shifters

Notorious (Shifter Scoundrels Book 1) by Charlie Cochet and Macy Blake: Release Day Review

August 25, 2022 by Denise

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Caspian Drake knows what it takes to get ahead in modern-day shifter society. He is an Earl, after all, and known for his wit, style, and ability to charm the pants off of anyone he chooses. Getting his best friend Brandr, the Prince of the Dragons, in and out of trouble is only one of his many talents. When a horrible attack shakes Cas’s world, he’s forced to pair up with Saphir Vepkhia, the esteemed tiger shifter and former Captain of the Royal Guard.

Upon retirement, Saphir is granted the title of Baron Archer and, much to his dismay, becomes part of royal society. Years later, when he’s summoned to the palace, the last thing Saphir expects is for the king to request a favor that ties him to the scoundrel, Caspian Drake. Despite his misgivings, Saphir accepts the assignment, knowing it will give him the access he needs to infiltrate the wealthy and powerful while trying not to get outfoxed by the exasperating Earl.

Forced into a fake relationship by an outdated matchmaking ritual, Cas and Saphir each face the upcoming season with their own agenda. The secrets pile up as the two mates navigate the complexities of a modern world that plays by historic rules. But the closer they get to the truth, the greater the danger–and their attraction to each other–grows.

With their lives on the line and the very foundations of their society at risk, Cas and Saphir must unravel the mystery, even if it means creating a scandal more notorious than their newfound love.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

This was a match made in heaven. Charlie Cochet and Macy Blake co-authored this series, this being book one. It drew on the strengths of both authors, fantasy, shifters, snark, very hot sex, intrigue and great world building. And I want more already.

They world they created, Bridgerton in contemporary times, was very unique. There was a King and Lords and Dukes and Duchesses who had a Season of parties and seeing and being seen that starts with a matchmaking for some of those that are eligible.

Thrust together in a matchmaking scheme behind the scenes, Saphir and Cassian have the same goal, to find out who murdered the Prince, next in line for the throne and Cassian’s best friend. Both determined to keep their distance, the sparks inevitably fly.

Saphir’s sister plays a fairly big role in the book as well. It is her debut season and while Saphir wants to make it memorable for her, I don’t think he is quite ready for his baby sister to be an adult. She is very funny, charming and witty and can hold her own, not only against her brother, but against Cassian or any other member of the ton.

There are a lot of characters to get to know while the mystery of the smoke beasts that were unleashed on the palace, ending with the murder of the Prince, plays out. But always Cas and Saphir can’t fight what they feel for each other. It’s pretty swoony how quickly Cas goes from stalwarth spy determined to solve his best friend’s murder without the shackles of love to mushy heart eyes guy when Saphir is there.

Even though everyone is a shifter, that doesn’t come into play all that often. We really only read about a couple of shifts, but so far that characteristic doesn’t seem to be a major plot device. Which was kind of nice. Like, yes, they are shifters. BUT it doesn’t dominate their lives. There also doesn’t seem to be much of a hierarchy depending on what animal shifter you are. Except the King who is a dragon.

Besides not mattering about your shifter animal, being gay is just as accepted as being straight and women are not treated any less than men. Pretty refreshing.

There is a HEA, but there are many unanswered questions. I eagerly await book 2.

4.5 pieces of eye candy

Charlie Cochet is the international bestselling author of the THIRDS series. Born in Cuba and raised in the US, Charlie enjoys the best of both worlds, from her daily Cuban latte to her passion for classic rock.

Currently residing in Central Florida, Charlie is at the beck and call of a rascally Doxiepoo bent on world domination. When she isn’t writing, she can usually be found devouring a book, releasing her creativity through art, or binge watching a new TV series. She runs on coffee, thrives on music, and loves to hear from readers.

Join Charlie’s newsletter and stay up to date with Charlie’s latest releases, receive exclusive content, giveaways, and more! https://newsletter.charliecochet.com/

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Macy Blake believes in unicorns and fairies, in moonbeams and stardust, and that happily ever after comes in all colors of the rainbow. She loves to lose herself in paranormal romance, living vicariously through her favorite sexy fictional heroes. These days you can often find her pounding away at the keyboard, trying to capture the magic of her own worlds while arguing with her feisty German Shepherds, Minerva and Pomona.

Wrong Way by Taylor Law: Author Interview and Review

June 21, 2016 by Denise

Leading The Shenandoah pack consumes most of Thomas Collowell’s time. The Alpha’s job is never done. That had never been more true than when a killer targeting shifters strikes too close to home. He doesn’t have time to deal with a mate, especially a human. There is nothing Camdon Williams wouldn’t do for his best friend, which is why he was the best man in Jessie’s joining ceremony. While in Skyline Village, he gets more than he bargained for, including a strange attraction to the Sheriff. When Camdon and Thomas are forced to work together to stop the killer, Camdon’s eyes are opened to a world he wouldn’t have believed existed. They both learn that there is no such thing as perfect timing. Sometimes, it’s about taking a chance… before it’s too late.

