nor my ex-girlfriends have been able to fill that hole.

When a mysterious stranger approaches me in a bar, I find myself captivated.

I’ve never been attracted to men before, but I can’t seem to resist him.

Why is it that spending time with Ferry feels so…right? So familiar?

Patience is a fated-mates, second-chance PNR romance. The first in the Damned Connections series, each book will follow a different couple as they find their HEA. Although better read in order, these books can stand alone.

Review: Guarding Axel (Dark Forest Pack #3) by Annabelle Jacobs

Rating: 3.5🌈

Guarding Axel is the penultimate book in Jacobs’ Dark Forest Park series, so the series arc themes, which are plentiful, need to start coming together.

Axel Molhieth, a tormented Fae with full of secrets and a dark past has been a great source of mystery and interest for me and I think most people. Especially when it comes to the complicated relationship he has with the wolf shifter Talis.

Best friends until the enemy captures Axel , Talis, and others with a toxic Fae plant . The fallout from that traumatic event, destroys their close relationship, and sets the pack to guarding Axel against an old betrayer from his past.

I was looking forward to this story because of the hot chemistry between the were Talis and the Fae Axel but something happened and along the way, it dissipated under the weight of Axel’s overly complicated “secret “ and inability to trust within the storyline.

While Talis remains the tormented soul, denied his bond by Axel, by circumstances, hurt by the close proximity of Axel, Talis is the strongest character in the story. The most compelling.

That’s partly the reason why the story doesn’t work out as well. Both main characters need to balance out each other and, for me at least, they don’t.

Jacobs builds up this enormous amount of narrative suspense and anticipatory anguish around a secret that Axel’s been holding onto. It’s the one keeping him from having a relationship with Talis, why he’s causing so much drama and damage within the pack structure, so it should be something so earth shattering, so emotionally and physically traumatizing to makeup for all the harm the reader sees him causing for us to make sense of it all.

It’s one his cousin knows about. Btw.

But when it’s revealed, I kept waiting for the rest of the reveal. Thinking surely there’s more. There wasn’t.

And when his own cousin and the mate of the Alpha both tell Axel , the equivalent of “snap out of it” because you know better, this has been going on for too long, then either the secret wasn’t written well enough or this element was executed in a way that made Axel a character I just couldn’t connect with.

There’s far too many loose ends. I’m sure Jacobs will pick them up in the next book. But this just didn’t have the same feeling as the previous stories, at least as far as the main couple. I didn’t feel like Axel had a great relationship with either the pack or Talis, given his actions and inability to understand how they impacted those around him.

Usually Annabelle Jacobs does a great job explaining the dynamics behind those decisions and how the character comes back into balance. Here I never thought that happened.

I’m looking forward to Loving Jake, the series finale. And to seeing how everything plays out.

Dark Forest Pack series:

🔷Claiming Rys #1

🔷Redeeming Nick #2

🔷Guarding Axel #3

🔷Loving Jake #4 – Sept 28, 2023

Buy Link:

Guarding Axel (Dark Forest Pack Book 3)

Description:

A silver-haired fae with a shattered heart—a green-eyed shifter with enough love to heal him.

Axel

Burnt by a past betrayal, I’ve learnt the hard way to keep my heart locked up tight. As tempting as Talis is, all I can offer is friendship, because trusting someone again is a risk I can’t take. Love means sharing the true nature of my magic, and the last time I did that it almost cost me my life.

Talis

I want what every shifter wants.

A mate, a partner. Someone I can call mine.

Axel Molhieth, beautiful and free-spirited, makes it crystal clear that isn’t him. Will never be him.

I know it’ll end badly for me, but I want him anyway.

One night is all it takes to ruin their friendship, and avoidance is the easy way out. But when Axel’s past catches up with him, putting his life in danger, they’re forced to finally face the consequences of their night together.

