Review: Skin Game

Skin Game by Jim Butcher

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



This book was a really fun read, with lots of feelings along the way, too. Harry goes on a job (as usual) and forces along a lot of separate storylines all at once. We get lots of Karin, Michael, and good ole Nicodemus but get no Kincaid (I know, I'm probably the only one that misses him) and very little Molly. After all the happenings of the last book, I guess I thought it would focus more on the aftermath here. Instead, this story is really about Harry and his personal demons (both real and metaphorical).

Harry is being Harry and hiding a little bit on his personal island. Things are still going bad for him when we meet up, although some time has passed. One of the best parts of this book were the witty banter and sometimes random things that Harry seems fixated on (Parkour!). The dialogue and writing are their usual stellar selves. While we don't get any shocking answers in this one, we sure do get some decisions, and hopefully that will lead things in an interesting direction.

I think Jim Butcher has officially broken me as a reader in that when things start going good for Harry, I'm almost cringing as I read, waiting for something really horrible (like Harry dying... again) to happen. Obviously you shouldn't read these books out of order, but this one really felt a little bit standalone when compared with the other ones. It was similar to a road trip book, where Harry grabs a bunch of his friends and does Harry-esque things for a while. This book also gives something that isn't always guaranteed in the Harry universe -- a near happy ending. Yes, there's lots of tear jerking moments with Harry along the way, but I felt pretty good when I finished the book (as opposed to the kindle-throwing rage that sometimes follows finishing a Dresden Files book).

Obviously, if you're a fan you're going to read this book no matter what, but if you're on the fence, go ahead and buy it. It kind of reminded me of the happy go lucky Harry days, before everything was lose-lose choices and everyone died a lot. I'll continue to read this series until its end.



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Review: Tasagalt - Cross of the South

Tasagalt - Cross of the South by Elke Schuster

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book picks up right where the previous one left off and throws even more issues into Livia's already complicated life. Poor Livia just can't seem to catch a break.

Once again, we start this book thinking that Cassius and Livia will finally get some good time together after all the drama they had in the previous book. No such luck! After introducing Cassius to Rose, some really strange things start to happen. Couple that with the search for her estranged mother and things rapidly deteriorate for Livia. Sophie also plays a major role in this book, along with all of Livia's new family.

The characters are great, and we even get a new one that I was really starting to like a lot more than Cassius. All of them have big flaws and issues, but they somehow make it work (sometimes). The only thing that makes reading these books a little difficult is the constantly changing POV. If that doesn't bother you, then these books will be a breeze to read. The pages fly by once you get back into the "zone" of reading this way, so that's really not an issue. There's a sort of cliffhanger (in that issues are unresolved), and I really don't know where this last book will take us, but I hope we get at least a little bit of a happy ending for Livia.



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Review: Dark Refuge

Dark Refuge by Kate Douglas

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book picks up with another mated pair re-discovering each other in the story of Em and Gabe. If you've read the previous books in this series, a lot of the characters should be familiar and fun to reconnect with. I highly recommend checking out the other books, but this can probably be read as a standalone if you wanted.

Em has been trying to find her place for a while, straddling the line between Chanku (shapeshifter, who are out of the closet in this universe), and the humans that surround her. She's been away from the pack for a while, traveling the world for work and essentially hiding from a darkness that's lived inside of her. Gabe is the typical playboy Chanku and fun loving son of the alpha. When Em calls the pack asking for help, Gabe is the next one on the plane. Their previous relationship as children is rapidly replaced with an almost love at first sight scenario.

These books have a really good blend of sexy times, story, action, and romance. There is also a lot of focus on the wonderfully unique world that Kate Douglas has created. Oh, and there's a lot of multiple partner smut, too (if that's what you're into). These books never fail to deliver.



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Review: Angus

Angus by Melissa Schroeder

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Clan continues on their quest to remove their curse in this romantic paranormal read. This one included a bit more magic than the previous installment which made it a bit more “paranormal-y.”

Maggie is on the run from her past. She’s done things that have forced her into hiding with her adorable son, Jack. Sadly, Jack has been forced to grow up quick because he’s magically gifted. Maggie, on the other hand, has lost her magic, until Angus shows up at her work. Based on the witches diary (from book 1), the Clan determined that Angus is the next one fated to complete his quest to get them closer to the cure. As the most scientifically inclined of his family, Angus is probably least likely to believe in the magic that they need from Maggie. Lucky for him, Maggie is a force to be reckoned with. She is a wonderful balance to Angus and his “Scully” tendencies. Their romance was really sweet and sexy without being too over the top.

My favorite character in this book was Jack. He was adorable and was mature beyond his years because of his gifts. I really hope that this growing family keeps getting more and more interesting characters. I’m especially interested in the new additions from Maggie’s friends and where they’ll end up (and how it ties into the diary!). This series is a great blend of naughty highlander romance and a great paranormal mystery.




