Shape Shifters – Page 9 – Books-n-Kisses

August 7, 2014August 2, 2014

Kelly & Kimberly review Hero Of A Highland Wolf by Terry Spears

TITLE: Hero of A Highland Wolf
SERIES #: Heart of the Wolf #14
CHARACTERS: Grant MacQuarrie & Colleen Playfair
AUTHOR: Terry Spears
PUBLICATION DATE: August 5, 2014
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
She’s ready for change…
Colleen Playfair has never been to Scotland, but when she discovers she must spend a year and a day overseas learning to manage her newly inherited estate, she’s ready for the challenge. She even has some ideas for improvements-if she can get past the sexy werewolf who seems convinced he’s the one in charge.
But he’s digging in his claws…
Grant MacQuarrie and his clan have been managing Farraige Castle for three centuries. The last thing he wants is a meddling American heiress trying to change the way things have always been done. He’s more than willing to fight the she-wolf every step of the way, using every tool at his disposal. And if that means taking the lass to bed, well…all the better.
Locked in a battle of wills, caught in an attraction they can’t escape, Colleen and Grant must find a way to work together…or face losing it all

KELLY’S REVIEW:
4 Hearts Grant will not let another Fairplay come into his home and try to take over. He didn’t let the last one do that and he won’t let this one do it either. But poor, poor Grant has no idea what is about to walk through his doors.

Colleen is excited and nervous to finally be at the Farraige Castle and ready to take on the manager of the estate too. No matter what he has planned she is ready. One little problem. No one told her that Grant and his clan were Highland Wolfs. Well doesn’t that just throw a monkey wrench in the whole thing.

I didn’t realize when I pick this book up that it was book 14 of Terry’s Heart of the Wolf series. But Hero of a Highland Wolf was easily read as a stand alone. Yes there were other couples together that made me realize that I might have missed a book or two before this one, but I would not have guessed I missed 13 :).

I really enjoyed Grant & Colleen. They are both alpha to the core yet they both turn to putty when they are together. Something that fires both of them at times. I loved the all night girl party that Colleen has with Julia. My only issue with this story is the drama. I would have loved to see that bad guy get a little more sneaky and maybe his ass handed to him a little more. But all in all this was a great Highland Wolf story :). Come one hot wolf shifters in kilts? Does it get much better?

I can’t wait to see what Terry has in store for these Highland Wolfs. I have my guess who is next and it should be a fun ride to watch him fall.

KIMBERLY’S REVIEW:
4.5 Hearts This is the 14th in the series and I have to say I have only read one other which I enjoyed and plan to go back and read the whole series but I really loved this book. Colleen and Grant had an interesting connection. They really hit it off right from the start. I adored Colleen. I want to be her friend. She has a great sense of humor and is snide and quick witted. I also liked she was alpha. So many times we hear about the men being alpha but it was great to have the girl be it too.
Grant is great. He is so alpha and yet can be so adorable. I loved him and everyone else for that matter at the ladies party. I could not stop smiling. They are just so cute during that exchange. I can’t wait for the other two triplets to get their stories.

I really enjoy this series. I enjoy the humor that Spear adds to her paranormal romance. If you are a fan of shape shifters then you will really enjoy this book. You do not need to have read the series to read this book even though you will certainly want to go back and read them all.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley & SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

July 31, 2014July 27, 2014

Kimberly reviews Shifters Claim by A.C. Arthur

TITLE: Shifter’s Claim
SERIES #: Shadow Shifter’s #4
CHARACTERS: Priya & Sebastian
AUTHOR: A.C. Arthur
PUBLICATION DATE: 07/29/14
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Sebastian Perry, gorgeous shape-shifter, has tremendous guilt. Completely disarmed by his momentary hesitation to save a woman, he has fallen into despair. Sworn as a shifter to protect any female in danger, no amount of status, success, or money, can make him feel right again. Prowling around his domain, Bas aches to feel complete, to feel alive, to feel the love of a female. But what woman could possibly trust a man, shifter or not, that cannot protect her?Priya Drake is tired of fending for herself. Growing up in a family that had nothing but problems, she’s made it to a top newspaper as a reporter, only to continually get snubbed by her boss. When she accidentally witnesses Bas shift, she knows she’s sitting on the scoop that will make her career. But telling the story isn’t so simple. She needs to get her facts straight, and the mounting attraction between her and Bas isn’t helping one bit. Priya thinks she has everything under control, but as the nights get hotter and danger continues to mount, Priya has to ask herself—can she betray the man she loves?

REVIEW:
I read this as the installments that were released but this is the full story and I have to say I would think it would be best to read it in full. I read the installments back to back as if it was the full story so I was able to see how the breaks would be as I opened up the next part and I would have really hated having to wait.