Hi Taylor, thank you for agreeing to this interview. Tell us a little about yourself, your background, and your current book, please.

Thank you so much for having me. The hardest question – a little about you. I grew up in my parent’s restaurant in south Florida. Well, that’s from when I can remember. I waitressed while I studied music and theatre and then, when I realized that chunky people had no hope of being a performer in our society, I studied criminal law. I wanted to be a crime scene investigator, but I wound up with a paralegal degree instead. I worked in family law for a bit before moving to contract law and civil litigation. Music continued to be a big part of my life, along with writing. Now, I am disabled. Before, I worked 40-50 hours a week and wrote novels for fun because I’m that kind of nerd. Now, I still write for fun when I can, when my body allows me to. I will always be a writer. I started when I was a kid and I’ll never stop. It’s part of what makes me who I am.

I’m 100% Sicilian but I’m probably the quietest one in my family. My son is going to be a Senior this year – AHHH! – and then will join the military. That’s what he wants anyway. Makes me feel old. I love paranormal and fantasy. They’ve always been my favorite genres. I came from a generation who played in the woods by my house with homemade forts and stick swords. Our imagination was everything.

Wrong Way is the second book in The Shenandoah Pack series, and it’s release was long awaited. It features Alpha Thomas and Camdon, Jessie’s friend, as the leads. They are both so much fun because neither one of them are submissive types at all. The push and pull is electric, and when I heard that come from a reader, I was so excited it came across on the page. They are both such interesting characters, and I believe they balance each other well.

Honestly, writing this book was like pulling teeth. I knew what needed to happen but I couldn’t find the right path to get there. I had to stop and work on other things. So I think this book took me over two years to finish, and it’s not that lengthy. It was just that I stared at the screen or deleted scenes so much. Also, I wanted to do it justice. I believe I did. I’m proud of how it turned out.

Speaking of Justice – he may be my favorite character. I’ve never picked before because all of my characters are so different, it’s hard to compare them. But Justice is special

Do you pay attention to literary criticism? If so, how do you handle it?

If an author tells you they don’t pay attention, they are probably lying. I read them, especially the bloggers’ reviews. I love constructive criticism, though. That’s how I got better. I reread old stories, and holy cow did they suck. However, I’m looking for something different from the reviews than what the readers look for. My first job is to make the reader feel something – hatred, joy, wistful, happy, love, anger, etc. So when they tell me they wanted to slap my character, I take that as a compliment. Unless I didn’t mean for that to happen, then I did something wrong. If they laughed, cried, or screamed at the Kindle even better. When they say it was too short. It was a full story but it ended too soon. I take that as they wanted more. Readers always want more. As a reader, I want more. But the story directs itself, and I won’t put in filler for a higher word count. It’s not my style. If the review is bad, I look at why. Sometimes it’s just a matter of the reader not liking my voice or style of writing. When people ask how I feel about those, this is my typical response. “I’m not going to be everyone’s favorite flavor of ice cream. Some will like vanilla, and I have nuts.” And I truly believe that. There are different styles for everyone out there. Now, if there is something I can do better, I will work on it. If they just didn’t like me, that’s okay, too. Does it hurt? Sometimes. It feels like rejection, even though it’s not. It feels personal, even though it’s not. After a while, though, it’s a small sting and I grow from them instead of dwelling.

How do you come up with your titles?

Typically, so far, they are a play on words of the theme of the book. Wrong Way – Both the leads go about things the wrong way and realize it almost too late. I don’t want to go into too much detail for spoilers sake, but all my book titles are a variation of the same. My Lord’s Judgment – a judgment sends the angel to earth and when things turn out different than he’d thought, he thinks to himself that he should have trusted his lord’s judgment.

What new authors have grasped your interest?

S. Joyce is the only new author I’ve read lately. She writes M/F bear shifter books that make me happy sigh. Everyone else has been my favorites – Mary Calmes, Laurann Dohner, Dianne Duvall, JR Ward, Sara York, B.a. Tortuga. Oh, I’d never read T.c. Blue, although I love her to pieces. I recently read two stories by her and loved them. Her voice is really strong and easy to fall into.

What is the hardest part about a world that you have never been in, that doesn’t (as far as we know) exist?