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Review: When Lightning Strikes

When Lightning Strikes by Sedona Venez

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is an immediate continuation of the Credence Curse saga that started in Book 1. It was filled with really yummy, profanity filled, sexy sizzle coupled with some big time mystery. The one warning I’ll give you: there is a cliffhanger.

Lightning (yes, again, the names are really in your face) is battling her demons with alcohol, trying to dull the emotions she inherits with her witchy empathy. While on her sex hiatus, she finds herself struggling to deny the sexy alpha, Ryker. He’s determined to have her and in a much more permanent way than she’s willing to deal with. There’s a lot of baggage when it comes to the Credence women and Light is no exception.

We get a lot of information about the theft of the Credence O. client list and there are lots of revelations along the way. Oh, and sexy times. Lots and lots of steamy scenes are jammed into these pages. These books are really fun little sexy reads that always know how to get my heart pumping. I can’t wait for more!




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Review: Fated Mates: The Alpha Shifter Boxed Set

Fated Mates: The Alpha Shifter Boxed Set by Adriana Hunter

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. If you take the average of all my reviews, this box set was a solid 3.5 stars.

All American Wolf by Adriana Hunter: 3 stars
This was largely a police procedural mystery book with some paranormal elements and smut thrown in for good measure. Serena is a cop who finds herself unexpectedly drawn into the world of shifters and caught between two dangerously attractive men. The mystery added a nice twist to a paranormal love triangle story.

Charming the Alpha by Liliana Rhodes: 4 stars
Hannah Crane is a witch who stumbles upon werewolves in the woods one night. Caleb is the pack’s alpha who suddenly finds his one true mate in the most unexpected form. To break Hannah’s curse, the two of them have to unravel the mystery and delve deeper into Hannah’s family’s prejudice against the wolves. This was a fun and unexpected sizzling hot read. There was some scorching chemistry between Caleb and Hannah and a pretty solid setup of the world and its characters. This one had all the things I like about “fated mates” stories.

Change For Me by Lynn Red: 4 stars
Lily just graduated high school and has no clue what she’s going to do with herself. Her future is unwritten and aside from wanting to escape her “middle of nowhere” town, she doesn’t really seem to have many definitive goals. The one thing left undone in her life is getting some closure on her failed relationship with Damon. Damon was the strong silent type who always kept Lily at a distance, thus ending their relationship. Turns out, he’s a werewolf and there’s a lot more trouble brewing than just Lily and Damon’s confusing relationship. There’s a pack war in the works, a tough transition in Damon’s future, and Lily’s future at stake. This story was a little YA, a little adult (with smut), and an overall good read.

Bear King's Curves A BBW Werebear Shifter Romance by A.T. Mitchell: 3 stars
This one was a kinky shifter story, complete with a curvy, Bear shifter hating thief (Lyla) and a conflicted alpha Bear shifter (Nick) drawn together by fate. There was a lot of action, destiny, and sexy times in this one. I liked the interesting spin on the shifter pack dynamic and, of course, when the bad guys get what's coming to them.

The Alpha's Mate by Michelle Fox: 4 stars
This is the second book in a series, but read pretty well on its own. Chloe has just recently mated with Jackson, a wolf next in line to be the alpha. Since he was quite a wolf slut before finding Chloe, there's some female animosity aimed in Chloe's direction. Oh, and she was also a partially shunned member of the pack before Jackson "called her wolf." This read was filled with oodles of women behaving badly towards Chloe and Chloe showing exactly how strong she really is. The series that is tied to this book is definitely worth checking out if this solid installment is any indication.

Romancing the Wolf (BBW/Werewolf Romance) by Skye Eagleday: 2.5 stars
This must have been a bunch of short books that were stitched together in the end as chapters. That's the only explanation for the repetition and overlap. That being said, this was an erotic read, filled with lots of M/M, M/F, BDSM, and lots of other acronyms. It starts a little clinically, but you can see the progression of the writing as the chapters move along. The story starts with Bree (a human) and Mikah, a werewolf then moves on to Delia (a dominatrix) and a bunch of other shifters. As little sexy reads, it would probably work better than stitched together as is. There wasn't really a larger storyline, making this more of a fun romance.

Delicate Freakn' Flower by Eve Langlais: 4 stars
I had this book in my "to-read" pile for a little bit, so I was glad I found it in this box set. This one is definitely in the erotic category, filled with sizzling steamy scenes that will light your kindle on fire. The romance is M/F/M, with a wolf shifter (Naomi) being destined to mate 2 lacrosse players in the form of a bear shifter (Ethan) and a panther shifter (Javier). Naomi fights against this with all her might, determined to prove that they will only destroy her life when it is really the opposite. It was nice seeing some heart thrown into the sexy times and there was even a little mystery going on in the background. Solid read for someone looking for some good smutty paranormal romance.