I enjoyed the story of Priya and Bas. There is something that connects them right away. I enjoyed the suspense as well as the background story. I have not read the first three in the series but that did not take away from the story except making me realize I had missed some of the story.
If you are a fan of shape shifters then I think you will enjoy this story a lot.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

July 28, 2014July 27, 2014

Kimberly reviews Shifter’s Claim part 4 by A.C. Arthur

TITLE: Shifter’s Claim Part 4
SERIES #: Shadow Shifter’s #4
CHARACTERS: Priya & Sebastian
AUTHOR: A.C. Arthur
PUBLICATION DATE: 07/29/14
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
In Shifter’s Claim Part II, from The Shadow Shifters series by A.C. Arthur, Priya never imagined there was truth to the story she’d been forced to track down, she never imagined coming face to face with a man that can shift into a cat.Bas hadn’t meant to reveal himself to her, he’d tried to protect the secret. Now, it was out and he wonders what the reporter will do with the information and more importantly, how the woman will react to this new facet of the man.

REVIEW:
This is the final installment (#4) of the story. The story was really interesting and the main characters really had a connection right away. The suspense part was right one. I actually read the 4 installments in one sitting which I think was best. I am not a fan of the installment fad that is going on right now but the full story can be picked up on July 29th as well which is what I would prefer.
Bas is an interesting shape shifter and Priya is perfect for him. I enjoyed them both and I really enjoyed the entire story.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

July 28, 2014July 27, 2014

Kelly reviews Taste Of Darkness by Katie Reus

TITLE: Taste of Darkness
SERIES #: Darkness #3
CHARACTERS: Drake & Victoria
AUTHOR: Katie Reus
PUBLICATION DATE: July 27, 2014
ORDER LINKS: Amazon| B&N (coming soon)| ARe

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
He spent more than a thousand years imprisoned in hell…

Drake is an ancient dragon shifter, one of the most powerful beings in existence, but a millennium trapped in utter darkness has left him ill-equipped for modern society. If it wasn’t for Victoria, the sweet female brave enough to befriend him, he’d be lost. She’s smart and gorgeous and everything he never dared dream of during his years of agonizing loneliness. He may not have anything to offer her, but one thing he knows for sure: he’d die to keep her safe.

Only to fall into the heaven of her touch.

Victoria is a wolf shifter, healer of the Stavros pack. She’s seen a lot, but she’s never met anybody quite like Drake, the fiery, fascinating shifter who can blaze through the skies unseen by mere mortals. He’s lost, dangerous, and the last male she should fall in love with, but the more time she spends helping him navigate modern life, the deeper—and hotter—their connection becomes. She’s thrilled when they finally locate his family, but reuniting with his people plunges them both into unimaginable danger. It’s a race against the clock trying to figure out who wants them dead and who they can trust, especially when the threat is closer than they ever imagined

REVIEW:
4.5 Hearts Taste of Darkness picks up a few months after the end of Darkness Awakened (bk1). Drake is out of Hell and trying to figure out his place in the world. He may not have much in the way of money or experience in this new world, but one thing Drake does know is that he will do everything to be the man that Victoria needs. But as Drake tries to navigate this new world the past comes back to bite him in the butt
This was a great follow up to Darkness Awakened. I knew from the minute the Drake blasted on to the pages that he would be a very important person in this world. And I was right. Drake’s reappearance into the world really up roots the world. And brings in a whole bunch of new characters that I can’t wait to read about. Drake and Victoria are just to cute together. I loved the Drake is trying so hard to be who he thinks Victoria wants. Yet Victoria keeps telling him that all she wants is Drake, just the way he is. I hope that Ms. Reus will revisit these two soon.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book from Katie Reus in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

July 22, 2014July 20, 2014

Kimberly reviews Shifter’s Claim part 3 by A.C. Arthur

TITLE: Shifter’s Claim Part 3
SERIES #: Shadow Shifter’s #4
CHARACTERS: Priya & Sebastian
AUTHOR: A.C. Arthur
PUBLICATION DATE: 07/22/14
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Giving her body to Sebastian “Bas” Perry was inevitable, but sacrificing her heart wasn’t in the plan. Now, as they face a killer together she wonders just how far she will go to be with this man.Sebastian “Bas” Perry is in too deep—with Priya and with a rogue that’s out for revenge, but this sexy shapeshifter will protect Priya Drake from all paranormal terrors…by any means necessary in Shifter’s Claim Part III, from The Shadow Shifters series by A.C. Arthur.