Ah, most of my books are in our worlds but with slight variations. For example, angels and demons exist. They just hide in society. Or shifters hide in society. I’m not sure what will happen when I write a different world. I have plans. Oh yes, I do. The most difficult I find, with any paranormal or fantasy, is to make the reader believe. To take the little details and reveal them in just the right way that the reader can see them or feel them. I try to not info dump to my readers. I want them to learn things as they go, when it feels right to let them know. And hopefully, I get it right and don’t fall on my face. Heh heh.

What is the favorite character trait or flaw that you put into Wrong Way?

Oh, it’s so funny you asked. I just posted about this on Facebook. Jessie’s game, poke-the-bear, is totally me. I don’t seem like the brat type, but I so am. I have to feel comfortable enough with the person, but ladies and gentlemen, I have horns. I’ll admit it. Example: my friend – I’ll call her Jane – Jane told me she hated clowns. She just didn’t like them. They gave her the willies. A few friends and I were sitting around a table at Day of the Dead at Coastal Magic this past February, and another friend walked up with her face completely painted like Jack from Nightmare Before Christmas. I told her to go say hello to Jane and then I watched with an evil chuckle while she walked up behind Jane and tapped her on the shoulder. *giggle* Now, I knew there would be no trigger or horrible reaction. It wouldn’t be fun if it really hurt someone. I would feel guilty forever. Think of Jessie’s poke-the-bear game. Camdon talks about it and does it a bit in Wrong Way. That’s me – the little shit. 😉

I was really looking forward to the next book in the Shenandoah Pack Series and I wasn’t disappointed. I love the world Taylor has created. I’m such a sucker for paranormal romance and she nails it with this series. I caught myself laughing, gritting my teeth, and I never knew what to expect next.

I loved seeing the relationship grow between Thomas and Camdon. Camdon has a strength to his personality that worked well with Thomas. The chemistry between them from the start is amazing, but like typical guys the lack of communication eventually causes things to go south in a big way. I do wish i could have seen a little more of them together as a couple though. I will be excited to see more of their relationship together in future reads.

The storyline was very realistic and getting to see much of the story from the killers POV was pretty cool. It explained his behavior and made me want to see him taken out even more. The ending sets up the next story nicely and I can’t wait to get my hands on the next book in the series. I’m looking forward to Justice’s story and I hope it’s him we get to see next.

4.5 pieces of eye candy from me.

Amazon

ARe

Contact Taylor Law:

Website or Blog: www.taylorlawbooks.com

Author Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/TaylorLawbooks/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/taylorlawbooks

Wolves of Black Pine by SJ Himes Release Day Review

June 30, 2015 by Webby McGee

An ancient civilization long hidden from humanity is on the brink of chaos and war. Peaceful for thousands of years, the wolfkin clans are mysteriously losing packmates, kidnapped and killed by unknown foes.

The nightmare begins with an ambush by humans at a gathering of their kind, and lives are lost. Among them is Luca, youngest grandson of the two most powerful wolves in the Northern Clans. Thought long dead and gone, he is forced into a half-life, hidden in the far northern wilds of Canada and cut off from his kind. Those who raised him have no idea the creature they harbor in their midst, and name him Ghost. He begins to lose himself over the long years, and though he barely recalls his true name, the one wolf he never forgets is Kane.

Kane, Heir to the wolfkin clan Black Pine, is charged with hunting down the traitors who betrayed their kind to the humans. Years fly by, and more wolves are dying. He refuses to give up, and he vows to never again fail another of their kind, as he failed young Luca years before. His heart tells him Luca lives, but his mind tells him that it’s foolish hope, his guilt eating him alive.

Fate and magic change the course of their lives, and the two wolves long separated by the years find their paths intertwining. Though the gift of their reunion doesn’t come without price. Faced by the consequences of their growing love, and the goddess-forged bond between them, Kane and Ghost are besieged on all sides. Enemies are coming for their blood, and without the steadfast loyalty and love of family and friends, they may not be safe from the very people they fight to protect.

I have a confession: I’m not a fan of shifters. When SJ Himes sent me a copy of Wolves of Black Pine, I’ll fully admit I was nervous as I opened the first page. I figured I’d give it a shot, just so I could say I did. Best. Decision. Ever.

SJ Himes has a way of creating a world and drawing the reader in. Immediately, I knew there was something about Kane I needed in my life. When the clans were ambushed, I was drawn in even further, needing to know if Kane would find Luca. When he didn’t, my heart broke for both of them.

From that point on, I couldn’t read fast enough to get to the point where Kane and Luca were reunited. Because they had to be. And they were. And life was good. It was amusing to watch Luca, now Ghost, adapt to a life he hadn’t had for so long.