Guarding Axel is an MM paranormal romance featuring a protective shifter desperate for love, and a beautiful fae afraid to trust. Full of magic, suspense, and sizzling UST, with a guaranteed HEA.

Review: Paranormal Princes: The Complete Series by Charlie Cochet

Rating: 4.5🌈

Paranormal Princes: The Complete Series by Charlie Cochet is a fantastic way to binge read the series. Three stories, two bridged by a kingly developing tale of romance of its own which will resolve itself with the third series tale, a culmination of all three storylines.

I happily breezed through them, admittedly the first couple still being my favorite. Cochet really outdid herself with Prince Owin, Prince of the Ocelots. If you’ve ever been owned by a cat, known a cat, or just plain observed any, then this character and felid portrayal of an ocelot shifter will ring so true you be laughing. I do every time he makes an appearance here, and in other stories. I heart him so much. Grimmwolf, wolf shifter and bodyguard , as ordered by their king and his advisor, is perfect for him as well.

This is, of course, my favorite story of the three. First and best, imo.

It goes that King Alarick , King (and father) of all Shifters, and the blind immortal Lord Jean Eldritch, king’s adviser , have devised individual quests for the King’s children, the Princesses and Princes to prove they can rule their kingdoms and their people. Theirs is also a developing romance of over a thousand years, with a mystery included.

First quest and book is:

1. The Prince and His Bedeviled Bodyguard

The tale of a very adorable, spoiled persnickety ocelot prince and his quietly smitten wolfy bodyguard on a quest to prove the ocelot prince deserves his crown. Feline purfection! Feline high handed glam versus a canine werewolf sensibility, with maybe a long-standing crush. How they tackle the quest involves a magical bag, a purple orb, and some great crossover characters from a Macy Blake series!

2. The Prince and his Captivating Carpenter

The Prince this time is a deeply grieving bear shifter. Prince Bernd lost his father up on a mountain when they were hiking and he’s never recovered from the tragedy. He’s withdrawn from his people and never leaves his castle. Until time for his quest.

His king and advisor have assigned him a coyote shifter, Saer, who looks very familiar. It’s up to the two of them to survive together and complete a daunting and dangerous task.

Unlike the first story, the second is much less lighthearted, the grim reality of the painful nature of Bernd’s behavior and withdrawal never far from the surface. Saer also has deep insecurities and fears to overcome. This is a darker journey that’s a trend for the series.

The characters are excellent, and I enjoyed their journey immensely.

3. The King and The Vigilant Valet

This story was both the one that had the most goals, the most themes and plot stories to wrap up. I really enjoyed all the twists and plots turns. Considering it’s really the biggest quest of them all , with life and death stakes for all involved, it stands to reason that Cochet has a cast of multitudes here, heroes and villains.

The ending wasn’t entirely satisfying for me as I didn’t feel that the outcome for Jean’s true form did anything but defang him. I kept thinking surely there must have been a more imaginative way to keep him true to his mythical nature while leaving him able to be more himself than before.

Ah well. ‘‘Twas not to be. But it left me with feeling that there could have been more. Especially after the epilogue.

So while I loved the first, really enjoyed the second, the final chapter had issues for me. Still the whole thing was great and a wonderful journey for lovers of Shifter romance and especially those of the feline characters.

I’m definitely recommending this!

Buy Link:

https://www.amazon.com › Paranor…Paranormal Princes: The Complete Series – Kindle edition by Cochet, Charlie. …

Description:

Let the good times roar! Enjoy the complete Paranormal Princes series.

THE PRINCE AND HIS BEDEVILED BODYGUARD

Prince Owin

Being a fierce predator—not at all adorable, despite my graceful stature—the last thing I needed was a bodyguard. Especially a wolf shifter, whose presence alone was an insult to my princely principles. As Prince of the Ocelot Shifters, I prided myself on my infallible feline instincts, uncompromisable dignity, and flawless fashion sense. If having a canine follow me around at all times wasn’t bad enough, I now faced the most important moment of my entire life. The time had come to prove I was worthy of my crown. If only I could find a way to get rid of the pesky bodyguard.