REVIEW:
Part 3 of the installments. This one just gets better. There is more to the sexual element between the two but also Priya also meets Bas’s cat and we get to finally see the shift (more than once even). We see them really connect and realize they are falling for each other. They explain the problems between them and still connect.

Again this is the 3rd in the installments out of 4 so obviously you need to read them all to get the story.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

July 10, 2014July 5, 2014

Kimberly reviews Shifter’s Claim Part 1 by A.C. Arthur

TITLE: Shifter’s Claim Part 1
SERIES: The Shadow Shifters #4
CHARACTERS: Priya & Sebastian
AUTHOR: A.C. Arthur
PUBLICATION DATE: 07/08/14
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Sebastian “Bas” Perry acknowledges there is something physical drawing him to Priya Drake, the inquisitive reporter. She is strong and tenacious and unpredictable, as he soon learns when she follows him to his resort in Sedona. Priya Drake knows what her assignment is, all she has to do is pull it off without getting caught. Desperation pushes her further than she ever imagined and suddenly she realizes she just might be in over her head when she comes face to face with the alluring shapeshifter Sebastian “Bas” Perry once again, in Shifter’s Claim Part I, from The Shadow Shifters series by A.C. Arthur.

REVIEW:
This is part 1 of the story (about 60 pages). Because it is the beginning there is a lot of information so we understand who everyone is and while usually that means the reader doesn’t get a lot of action or romance. Well this story is different. There is a lot of action and suspense. There is a bit of sexual connection though no sex yet. Where there isn’t is any shape shifting (yet).

Because it is the first part of the story so there is time. However this is the 4th in a series. I have not read the others in the series yet.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

July 3, 2014June 28, 2014

Kelly reviews Fireborn by Keri Arthur

TITLE: Fireborn
SERIES #: Souls of Fire #1
CHARACTERS: Emberly Pearson
AUTHOR: Keri Arthur
PUBLICATION DATE: July 1, 2014
ORDER LINKS: Amazon| B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
From New York Times bestselling author Keri Arthur comes a brand new series featuring heroine Emberly Pearson—a phoenix capable of taking on human form, and cursed with the ability to foresee death…

Emberly has spent a good number of her many lives trying to save humans. So when her prophetic dreams reveal the death of Sam, a man she once loved, she does everything in her power to prevent that from happening. But in saving his life, she gets more than she bargained for.

Sam is working undercover for the Paranormal Investigations Team, and those who are trying to murder him are actually humans infected by a plague-like virus, the Crimson Death—a by-product of a failed government experiment that attempted to identify the enzymes that make vampires immortal. Now, all those infected must be eliminated.

But when Emberly’s boss is murdered and his irreplaceable research stolen, she needs to find the guilty party before she goes down in flames

REVIEW:
3.5 Hearts This was a good first book in Keri’s new Souls of Fire series. I really liked Emberly. Who could not like a Phoenix? But Emberly has a very complicated life that just keeps getting more and more complicated by the page. I won’t tell you a lot because you need to read for yourself but let’s say Emberly has a soul mate that she is not in love with. And like any good Keri Arthur book Emberly has a very interesting sex life.

There is a lot going on in this first book. I am not totally wild about the Urban Fantasy genre mostly because I really like my HEA at the end of each book. But Fireborn was still a good read and I am looking forward to where Keri is going to take this cast of characters.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley & PENGUIN GROUP Berkley, NAL / Signet Romance, DAW in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

June 20, 2014June 7, 2014

Kimberly reviews Hunger For You by A.C. Arthur

TITLE: Hunger For You
SERIES #: Damaged Hearts #3
CHARACTERS: Zoe & Caleb
AUTHOR: A.C. Arthur
PUBLICATION DATE: 06/10/14
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Taken in by a shifter family after his parents’ tragic deaths, Caleb Ramsey was thrust into a world of training and loyalty, when his half-breed status should have sentenced him to death. Desperate to escape a family that he can never truly belong to, Caleb leaves at nineteen to find his place outside the Shifter warrior world. The beautiful girl in the bar was not a part of his plan. Neither was finding out more about the boyfriend she claims to have. He should have walked away, should have continued on his own path. But when Caleb realizes the danger Zoe is in, all of his warrior urges come roaring to life…Zoe Fallon has always been a romantic idealist. Losing herself in romance novels as a way to escape an abusive past, she is now finally free to go out and find her own Prince Charming. So when a gorgeous man literally sweeps her off her feet, she wonders if she may have found the guy of her dreams. But things aren’t always what they seem. The brooding customer who seems to show up each time she’s in need is an enigma, and yet she’s drawn to him in a way she’s never experienced before. But he has his own secrets, and Zoe has to ask herself—if Caleb is truly her happily ever after, in　Hunger for You　by A.C. Arthur.