Protecting The Pack by Tabitha Conall: 4 stars
Turns out this is book 4 in a series by this author, but I didn't even realize it while reading. This was a really solid read from start to finish. Theres M/F/M and M/M/F (and M/M thrown in for good measure) so be prepared. Unlike other erotic reads, this book had a very real plot with lots of action, fighting, heart, and romance. Alex is dating a real scumbag when we first meet her. Her boyfriend is trying to get them into a new pack (with darker motivations he hides from her). Thinking she's in love with this guy, she follows his orders and ends up meeting her mates. This is the type of mating that involves one woman and 2 men (all wolves). In this tale, though, one of them just happens to be the alpha. This read definitely made me want to check out the rest of this series (and this author).

Witchy Wolf by Alexis Dare: 3.5 stars
Chloe was attacked on her way home one night by what she believes is a wolf. Since then, she’s been stuffing food in her mouth at an alarming rate and getting hot flashes. Oh, and she’s also being kind of stalked by a hot biker named Gabe. Turns out that Chloe has a bit of a complicated paranormal past and an even more complicated paranormal future as a werewolf. There are some perks to being a weird werewolf though, and they come in the form of the sexy biker alpha who seems to be more to Chloe than she originally thought. I would love see this story go further with some future installments. I’ll be adding this author to my “to-read” list!

A Change To Bear (Last of the Shapeshifters) by A.E. Grace: 3 stars
This story was a little sadder and more dramatic than the rest in this box set. Liam is a very old and emotionally scarred shapeshifter traveling the world aimlessly until he encounters Terry. Terry has quit her job and randomly decided to go to Vietnam. On the way, she meets Liam and is drawn to him in that fated mate mystical way. The two crash against each other until they finally come together and have to deal with an enemy from Liam’s past.

Curves For The Lone Alpha by Molly Prince: TBD: 4 stars
James is an alpha on his own, being essentially blackmailed into becoming the government’s werewolf for hire. Carrie is a woman on a mission to get over her recent ex-fiancé. She gets way more than she bargained for when she is thrust right in the middle of a wolf conflict and right into the arms of the “lone alpha,” James. This story had a lot of humor and sexy times that made this the type of book I really enjoy. The author had a very easy and entertaining writing style that kept my attention from start to finish.

The Alpha Claims A Mate by Georgette St. Clair: 4 stars
Ginger is on a vacation to get away from her cheating ex when she finds herself unwittingly offending a whole pack of gray wolves. Loch, the alpha of the offended pack, finds it in his heart to forgive her if she acts as his assistant for 2 weeks. These 2 weeks include a murder mystery, some political issues with the neighboring panthers, and some really sizzling sexy times. This story was definitely a full-fledged book with a solid story and some wonderfully entertaining writing. I would definitely love to check out more from this author and this series.




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Review: Torn by Fury

Torn by Fury by S.M. Reine

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

These books are my absolute favorite, giving you the full range of action, romance, and excellent storytelling. I always find it hard to decide between savoring every last page and rushing through to see what happens next. Either way, I couldn’t put the book down.

In this latest installment we find Elise (and her demons) beginning the war against the angels. She is reluctantly still paired off with James (yay!) and Lincoln (boo!) at the start of this book while ruling over army and trying to get support from the werewolves. If you haven’t read all of the previous books (and I mean all of them) I think you will be rapidly left behind. A lot of things come at you all at once in Elise’s world and most of them are related to past issues, James and Elise’s relationship issues, or past big bads. This was like a who’s who of the entire universe all packed into one book. So, that being said, we also get a bit of character loss that was good and character loss that was bad. There’s almost nothing in this world that happens without a cost, but I’d like to think that this book came out in Elise’s favor.

I guess I don’t really focus on the werewolves because they seemed to take a backseat to all the demon/angel drama. They were by no means any less integral to the plot, though. The werewolves are truly the most important weapon in the ongoing war. We also get updates and some answers about our ongoing mysteries including Benjamin, Marion, and Nathaniel. Big magic is done and James is still amazing (and a jerk). We even get to see some faces I thought were long gone.

The ending of this one really put a huge smile on my face. Maybe it makes me a little sick and twisted, but I'm able to read all the gritty gore and find in it the most wonderfully tragic love story. Yes, there is a ton of action, supernatural mayhem, apocalyptic battles, and government conspiracies, but through it all we get the awesomeness that is James and Elise. They are both complete badasses on their own (with both magic and physical violence), but together they are unstoppable. I can’t wait to see where they end up after this one!

It’s really wonderful to watch all the characters grow and change with each book in this series. Aside from the pulse pounding action scenes, there were also a bunch of really emotional ones. These books really know how to keep you on your toes! There must also be some serious planning and coordination to get all these moving pieces to where they will eventually end up. Things from way earlier in the series seem to be sliding further into place with each installment in this series, which should add up to one fantastic series finale.




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