This book truly took me through the full scope of emotions. There were times I wanted to reach into my Kindle to strangle a character or two. There were times I laughed out loud at Ghost trying to get used to his new life (never before has sex been so entertaining). And there were times I teared up, waiting for SJ to put the pieces of my heart back together.

The moment I finished the book, I began demanding the next book. Sadly, I’ve been told I have to be patient. There’s only been one other time I’ve taken the chance on a shifter series and been so thoroughly engrossed in the story. Kudos to SJ Himes, because the Wolves of Black Pine are now in the company of Dex and Sloane in my heart!

BURKE STEPPED into the cabin, and the scent of sweat and sex assaulted his sensitive nose. The noises had quieted down a few minutes prior, and his eyes went wide as he took in the destruction.

“Is it clear?” Sophia whispered from behind him, and she peered around his shoulder. “Whoa!”

“Yeah….,” Burke nodded, mouth agape as he stepped further into the cabin, taking in the toppled furniture, the pictures knocked off the walls, the open cabinets in the kitchen, the broken china on the floor. A log support beam in the ceiling was cracked in two, one half hanging low in the living room, and dust from the seams between logs coated the walls and floorboards.

Sophia followed him in, stepping around the debris on the floor, one small hand clutching at his sleeve as she jumped over what was once a framed picture. Glass littered the floor, and she grumbled about cleaning as they took in the chaos.

“What happened?” Burke asked, and he shook his head at himself. He knew what happened, he just couldn’t believe it.

“I think we both know what happened.” Sophia smirked at him, and he bit off a laugh at the sound of a mattress creaking in the rear of the cabin.

Sophia jumped over a pile of glass and shattered frames, and bounced onto the couch, then over the back. The crunch on her boots was loud in the relative quiet, and Burke rolled his eyes at her antics, but he followed her all the same, not wanting to risk a shard of glass cutting through his boots. Blood was a pain in the ass to clean up.

They peeked down the hall, and saw movement in the light under the door to Kane’s room. They would have risked a mind touch, but when Burke had tried earlier, he’d retreated as fast as he could, the emotions and thoughts that occupied the Heir of a highly personal nature, and he’d backed out before he was noticed. Hopefully.

“Guess they aren’t having any trouble with the bond, huh?” Burke said wryly, and Sophia smacked him, even as she giggled. She was centuries old, and giggling. “Think they’re done?”

“Well, the ground stopped shaking and the moaning stopped, so maybe.”

The door opened, and a naked Kane scowled at them. Burke snapped his mouth shut, and Sophia’s giggles fled fast. Both of them straightened, and kept their eyes low, in the area of his knees. Kane growled, the rumble of it drifting down the hall to where they stood.

It was an angry sound, a wolf defending his mate kind of sound.

*Maybe we should have risked another mind call,* Sophia said nervously, and Burke sent back a wordless agreement as Kane continued to growl at them.

“Hi Burke!” came a cheerful greeting, and the growl cut off. “Hi Sophia!”

Burke risked a look up, and Ghost smiled at him, naked and appearing thoroughly ravished. His body was lean and lithe, supple youthful lines and gorgeous skin shiny with sweat. Ghost was perfection, and Burke pulled a quick breath in through his teeth, a small hiss of surprise. Kane snarled as Burke took an eyeful of his naked mate, and Burke promptly dropped his eyes and made himself stand as still as possible. Interfering in a mating, and one so new, was suicide, especially with an alpha with the Voice. Kane didn’t need fangs or claws to kill; he could drop them both with a thought, and in his current state, he might. Ghost was naked, a normal state for a wolfkin, but he was also fresh from his lover’s bed, and Burke was another alpha, and far too close to Kane’s soulbonded mate…

“Stop growling at them,” Ghost said, and there was a crack of sound, followed by the smell of ozone. Kane let out what could only be called a yelp, and Burke looked up to see the Heir rubbing his shoulder and glowering at the shaman.

“Did you just zap me?” Kane asked incredulously, staring down at Ghost, brow lowered.

“I don’t know what ‘zap’ means. No growling,” Ghost scolded his mate, and Burke choked back a snort and a laugh at the expression on Kane’s face.

“Fine,” Kane bit off, teeth clenched. “Why are you here?” he asked them, stepping back in his room and leaving the door open. Burke eyed the door warily, but Ghost’s smile and cheerful wave gave him courage to walk down the hall…slowly. Just in case.

“Maybe some clothing would be a good idea?” Sophia said wryly, smiling at Ghost. The young shaman looked down at himself, and then back up at where they stood at the door. He shrugged, obviously not understanding Sophia’s reasoning, and he turned back into the room, gifting Burke with a marvelous view of his pert ass. Ghost was sleekly muscled, a sculpture worthy of an old master, not an ounce of miscellaneous or wasted flesh on his body.