REVIEW:
Something keeps bringing me back to this series even though I have no idea why. The characters are ok and the story sort of interesting but somehow I see the story available and I want to read it. While the books all seem to have a YA feel they are still interesting.

Caleb is such a broken soul and really Zoe is too so they have a familiarity as well as a connection. There is a similar theme through all the book just with different brothers so it is pretty obvious what will happen but still I find myself reading it.

Is it the best shifter series out there? No (especially since we never really see any of them shift). Is it the worst? Of course not. But what the heck you will probably enjoy it like I do.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

June 16, 2014June 7, 2014

Jennifer reviews Aces Wild by Amanda Carlson

TITLE: Aces Wild
SERIES #: A Sin City Collectors Novella
CHARACTERS: Nevada Hamilton, Jake Troubadour
AUTHOR: Amanda Carlson
PUBLICATION DATE: 05/29/14
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS: Welcome to Vegas. Home of the Sin City Collectors. The job description is easy: Bring the offending supernatural in to the Boss and don’t ask any questions.

Nevada Hamilton has learned a few things since becoming a Sin City Collector, and staying away from vampires is one of them. After botching her first Collection, the vamp getting away after causing as much damage as possible, she hasn’t been assigned to another one since.

But when she receives her next playing card, she’s in for a surprise. Not only is a vampire her next target, but they’ve paired her up to make sure she gets the job done right. Refusing a Collection is not an option, but when she discovers who she’s working with, making the mission as difficult as possible for her new partner becomes top priority…

Being a hellhound isn’t enough to protect Jake Troubadour from Nevada Hamilton, no matter how thick his skin is. Finding out he has to work with the beautiful dhampir, after not seeing her for three years, is a low blow–but Jake is a professional. He takes his Collections as seriously as he does running his bar. He’ll do whatever it takes to get the job done, but after that, he’s out. No more chances for the girl who wrecked his bike and scarred his soul so long ago. But even with his heart dead set against it, this hellhound quickly finds he’s not immune to love after all.

REVIEW:
4.5 Hearts I’ve been a big fan of Ms. Carlson’s Jessica McClain series and I jumped at the chance to read her new Sin City Collectors series. Right off the bat, we are introduced to Nevada “Neve” Hamilton who works for the Collectors, bringing in supernatural beings like a paranormal bounty hunter. Neve usually works on her own because she hasn’t needed anyone to help her because she has supernatural skills, she’s a dhampir. Her next assignment is to bring in a vampire and they have paired her with the worst person possible, Jake Troubadour. Jake runs a bar in Las Vegas, is one of the few hellhounds in existence and the one man that Neve has a complicated romantic history with. The only thing is that this assignment will challenge them like never before and have them facing romantic feelings about each other that they have been trying to deny.

I think that this is going to be one of my new favorites because I loved Neve and Jake together in this story. Neve and Jake have been trying to deny what happened between them three years ago and every time that they are together sparks fly. Neve is very independent and has spent most of her life doing things on her own. She doesn’t know much about her past and there hasn’t been anyone in her life to teach her about her dhampir side. She has always been drawn to Jake in the past and can’t understand why she has a hard time resisting him. For Jake, Neve is the one that got away. He has always had feelings for her and thought that she had felt the same toward him even though she turned her back on him after that night. This is the one chance to make things right and he will do whatever he has to do to protect her on this assignment.

Aces Wild is an action-packed thrill ride with enough sexual chemistry to make your heart race. I loved seeing Neve and Jake as a couple and this story provided some answers regarding Neve’s mysterious past. I thoroughly enjoyed this novella about the Sin City Collectors and this series shows a lot of promise. The next book in the series is Ante Up and I’m looking forward to learning more about these characters and their adventures as supernatural collectors.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

June 11, 2014June 9, 2014

Kelly reviews Fighting Fate by Carrie Ann Ryan

TITLE: Fighting Fate
SERIES #: Redwood Pack#7
CHARACTERS: Logan Anderson & Cailin Jamenson
AUTHOR: Carrie Ann Ryan
PUBLICATION DATE: June 10, 2014
ORDER LINKS: Amazon │ Barnes & Noble │ ARe │ Kobo │ iTunes

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
With her blue-black hair and striking green eyes, Cailin Jamenson is the epitome of beauty and the exemplar of strength. She has fought the enforced boundaries of being the lone Jamenson daughter and Redwood Pack princess, but it is the potential future with the dark wolf in her path that threatens everything she thought she desired.
Logan Anderson’s own darkness provided the reasoning for his abandonment of his former Pack, the Talons. Now, newly accepted into the Redwood Pack, this jade-eyed wolf and all she represents could be his own undoing.
In this final installment of the Redwood Pack, unimaginable tragedy strikes, and the two wolves who have fought the longest for their independence now face the uncertainty of fate and the epic battle that could end the war… and their lives.