Grimmwolf

When the King of All Shifters asked me to guard Prince Owin, I admit I had no idea what to expect. Cat shifters tend to be a little intense, not to mention kinda cranky. Owin was no exception, though he seemed crankier than most. Being his bodyguard was proving to be one of the greatest challenges of my life—but not nearly as great as convincing him there was something special between us. When Owin is faced with a perilous quest to prove his worth, I was determined to keep him safe, even if the same couldn’t be said of my heart.

THE PRINCE AND HIS CAPTIVATING CARPENTER

Prince Bernd

As Prince of the Bear Shifters, I knew the time would come for me to prove myself worthy of my crown. I expected my quest to be perilous. What I didn’t expect was for it to take me up into Espen Mountain, a place that’s brought me nothing but grief and terrible nightmares. Not only must I find the five magical ingredients, but I have to do so alongside Saer, a mysterious and charming shifter coyote summoned by the king to be my guide. But who is Saer, and why do I feel as if we’ve met before?

Saer
Crushing on Prince Bernd from afar was one thing. Being given the responsibility of saving the prince and his kingdom was a whole other story. Banished from my kingdom by my own prince years ago, I never imagined I would be summoned to help Bernd. What could I possibly offer a prince? How was I supposed to save him? I was no one. A shifter with no place to call home. What I did know was that I would do everything in my power to help Bernd succeed on his quest. All I had to do was stop crushing on the guy, find the magical ingredients hidden up a dangerous mountain, and save his heart. What could go wrong?

THE KING AND HIS VIGILANT VALET

Jean

The past has a way of catching up with you, even if you are immortal. I’ve spent thousands of years as the valet and companion to the powerful King of All Shifters. It has been my honor and duty to protect, serve, and advise him. I never intended to fall in love with him. My past is filled with death and bloodshed, but I never once regretted keeping Alarick safe. Now an evil I thought long gone has resurfaced, determined to kill Alarick and plunge the world into chaos. Saving Alarick means revealing the truth about myself. I don’t know what’s worse, failing to protect the king I love, or watching him turn away from me when he discovers what I really am.

King Alarick

As King of All Shifters, my powers are connected to the cosmos, and I have been around since the dawn of time. There are few things that can kill me. Unfortunately, one of those things has escaped its prison and is set to destroy me. The only weapon that can defeat this creature is the Scythe of Kronos, which has been missing for nearly as long as I have lived. When Jean and I set out on a quest to find the scythe, questions I had long ignored must now be answered. What is Jean’s connection to this evil? Why will he trust me with his life but not his secrets? As my most trusted valet, and my greatest friend, surely nothing that happens along this perilous journey can change what I feel in my heart for him. Or can it?

Review: Pressure (Lunar Wolves Book 1) by Kiki Burrell

Rating: 3.25🌈

I picked up Pressure hoping by reading the first of the Lunar Wolves books I’d get a better understanding of the universe and setting for Burrell’s stories and characters.

Unfortunately, the answer is not really. I still don’t know if the world the events take place in belongs to humans AND lunar wolves originally, or if lunar wolves came later.

Also unanswered is the question of how and why the solar and celestial wolves clans or species came to this world or dimension. And who they are exactly. They appear to have, at least the solar wolves do, a very specific and rigid culture.

But this is a lunar wolf series. Where’s their rich background? Are there other series I’m missing?

At any rate, once again, I enter a story with a incomplete picture of the world and it’s cultural history and current affairs. That lack of information will have the reader try to piece together essential bits of storylines and failing because we just can’t make sense of them.

If you can toss aside the backstory and concentrate on just the relationship of Axe Landry, Chief of LCEA, and Caden Borealis, only son of a isolated witch clan, then the story is very interesting. I like the main characters as they met and finally agreed to mate. A messy path indeed.

Axe has a hidden secret (one the reader doesn’t know until later), but he must obtain a mate to continue on in his job.

All wolves ,apparently, must mate with a witch, due to The Sacred Pact. That’s actually spelled out for the reader and Caden. Otherwise, they go primal, lone, and wild.

So arranging for a mate is a common practice among clans of witches and wolves.

Caden is a different sort of person. He’s headed towards being a drug dealer, with a sleazy boyfriend and loser attitude. I like how this turns out.

Burrell could have spent the entire storyline on the adjustments both Caden and Axe had to make to each other, to the surprises inherent in their relationship and mate bond. Also to Caden’s reaction to Crescent City and the paranormal world. It would have been a excellent time to get those pesky things like background elements and foundation building in.

But instead there’s a mystery and murder to investigate too.

For myself, that took away from character development and pushed the story toward more threads than it could possibly handle.

Did I enjoy Pressure? Yes. Did I feel I had read a story that had a firm foundation of its universe set out for its readers? No. Likable characters and romantic relationships are engaging but within a story where we don’t have a complete picture of the world around them.

That’s a tad frustrating. Where did those solar wolves come from?

So if you’re a Burrell fan and have the answers, then I’m sure you will be picking up this book. All others make your own choices.

Lunar Wolves series (no mpreg):

✓ Pressure #1

◦ Tension #2

◦ Force #3

◦ Thrust #4

Scorched, a Lunar Wolves novel

Buy Link:

Pressure: Lunar Wolves Book One

Axe Landry needs a fake mate—fast.

Axe Landry is the disgraced heir of a defeated Alpha. He craves law, order, and stability, but he’s clinging to his position of Chief of the Lunar Council Enforcement Agency, the protectors of Crescent City, by a thread. If he doesn’t find a mate—a witch mate, at that—by the next full moon, he’s bound for a life of ridicule and isolation. And to Axe, that kind of humiliation is a fate worse than death.

Enter Caden Borealis—wild, reckless…and irresistible.

Caden hasn’t made much of his twenty-three years on earth. His dysfunctional family and traumatic past sent him on a five year bender, but when his grandpa gets sick, Caden knows he needs to take care of the only person who ever cared about him. Caden’s life is a mess, though, and he desperately needs money if he wants to save his grandpa’s life.

A deliciously indecent proposal.

When Caden first hears Axe’s proposal, he can’t believe Axe is serious. All he has to do is pretend to be Axe’s husband and Axe will give him half a million dollars? There has to be a catch. Sure, Axe is a little strict. And yeah, there’s a list of rules Caden has to follow. But he can play the obedient pretend husband for as long as it takes for his grandpa to get better.

Unless it’s all real…

When werewolves start to go missing in Crescent City, Caden realizes he might be in over his head. He’s never let himself rely on anyone before, but Axe—older, gorgeous, steady Axe—becomes his rock as he learns to navigate this newfound world of witches and werewolves. But as the lines between real and pretend blur, Caden can’t always remember that he’s only acting like he’s in love. He needs to keep his head in the game, but it might just be his heart that’s calling the shots now.

Pressure is the first book in the Lunar Wolves series. It is a paranormal gay romance with mystery, suspense, a stern and sexy wolf, and an impulsive twink who maybe should’ve actually read that contract—like Axe had instructed—before he signed it.

Review: Scorched (a Lunar Wolves novel) by Kiki Burrell

Rating: 3.5🌈

Scorched by Kiki Burrell is my first visit into this author’s Lunar Wolves series. It is described as a standalone novel so I approached it from that perspective, wanting to see what sort of story comes from such a interesting melding of elements.

There’s magic, solar wolves from another dimension/world/planet, fragile peace between humans and paranormals, a witch/wolf maté bond, a gate the alchemists/witches/scientists are trying to build to get the Solar Wolves home. There’s a city for the paranormals called Crescent City with self governing rules. And unbelievably even more.