REVIEW:
We finally get the Princess of the Redwood Pack’s story. Cailin has been a long time favorite of mine. Maybe because she is standoffish, maybe because she is tough, or maybe it is because what Fate has in store for her might just save them all. Only problem is that Cailin is stubborn, tough, and standoffish that she just might lose out on what is most important.

This was really good way to end the Redwood Pack series, although it looks like there might be a novella here an there still to come. If you have not read any of the Redwood Pack books you need to start from the beginning. There is to much history in each book and to much interconnected events that reading Fighting Fate first would be a huge mistake.

I will warn you that if you can make it through chapter 2 you may be golden. There is a few Oh My GOD moments that left me speechless.

Looking forward to what Carrie Ann has in store for the Talon Pack.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book from Fated Desires Publishing in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

June 11, 2014June 11, 2014

Kelly reviews Animal Attraction by Paige Tyler

TITLE: Animal Attraction
SERIES #: Alaskan Werewolf #1
CHARACTERS: Hunter McCall & Eliza Bradley
AUTHOR: Paige Tyler
PUBLICATION DATE: Re-release
ORDER LINKS: Amazon| B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Frustrated when none of the real newspapers will hire her as a reporter, Eliza Bradley takes the only job she can get – at a paranormal magazine. Her first assignment takes her to Fairbanks, Alaska to investigate the possibility that a werewolf has killed two local hikers.
Eliza forgets about the story, however, when she meets Hunter McCall, a local college professor and an expert on wolves. The man is an absolute hunk, and she finds herself spending more time in his bed than worrying about werewolves. That is, until she finds out that Hunter isn’t just an animal in the sack, he’s an animal out of it, too – of the werewolf variety! Talk about a complicated relationship!

But Eliza can’t dwell on Hunter’s little shapeshifting issues. There’s another werewolf out there with a taste for human blood, and she and Hunter are the only ones who can stop him.

REVIEW:
3.5 Hearts Animal Attraction the re-release of Paige Tyler’s first book in her Alaskan Werewolf series.

Being unemployed sucks. That is how Eliza ends up finding herself in the middle of Alaska trying to track down a killer werewolf. Of course Eliza doesn’t believe in such things which makes working for a Paranormal newspaper a little hard. But once she is on the trail Eliza realized that there is much more to this story then just the paranormal. So with the help of the hunky professor and wolf expert Hunter McCall, Eliza is going to solve this case even if it kills her.

I enjoyed this book. I really like how Eliza’s mind worked and her openness to the paranormal world. And Hunter was just great. I really enjoyed the first interaction with Hunter and Eliza. Who knew ketchup could lead to true love. What to know what I am talking about? You need to pick up a copy of Animal Attraction and find out for yourself.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book from Paige Tyler in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

June 5, 2014May 25, 2014

Kelly reviews Jaguar Hunt by Terry Spears

TITLE: Jaguar Hunt
SERIES #: Heart of the Jaguar #3
CHARACTERS: David Patterson & Tammy Anderson
AUTHOR: Terry Spears
PUBLICATION DATE: June 3, 2014
ORDER LINKS: Amazon| B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
An agent and a jaguar-shifter chase trouble, and each other, through the jungles of Belize…

Agent Tammy Anderson has a reputation: she prefers to work alone. So when she’s paired up on a mission with jaguar-shifter David Patterson—who’s only recently been released from jail—to say she’s less than thrilled is a understatement. Until she realizes that this sexy agent has what it takes…

Soon, what started as an “easy” mission to locate a missing jaguar takes the pair to Belize, where they’re chasing down two renegade teen shifters who know more than they’re telling. As the action heats up, can they keep their minds on the job and off of each other?

REVIEW:
Tammy doesn’t work well with others. Well she works just fine with them as long as they are not her partner and not getting in her way. But on her latest mission Tammy has finally met her match in partners.

David is a man on a mission and nothing is going to stop him. David’s first hurdle is getting Tammy to actually work with him.

This was a great read. I loved David and Tammy. I loved the twins!! They are so sneaky and awesome. I enjoyed the mission that Tammy and David were on. It kept me guessing as to the who’s and the why’s.

This was my first book in this series. I was happy that Jaguar Hunt easily read as a stand alone book. I do plan on going back and reading the first two books in this series. I am already looking forward to who and what is next in this series.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley & SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.