Much of the above doesn’t come with much explanation or foundation. I cobbled that together from things mentioned throughout the book. So I really don’t think this exists as a standalone except perhaps if the author is talking about the couple.

And we need more here because the Wolves society seems to be a very rigidly conservative group at the highest levels, with a cultural outlook and ingrained values ,that to outsiders and those of status below them , seem not just imperious but richly oppressive. That seems to include a witch society too, but I’m not sure.

The two main characters of Scorched are from widely different backgrounds as well as cultures. One, Magnus, is a struggling human alchemist. He’s overwhelmed with bills, family obligations, and a adolescence full of secrets that he’s still carrying around.

The other is Calore Fier, first generation Solar, billionaire, retired at 45. Powerful, restless, and sure he’s discovered his mate in a human that wants nothing to do with him.

Burrell does an good job with the characters but she starts out with too many elements and then just doesn’t have the narrative time or space to carry out on these aspects. So they get dropped.

That’s not a bad thing. Just something I noticed. In the case of Magnus, early on the author said his upbringing had instilled a need for “humiliation and submission “.

That need for submission is started to be addressed in the first stages of a relationship with Calore. But any need to be humiliated is forgotten. And then submission aspect is relegated to a tiny corner of the development of the story.

Burrell has so many good ideas and storylines to work through that other threads started get lost. Like the ones above. There’s a shattered peace between races? Not sure. Issues with building the gate? I don’t know. Do witches and wolves have to mate? Don’t know. None of those things are certain or anything but hints here.

The ones that remain are wonderful and really require more page space. Magnus’s family, the painful loss of his mother, his father’s health and stance against the supernatural, and all the warm-hearted scenes with Magnus, Calore, and the siblings. Yes, pls. Couldn’t get enough. They were so well written with the characters, children especially, being fully fleshed out.

Scenes with Calore trying to adjust to Magnus and the opposite, also felt like a couple making tentative moves towards a mutual goal.

But for all that well developed narrative, Burrell gives us scenes with Lunar Wolf society which pulled the exposition rug out from under the reader. Suddenly we meet a “close friend “ of Magnus’ who’s a Solar/Lunar ? wolf too ( not sure how he fits in other than he’s a scientist), unheard of grandparents suddenly appear, we get a mating ceremony we have no idea about, as well as references from the gathered high society about the Solar Wolf world, which apparently still exists. Why everybody is on Earth I’ve no clue. Plus there’s hints some do want a gate home and others not so much. But that too disappears, another thread gone.

The characters were very good. As I said, Burrell didn’t have the chance or space or , to be honest, need, to follow through on all the character traits she intended for Magnus. It worked out fine. He was overloaded and we didn’t get enough of the man the alchemist, especially as he was so famous for his skill. I wish that had been explored more.

Same for Calore. We didn’t get enough of him personally. More of his background, his personality, his interests. He wasn’t anywhere near as multi dimensional as Magnus was. Only in the scenes with the family did he become a person with depth.

So how to sum up a book I very much enjoyed but got occasionally frustrated with? Don’t treat this like a standalone. I’m going to have to go back to the series and get more of the world building to get answers the the questions this book raises.

If you’re a fan of Lunar Wolves, you should be fine. And you’re probably going to enjoy the story as I did. More so because you have the background I was missing.

I’m recommending Scorched (a Lunar Wolves novel) by Kiki Burrell with some asterisks.

Buy Link:

Amazon.comhttps://www.amazon.com › Scorch-…Scorch: Lunar Wolves Novella – Kindle edition by Burrelli, Kiki. Paranormal …

Description:

Magnus’s human family would despise him if they found out how deep he’s fallen into the supernatural world. The witching world had been nothing but cruel to his late mother and now his human family wants nothing to do with it. But with an ailing father and siblings who need his help, Magnus doesn’t have a choice. He can’t make enough outside the magic world to support them but he refuses to watch them suffer over something as stupid as money. He’s lucky to live safe and isolated in Crescent City among other witches and werewolves where he has a steady stream of both income and men to call when he needs to let off steam. Magnus never lets himself become overly attached to any one partner, his life is stressful enough without the addition of emotions.

Calore Fier is a billionaire werewolf with his sights set on Magnus. The sexy witch calls to him in a way no one ever has, except, Magnus is resistant to Calore’s charms. He claims he can’t feel the draw that Calore can’t ignore but he didn’t build his empire by giving up. Calore will find out why Magnus is holding back and he’ll tear down those walls until nothing stands between him and his mate.

Every second near Calore is a mistake. The older wolf is pure desire and Magnus’s body aches whenever he is around, but they could never become more. Calore has no idea who Magnus really is or the baggage he carries, and as a solar werewolf, Calore’s life is about elegance and luxury. He wouldn’t understand Magnus’s generic brand upbringing, his need to hide his magic, nor his penny pinching ways. Besides, if his family ever found out he’d embraced the witching world, they’d hate him more than Magnus would hate himself.

Scorch is a standalone novella in the gay, paranormal romance series, Lunar Wolves. It features a sarcastic, proud witch and an arrogant wolf who won’t stop until he gets what he wants.

Other books in the Lunar Wolves series:
Pressure
Tension
Force
Thrust

Review: The Deputy and His Enforcer (The Kincaid Pack #3) by Kiki Clark

Rating: 4🌈

The Deputy and his Enforcer is another good installment in Kiki Clark’s Kincaid Pack series.

Marcus Rivera is the Kincaid Pack’s Enforcer. Trusted with helping keep the secret of the supernaturals from the local humans as well as protecting his pack, that’s getting increasingly complicated when The Kincaid pack comes under constant surveillance and outside attacks.

These attacks come to the attention of the local law enforcement, of which some are human.

Deputy Robson Medina is someone who doesn’t understand why when dead bodies are found , Marcus Rivera is called in to handle it instead of himself.

This is a terrific mystery romance within the paranormal series. It has a mating bond, suspenseful scenes, mystery, and enough new information to move the series arc forward.

The characters are well written and the plot tightly crafted. Another plus in this growing series.

Definitely another recommendation.

Kincaid Pack series to date:

✓ The Alpha and his King #1

✓ The Second and His Bonded #2

✓ The Deputy and His Enforcer #3

✓ The Hunter and His Mates #4

◦ The Enforcer and His Heart #5

◦ The Witch and His Doctor #6

https://www.goodreads.com › showThe Deputy and His Enforcer (Kincaid Pack #3) by Kiki Clark | Goodreads

Synopsis:

A deputy bent on finding the truth and the Enforcer whose job it is to stop him…

Nothing is more important to Marcus Rivera than protecting his pack, so he doesn’t understand why he has the sudden urge to tell a nosy human deputy things he shouldn’t. Marcus follows the rules. Always. But something about Robson’s scent has him tempted to break them.

The gorgeous red-head Deputy Robson Medina has been following has a secret. He just knows it, and he won’t stop looking until he finds out everything he can about the alluring man. Even if the idea of Marcus being a criminal seems less and less likely the more Robson learns.

As the tension between them continues to grow, it stokes a fire inside Marcus he’s never felt before. One that’s driving him to trust his wolf’s instincts and release the stranglehold Marcus has always had on his control. But when Robson gets a painful glimpse of the magical world Marcus lives in, they have to decide how much they’re willing to risk to have it all. 

The Deputy and His Enforcer is the third book in the Kincaid Pack series and features a wolf shifter in need of a family, a Puerto Rican human with more than his fair share, furry cuddles, creative mating practices, and a happily ever after.

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Unless it’s noted, all books reviewed have been purchased by the reviewer.